The Los Angeles Kings finally have a win, but their offensive problems haven’t disappeared. Now a familiar name has entered the conversation: Patrik Laine, the former 44-goal scorer still looking for an NHL contract.
TSN insider Pierre LeBrun reported that the Kings have discussed Laine as a possible addition. The reasoning is obvious. Los Angeles has scored just 17 goals in seven games, and its power play has converted only four of 23 opportunities. Laine, meanwhile, scored 15 power-play goals for Montreal in 2024–25. That combination makes this more than a random free-agent suggestion.
But there is an important distinction: a conversation is not an offer, and no Laine signing has been confirmed as of October 22. The real story is whether general manager Ken Holland sees enough value in a low-cost shooting specialist to accept the risks that have kept other teams on the sidelines.
What Pierre LeBrun Actually Reported About Patrik Laine and the Kings
During TSN’s Early Trading segment, LeBrun said Los Angeles had discussed Laine, who remained unsigned, and considered whether his shot could help the power play. He also made clear he did not know whether the Kings would ultimately choose that route. That’s a meaningful report of interest, not evidence that negotiations are advanced.
It’s easy for talk about a familiar name to become a prediction of an imminent deal. Nothing publicly verified supports that stronger conclusion.
Detroit and Calgary have also explored Laine, but neither signed him.
Why the Los Angeles Kings Need Another Scoring Threat
Los Angeles entered October 22 with a 1–4–2 record after beating Washington 5–2 on October 20. That was a welcome result, especially with Adrian Kempe scoring twice, but it doesn’t erase what came before. The Kings have averaged 2.43 goals per game while allowing 3.86, and their 17.4% power play sits below the early league average of approximately 20.9%.
The issue extends beyond one cold-shooting winger. Los Angeles also has defensive and penalty-killing problems that Laine alone couldn’t repair.
The numbers behind the signing rumor
Seven Kings games versus Laine’s last meaningful NHL scoring season.
Baseline current cap space: $1,095,636. Figures are hypothetical one-year base cap hits, not reported offers.
| Laine base cap hit | Remaining cap room | Snapshot fit |
|---|---|---|
| $850,000 | $245,636 | Within cap room |
| $1,000,000 | $95,636 | Within cap room |
| $1,100,000 | −$4,364 | Adjustment needed |
Laine would give penalty killers another dangerous shooter to respect.
Patrik Laine’s Power-Play Numbers Explain the Kings Rumor
Laine’s 2024–25 Montreal season is the strongest argument for taking a chance. He produced 20 goals and 33 points in 52 games, with an extraordinary 15 goals coming on the power play. Put another way, 75% of his goals that season came with the man advantage.
That’s not a guaranteed forecast, especially after a long layoff. It does demonstrate what his one-timer can produce.
At his peak with Winnipeg, Laine scored 44 goals in 2017–18. His career totals now stand at 224 goals and 422 points in 537 NHL games. Few unsigned players can point to that combination of high-end finishing and established NHL production.
Where Laine Would Fit in a Kings Lineup Featuring Panarin and Kempe
The question is how Peter Laviolette could use Laine without weakening the team’s five-on-five play.
Artemi Panarin is already a premium puck distributor, while Kempe supplies speed, finishing and established chemistry with the Kings’ top players. Brandt Clarke and Drew Doughty offer different ways of moving the puck from the blue line. Laine could serve as a dedicated weak-side power-play shooting option, forcing defenders to choose between closing his lane and protecting the slot.
In my view, the Kings shouldn’t promise him a top-six job before he earns it. A sheltered winger role with second-unit or carefully chosen first-unit power-play time makes more sense initially. Let his conditioning, pace and puck management determine whether his minutes grow.
His power-play minutes would come at someone else’s expense, so his shot must deliver.
Why Patrik Laine Is Still Unsigned
The obvious drawback is availability. Laine played only five games in 2025–26, recording one assist, after a core-muscle injury required surgery. He hasn’t appeared in an NHL game since October 2025. That is a long absence in a league where timing, pace and defensive reads can erode quickly without regular competition.
