Patrik Laine playing alongside Auston Matthews is exactly the kind of pairing that gets Leafs fans dreaming, and Toronto is reportedly in the mix to make it real.
Per Herb Zurkowsky, Toronto is one of several teams connected to the still-unsigned winger since free agency opened July 1st.
"Since free agency began on July 1, Laine has been linked to the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs and, more recently, the Philadelphia Flyers," Zurkowsky reported.
That's a long list of suitors for a player still sitting unsigned in August, and it says plenty about both his talent and the real risk attached to signing him.
-
Laine is a seven-time 20 goal scorer with 224 goals and 422 points across 537 career games, a number that jumps out fast for a team already looking for another finisher up front.
Why the fit with Matthews makes real sense
The appeal for Toronto is obvious. Matthews needs a real bounce-back season after posting just 27 goals and 53 points in an injury-shortened 60 games last year, and a shooter like Laine parked on his off wing only makes that easier.
Laine's one-timer alone forces penalty kills to respect him immediately, exactly the kind of weapon that could open up space for Matthews and William Nylander on Toronto's top power play unit.
His last real healthy sample came with Montreal in 2024-25, where he scored 20 goals and 33 points in just 52 games, with 15 of those goals coming on the power play alone.
The risk is impossible to ignore though. Laine's 2025-26 season basically didn't happen, limited to 5 games and a single assist before a core muscle injury required surgery.
He hasn't topped 60 games in any of his last five seasons, and that durability question is exactly why he's still unsigned this deep into the offseason despite the obvious talent.
For Toronto specifically, a low-cost, incentive-heavy deal makes this an easy swing to take. There's no trade cost, no long-term commitment, and real upside if he stays healthy next to Matthews.
If Laine actually delivers even a fraction of his peak scoring next to Matthews and Nylander, this becomes one of the best value additions of the summer. If the injuries continue, Toronto walks away having risked almost nothing.
Should the Maple Leafs sign Patrik Laine to play alongside Auston Matthews?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
This Maple Leafs youngster is earning serious praise from a respected voice
