Patrik Laine’s free-agent market appears to be heading in an unexpected direction.
The former 40-goal scorer has attracted interest from the New York Islanders, but the team is reportedly unwilling to offer him a guaranteed NHL contract. Instead, the Islanders have one major condition.
Islanders Explore Patrik Laine Move
According to Islanders insider Stefen Rosner, New York spoke with Laine’s camp when free agency opened. However, the team is reportedly only willing to offer the veteran forward a professional tryout (PTO).
“What I reported was that they had conversations with his (Laine) camp when free agency opened, and that I don’t believe they’d be willing to offer him anything more than a PTO,” Rosner said.
A PTO would give Laine the opportunity to attend training camp and compete for a roster spot without having a guaranteed contract.
For the Islanders, it would also be a low-risk move. If Laine performs well and looks healthy, the team could sign him to a team-friendly contract. If he struggles, New York could move on without taking on a long-term commitment.
Why Are the Islanders Asking Laine to Try Out?
The biggest concern appears to be Laine’s recent injury history.
After undergoing core muscle surgery in October 2025, Laine played just five games for the Montreal Canadiens during the 2025-26 season. Over the past five NHL seasons, he has appeared in only 186 of a possible 410 games.
That lack of availability has clearly affected his market.
The Islanders also already have a crowded group of forwards, meaning the team may not want to guarantee a roster spot to a player who has struggled to stay healthy.
However, there is still a clear reason for New York to be interested.
The Islanders struggled badly on the power play last season, ranking 30th in the NHL. Laine could potentially help address that weakness. When healthy in 2024-25, Laine scored 20 goals in 52 games for Montreal, with 15 of those goals coming on the power play.
The Islanders do not need Laine to play heavy 5-on-5 defensive minutes or drive a checking line. They view him purely as a low-cost, high-upside power-play trigger man.
Once a No. 2 overall pick and a player who previously carried an $8.7 million cap hit, Laine now faces the possibility of entering training camp on a PTO.
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Laine’s camp is continuing to survey the league to see if any rival contender will offer a guaranteed one-year contract. However, as the summer market tightens heading into August, the Islanders’ PTO proposal, or a similar tryout offer elsewhere, may end up being his clearest pathway back into an NHL lineup.
