NY Rangers One of Five Teams Linked to Patrik Laine

If the New York Rangers want to bring aboard Patrik Laine, they will have to beat out several other teams.

Oct 16, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens right wing Patrik Laine (92) looks on during warm-up before the game against the Nashville Predators at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers have spent a lot of assets upgrading their roster for the 2026-27 season, hoping to snap their playoff drought at two years.

However, despite the changes that have been made, team president and general manager Chris Drury is still looking to add to the team ahead of training camp beginning in about five weeks. He is on the search for some help upfront, seeking out another winger.

At this point in the NHL calendar, options are limited in free agency. But there is one player who could certainly intrigue the Rangers: Patrik Laine. The No. 2 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft is a gifted goal scorer who could elevate the team’s offense, which ranked 23rd in the league with 235 non-shootout goals in the 2025-26 campaign.

However, New York is going to face intense competition to bring Laine aboard. As shared by Herb Zurkowsky of The Montreal Gazette, the Rangers are one of five teams who have been linked to the veteran forward, along with the Minnesota Wild, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs and the newest addition to the mix, the Philadelphia Flyers.

Which teams have been linked to Patrik Laine?

Oct 14, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine (92) prepares for a face off against the Seattle Kraken during the first period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Any team that is in search of a low-risk, high-reward signing is looking into Laine. The impact he can have offensively with his goal-scoring cannot be understated. He would be an immediate upgrade to any team’s offense and power play units.

In 537 NHL games, Laine has lit the lamp 224 times and has 422 career points. He thrives on special teams, with 85 power play goals. In seven seasons, he has reached the 20-goal plateau, as he can really put the puck into the back of the net.

That is something New York could certainly use more of in their lineup. However, there are some concerns, with his health atop the list. He played in only five games last season after undergoing surgery for a core muscle injury.

While he was healthy enough to return to practice in January, the Montreal Canadiens never activated him, and he remained on the injured reserve list.

His style of play on the ice is also a concern. He can certainly help a team when it comes to scoring, but with how impactful he is in that regard, he is on the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to playing defense.

In his career, Laine has a plus/minus ratio of -75. With the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2020-21, after being acquired in a trade from the Winnipeg Jets, he had a hard-to-fathom -29 plus/minus in only 45 games played.

That kind of impact, or lack thereof, defensively is something some coaches may not have the aptitude to deal with. However, a team in the position of New York cannot be picky when it comes to adding upgrades.

The offense needs another boost, and unless they want to trade defenseman Braden Schneider, finding another forward with top-six upside, such as Laine, will be virtually impossible.