Patrik Laine could revive his career alongside one of the greatest playmakers ever

Patrik Laine is still sitting at home this week, and the list of teams willing to bet on him keeps shrinking.

The Finnish winger remains unsigned, and heading into the back half of August, that silence is starting to say something on its own.

Mike Rupp isn't staying quiet about it. On the DFO Rundown podcast, the former NHL forward said if he were in Laine's shoes, he would chase a deal with the Lightning and try to line up next to Nikita Kucherov.

''I think if i'm Patrik Laine's camp, the best move to get his career back going to where he wants it to be [...] Honestly man I would go to Tampa. I get whatever contract they can do to fit you in & be on the other side of Kucherov and just be burying goals.''

Kucherov, who carries a $9,500,000 cap hit, is one of the best playmakers in hockey. Pairing him with a shooter like Laine sounds great on paper.

And on paper is exactly where this idea should probably stay.

Tampa Bay finished the season 50-26-6 for 106 points, good for fifth in their division, with a plus-59 goal differential that ranked among the best in the league.

That is not a team that needs to gamble a roster spot on a reclamation project, no matter how good the wrist shot is.

Jon Cooper's Lightning have no patience for passengers

Jon Cooper runs a bench that demands habits, not just highlight reels. Compete level matters in Tampa Bay as much as skill does.

Laine has never had trouble finding the back of the net. That part of his resume speaks for itself.

But the two-way habits, the details away from the puck, those have followed him from Winnipeg to Columbus to Montreal as open questions. Cooper's Lightning are not exactly known for carrying passengers.

So while Rupp's suggestion makes for a fun radio moment, it is hard to picture Tampa Bay opening a spot for a player still trying to prove he fits anywhere.

Laine has been connected to multiple clubs since free agency opened, and every name that surfaces adds another layer to a story that has gone on longer than anyone expected.

At some point soon, the market usually speaks louder than the speculation. And for Laine, that market has stayed remarkably quiet.

There is a real chance his next contract is not a contract at all, but a professional tryout, a one-week audition instead of a guaranteed roster spot.

Teams keep circling. Nobody is landing.

And with training camps opening in a matter of weeks, time is turning into the one opponent Laine cannot outshoot.