Rangers reportedly target former 40-goal scorer in surprising move

Patrik Laine and the New York Rangers might be one of the more interesting remaining fits still sitting on the free agent board.

GM Chris Drury is reportedly still looking to add one more forward before camp, and Laine fits that exact profile as a high-upside swing.

Nothing here is a formal offer yet. This is a confirmed Rangers need running into growing speculation that Laine could be the answer.

The appeal is simple. New York doesn't need Laine to be the 44-goal scorer he once was in Winnipeg. It just needs another legitimate shooting threat, particularly on the power play.

At 28, he's not some fading veteran hanging on. He's a seven-time 20-goal scorer with 224 goals and 422 points across 537 career games, production that hasn't just evaporated.

New York has already reshaped its forward group significantly this offseason, adding Pavel Dorofeyev long term along with Oliver Bjorkstrand and Joe Veleno, while moving on from Vincent Trocheck as part of Drury's broader retool.

Laine wouldn't need to be another foundational piece in that plan. This would be a calculated bet on pure shooting talent.

How a bonus-heavy contract limits New York's risk

His 2024-25 season in Montreal makes the case best. In just 52 games, he scored 20 goals and 33 points, with 15 of those goals coming on the power play alone.

That's the exact role New York should want him in, parked in the left circle with his off-side one-timer forcing penalty kills to respect him immediately.

The risk is obvious though, and it's availability. Laine's 2025-26 season was essentially wiped out by a core muscle injury requiring surgery after just 5 games and 1 assist.

He hasn't topped 60 games in any of his last five seasons, easily the biggest red flag in any evaluation of this potential fit.

Laine sounded genuinely open to a fresh start at Montreal's end-of-season availability. "I'm just excited about where the wind takes me next year," he said.

New York currently projects around $2,400,000 in cap space, and Laine qualifies for a bonus-heavy one-year deal given his NHL games played and recent long-term injury history.

A realistic structure might look like a $1,250,000 guaranteed salary with up to $2,250,000 in performance bonuses, capping total compensation around $3,500,000 while leaving New York roughly $1,150,000 in immediate flexibility.

That structure is exactly what makes this worth pursuing. There's no trade cost, no long-term commitment, and a real ceiling if he stays healthy.

If Laine gives New York 20-plus goals and strengthens the second power play unit, this looks like a brilliant low-cost swing. If the injuries return, the Rangers walk away having sacrificed nothing in draft capital or prospects.

Nothing suggests Laine is close to signing in New York specifically. But if Drury wants one more offensive lottery ticket before camp opens, it's hard to find a more interesting name still available.