Patrik Laine has met with the Anaheim Ducks.
According to Finnish insider Esko Seppänen, relayed by Aki Nieminen this morning, Ducks GM Pat Verbeek intends to finalize a Cutter Gauthier sign before he signs Laine.
Laine is currently a free agent. No team owns his rights right now, which is exactly why Anaheim can sit down with him at all.
But the wrinkle here isn't the meeting. It's what Verbeek is reportedly willing to give up to make it happen.
Gauthier put up 41 goals and 28 assists for 69 points across 76 games last season. He did it on a $950,000 cap hit.
That's not a throw-in. That kind of production on an entry-level deal is the exact asset most GMs build around.
Verbeek clearly sees it differently. He's rebuilt this roster fast, and the Ducks answered with 92 points, a 43-33-6 record, and a first-round win over Edmonton before Vegas ended their run in the second round.
Patrik Laine is reportedly going to Anaheim
Head coach Joel Quenneville has had the Ducks trending up since he took over in May of 2025. Adding a proven winger like Laine fits the win-now push.
Leo Carlsson already gives Anaheim a young scoring engine, 67 points last season on his own $950,000 deal. So where exactly does Laine slot in if this deal gets done?
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Nothing is finalized yet. Verbeek still needs to sign Gauthier, and until that call gets made, Laine stays unsigned and Anaheim's roster stays unsettled.
Patrik Laine could be a very good fit for the Ducks, especially given that he's not in a strong position to command a big salary on his next deal. That could give Pat Verbeek an opportunity to land him at a bargain price.
Should the Ducks trade Cutter Gauthier to sign Patrik Laine?
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