His representatives have pushed back against concerns about his current health. Agent Andy Scott told Pierre LeBrun earlier this month that Laine was healthy and skating daily while awaiting the right opportunity. That’s an attributed public statement, not an independent medical assessment or a fresh interview conducted for this article.
There is another encouraging development. ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that Laine has no intention of signing in Europe and remains motivated to prove he belongs in the NHL. Her report strengthens the case that the player is available and interested in returning, but it does not tell us which club will act.
To me, the concern isn’t whether Laine remembers how to shoot. It’s whether he can get open, recover pucks and contribute consistently enough between those shooting opportunities. That’s what an NHL team must evaluate before committing.
Can Los Angeles Actually Afford Patrik Laine?
The salary-cap calculation is tighter than the phrase “cheap option” suggests. We listed approximately $1.096 million in current Kings cap space against the $104 million 2026–27 ceiling when checked for this article.
At an $850,000 league-minimum salary, Laine would leave roughly $245,636 of that snapshot’s cap room. At a $1 million cap hit, he would leave about $95,636. A $1.1 million base cap hit would exceed that snapshot by $4,364 without another move. These are simplified same-day comparisons, not forecasts of daily accrued cap space or promises that every roster scenario is legal.
PuckPedia identifies Laine as eligible for a one-year incentive-based contract under the NHL’s injury-related veteran rules. Earned performance bonuses still affect final cap accounting and can create future overages.
I would target a modest one-year base salary, with clearly defined incentives if the contractual rules allow them. That’s an opinion about a sensible structure, not a report that Holland has made an offer.
The Laine Value Question: No Trade Assets, Real Roster Risk
Because Laine is an unrestricted free agent, this is not technically a trade rumor. There is no acquiring team surrendering a draft pick, prospect or player in a transaction with Montreal. The price is a contract, a roster position and the ice time required to determine whether his game has recovered.
My signing-value framework weighs four factors: proven power-play finish, expected five-on-five contribution, health and readiness uncertainty, and cap flexibility. Laine rates highly on demonstrated shooting upside, but considerably less convincingly on recent availability and all-around predictability. That is why a short, affordable contract makes more sense than an investment based on the player he was in 2018.
The upside is inexpensive power-play scoring; the downside is a roster spot tied up by someone struggling with NHL pace. Neither is a prediction.
What the Kings’ First Victory Changes—and What It Doesn’t
The 5–2 victory over Washington gave Los Angeles something it badly needed: relief from the losing streak. But a single game does not establish that the scoring problem is solved. Quinton Byfield also left that game with an upper-body injury, another situation the club must manage carefully.
Los Angeles had already reshuffled its forward lines looking for more production.
If Los Angeles begins scoring reliably and injured forwards return, the urgency to add Laine could fade. If the power play remains inconsistent and the injuries linger, the case for a low-cost external option strengthens. Those are developments worth tracking rather than inventing a signing deadline.
My Take: Should Ken Holland Sign Patrik Laine?
I would explore it, but only on the Kings’ terms. At a manageable one-year cap hit, Laine offers a skill that isn’t easy to find on the open market: a legitimate NHL one-timer with recent evidence of power-play production.
I wouldn’t sell him as the missing piece to a playoff contender. Los Angeles needs better five-on-five execution, more dependable team defense and improvement on the penalty kill. Laine cannot address all three. Nor should fans expect the 44-goal version of him simply because he puts on a black-and-silver jersey.
There’s middle ground between savior and failed experiment. Eight or ten timely goals at a low salary could be valuable, provided Laine can handle the pace.
For now, the confirmed update is straightforward: LeBrun has reported Kings discussions, Laine remains unsigned, and Kaplan says his focus is staying in the NHL. No agreement has been announced. The next meaningful step would be evidence of a formal offer, a team evaluation or an actual contract—not another round of recycled speculation.
Patrik Laine
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