With the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals on Sunday night, the offseason has arrived for the Minnesota Wild. There are many items that are on general manager Bill Guerin’s to-do list and one is to find more impact players that can slot into their group of top six forwards.
There are a lot of ways Guerin could choose to fill this need and it could include touching base with Patrik Laine. A free agent after spending his last two seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, Laine could wind up becoming a sneaky “buy low” target and give the Wild another chance after a failed attempt to bring him to Minnesota a few years ago.
Patrik Laine could be the Wild’s next offseason gamble
Minnesota was originally interested in Laine after the 2023-24 season in a report by The Athletic’s Joe Smith and Michael Russo, but a deal never materialized in part to the team’s limited cap space due to the buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. Laine was also a risky bet at the time, as he spent time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and has the tendency to be “an independent contractor” per former Wild forward and NHL Network analyst Mike Rupp. But the Wild likely saw the player he can be when everything comes together.
The second overall pick in the 2016 draft by the Winnipeg Jets, Laine made the All-Star team and won the Art Ross trophy with 36 goals and 64 points in 73 games. He went on to net 44 goals in his second season with the Jets but gradually fell off until he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2020-21 season.
While he had back-to-back 20-goal campaigns during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, he played in just 18 games amid his struggles in 2023-24 and requested a trade. According to La Velle E. Neal III of the Minnesota Star Tribune, the Wild showed interest but Laine ultimately chose Montreal as a preferred destination.
That gamble worked out well for the Canadiens as he scored 20 goals and 33 assists in 52 games during the 2024-25 campaign but he was limited to just five games last season after undergoing core muscle surgery. Despite the injury, Laine told the Montreal Gazette’s Stu Cowan that he was ready to play after New Year’s and if that’s true, he could represent an interesting buy low target as he approaches free agency.
The Wild enter the offseason with a fluid situation in the top six. While Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek will return, the Wild already lost Marcus Johansson as he decided to return to his home country of Sweden and Vladimir Tarasenko’s return isn’t a lock as he enters free agency. With $9.4 million in cap space after Michael McCarron’s return and the possibility of adding a top-six center like Dylan Larkin, the Wild may have to look between the margins to add an impact talent.
Still only 28 years old, Laine would fit the bill and it could replicate the approach that led the Wild to Tarasenko last offseason.
Acquired Tarasenko for cash considerations from the Detroit Red Wings last summer, the gamble paid off with 23 goals and 47 points over 75 games. That performance makes a strong case to bring Tarasenko back, but there’s no guarantee he’ll replicate it as he enters his age-35 season. With a weak free agent market, the Wild could also get priced out but they may not have that issue with Laine.
If Guerin has kept his eyes on Laine, it could be as simple as a phone call to gauge his interest in joining the Wild. If his stance has changed, Minnesota could sign him to a short-term contract and load it up with performance incentives that could save money for bigger moves and give the Wild a low-risk gamble to bolster their top six.
This may not be the move Wild fans are hoping for this offseason. But with previous interest, it could be one that could pay off in a big way and give Minnesota some more firepower next year.
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