Early this summer, general manager Ken Holland and the Los Angeles Kings have already done a lot of work to reshape the team's roster. But the rumor mill still suggests Holland and the Kings might not be completely finished.
Even though there hasn't been much movement on the Patrik Laine free agency news wire in recent days and weeks, Sportsnet's latest roundup of the NHL's best remaining unrestricted free agents once again included the Kings among the teams reportedly showing interest in the winger.
The rumor appears to be sourced from a David Pagnotta report in early July, which identified the Kings as one of multiple teams to watch for Laine if he remained unsigned in free agency.
Patrik Laine's offensive upside makes him an intriguing buy-low candidate
While the rumor itself isn't anything new, it still raises an intriguing question as training camp approaches in the next couple of months: should the Kings take a low-risk swing on the former 40-goal scorer in free agency?
Laine is one of the best scoring wingers available in free agency at this point of the offseason. He brings elite offensive tools, including an elite shot, quick release, and a finishing ability that has made him one of the NHL's most dangerous power-play weapons when healthy.
The only campaign that Laine played a full 82 games in the regular season (in the 2017-18 season with the Winnipeg Jets), he was a 40-goal scorer at just 19 years old. And in every season that he's played at least 50 games, he's scored 20 goals and at least 30 total points.
While it feels like Laine has been around for a while in the league, he's still only 28 years of age going into the upcoming 2026-27 season. He can be a high-level contributor on special teams on the power play, and he's proven in the past to be a clutch goal scorer when it comes down to the time that matters on the scoreboard in the final frame in the third period.
Laine has scored at least five game-winning goals and at least 20 goals in four out of the 10 seasons he's played in the NHL in his career.
That said, the fit wouldn't be perfect between the Kings and Laine hypothetically if he were to sign a contract to play in Los Angeles this offseason in free agency. Holland and the Kings have prioritized reliable two-way veterans throughout this summer in free agency, while Laine has battled injuries and inconsistent play on the ice in recent years.
Los Angeles also already boasts established scoring wingers in the top six, making it a worthwhile question to ask where Laine would fit in the roster lineup this upcoming season.
Even if the Kings' reported interest in Laine ultimately goes nowhere this offseason, he remains one of the few remaining unrestricted free agents capable of changing a team's offensive ceiling. If Holland believes the offensive upside outweighs the risks with Laine, the Kings could be one of the more logical destinations for him this summer.
If Laine would be hypothetically willing to sign a one-year, low-cost prove-it contract, the risk would be relatively small and the offensive upside could be significant. But if the Kings believe they already addressed their scoring needs in free agency this summer, it might be more sensible to keep what's remaining of their cap flexibility intact going into training camp and the preseason this fall with the roster they have.
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