The Los Angeles Kings are walking into a future without Anze Kopitar. That’s a weird sentence to type after nearly two decades of the guy being the heartbeat of the franchise. Kopitar retired this offseason, and suddenly the Kings have a hole in the middle of their lineup that isn’t getting filled by any one player. It’s going to take a group effort.
But there might be a name floating around who could help soften the blow a little. Patrik Laine.
According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, Laine would have interest in signing with the Kings this summer. And it’s not just a random pipe dream. Pagnotta reported that Los Angeles actually had talks with Montreal about acquiring Laine before the trade deadline. That deal didn’t happen, but the interest was real on both sides.
Laine is an unrestricted free agent after a weird, injury-plagued stint with the Canadiens. He’s still only 27. And when he’s actually on the ice, he can still put the puck in the net. He scored 20 goals in 55 games for Montreal last season despite dealing with various health issues. That’s not nothing.
Here’s the thing with Laine though. He’s missed 70% of possible regular-season games over the last three years. That’s brutal. You can’t plan around a guy who can’t stay healthy. But you can take a flyer on him if the price is right. Pagnotta suggested a low-AAV deal with performance bonuses built in. That kind of contract basically protects the team if he gets hurt again and rewards him if he stays on the ice. Makes sense for both sides.
The Kings aren’t exactly in rebuild mode. They’re trying to stay competitive in the Pacific Division. They’ve got some young talent coming up and a solid defensive structure. What they don’t have is a ton of high-end scoring punch from the wing. Laine, even at 75% of what he was in Winnipeg, would give them a power play threat and a guy who can score from distance.
Nobody is pretending this replaces Kopitar. That’s not the point. This is about taking a calculated gamble on a still-young former 40-goal scorer who’s had terrible luck with injuries. If it works, the Kings get a 25-30 goal guy on a cheap deal. If it doesn’t, they’re out a little cap space and move on.
Worth a shot. LA has the cap room and the need. Laine has the talent and a reason to bet on himself. Could be one of those low-risk moves that pays off nicely come spring.
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