Patrik Laine is running out of NHL options, with head coach Andrew Campbell's Senators no longer appearing interested.
Ottawa had explored the fit, but the club has moved in another direction. That carries extra weight because the Senators were increasingly being treated as the last serious landing spot still open to Laine.
Earlier in the offseason, Toronto, Florida, Tampa Bay and Dallas were all connected to the Finnish winger. None of those links produced a contract, and Laine remains unsigned with training camps approaching.
The timing is becoming impossible to ignore. Teams are filling roster spots, setting combinations and deciding which players they want battling for jobs once camp begins.
Laine appeared in only 5 games for Montreal last season and recorded 1 assist before his year was derailed by a core-muscle injury.
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The shot still gives Laine something teams have to respect. But clubs looking at him now also have to decide where he fits at even strength and whether there's enough value beyond a power-play role.
Patrik Laine may be running out of NHL runway
Ottawa could have offered a fascinating opportunity. Steve Staios has been shaping a roster that needs reliable pieces around its core, but taking a swing on Laine apparently isn't part of that plan.
That leaves Laine in a difficult spot. Even if another NHL club suddenly shows interest, the conversation could now be about earning a contract through camp rather than walking directly into a guaranteed top-six role.
And if no NHL offer arrives, the KHL becomes a route that can't be dismissed.
A move overseas could give Laine the chance to play major minutes, work the power play and rebuild his value without spending another season waiting for an NHL opportunity that may never come.
It wouldn't automatically close the door forever. A productive year abroad could create another NHL opening later, especially for a player still young enough to rebuild his career.
But leaving now would carry real meaning. Laine entered the summer searching for another NHL chapter, and the list of believable destinations has only gotten shorter.
If Ottawa was the final club willing to seriously explore the fit, its decision to move on may have pushed Laine closer than ever to the end of his NHL run.
Has Patrik Laine played his final NHL game?
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