NHL trade rumors: Insider deems $34,800,000 Canadiens forward's trade "pretty unlikely," claims future hinges on productivity

NHL insider Frank Seravalli thinks it’s unlikely the Montreal Canadiens will trade forward Patrik Laine. Laine is entering the final season of his four-year, $34.8 million contract and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

There have been rumors that the Canadiens are looking to trade Laine. On the NHL Insider Notebook with Frank Seravalli, Seravalli shared his take on Patrik Laine's trade odds:

"I think probably pretty unlikely at this point, let's see how the season starts, let's see what kind of productivity level he finds." (24:54 onwards)

In the 2024-2025 season, Laine missed the first two months with a knee injury. He then suffered a broken finger during the playoffs against the Washington Capitals, which caused him to miss the final three games of that series.

Despite the injuries, Laine managed to put up 20 goals and 13 assists for 33 points in 52 regular-season games. He also recorded 1 assist in 2 playoff games.

Seravalli believes Laine’s future in Montreal depends on his performance next season. If he stays healthy and productive, the Canadiens might look to keep hold of him, or would at least see improved trade packages in return.

NHL analyst Eric Engels' take on Patrik Laine's situation with the Canadiens

According to Eric Engels, the Canadiens are not actively looking to trade Laine, but they would not hesitate to move him if the right offer came along. Speaking on Sportsnet's "The Fan Hockey Show" last month, Engels said:

“If the phone rang and somebody wanted to take on the last year of Patrik Laine's deal, I don't think the Canadiens would necessarily hesitate to ship it out. I don't think they're necessarily ripping out their hair to find ways to get him out of Montreal over this last year.”

Engels highlighted Laine's up-and-down season with Montreal, noting that his power-play prowess (15 PP goals) was a significant factor in the team's qualification for the playoffs.

However, the analyst also acknowledged that Laine's consistency at 5-on-5 has been an issue, and the Canadiens are hoping that an upgraded center can help him find more consistent offensive production.

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Edited by John Maxwell