Patrik Laine is still a free agent days before the season, but David Pagnotta says the former Canadiens winger and several others could find homes soon.
"We should get word on which multiple free agents have finally found new homes over the next few days," Pagnotta wrote.
He named Laine, Michael Bunting, Carson Soucy, Vladimir Tarasenko and Philipp Kurashev as players evaluating their options.
Soucy is already in Columbus on a professional tryout.
The Finnish winger's last season was a strange one. He dressed for just five games with Montreal and managed one assist.
His last deal carried an $8,700,000 cap hit.
So how does a former second overall pick with 224 NHL goals end up unsigned in late September?
David Pagnotta: We should get word on which multiple free agents have finally found new homes over the next few days. The likes of Michael Bunting, Patrik Laine, Carson Soucy (PTO in Columbus), Vladimir Tarasenko and Philipp Kurashev are evaluating options - Fourth Period (9/27)
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It isn't about talent. Laine scored 20 goals in 52 games for the Canadiens the season before.
Somebody should take the gamble on Laine. A one-year, low-cost deal for a proven goal scorer is exactly the kind of bet good teams make in September.
Tarasenko is coming off 23 goals and 47 points with the Wild, and Friedman has reported mutual interest with the Panthers.
Bunting split last season between Nashville and Dallas, finishing with 33 points in 74 games.
He put up 63 points for Toronto in 2021-22, so the upside is still there.
Soucy, a 6-foot-4 defenseman, split last season between both New York clubs and finished with 12 points in 76 games.
Kurashev had 20 points in 43 games with San Jose, and he also played for Switzerland at the 2026 Olympics.
His best year came in 2023-24, when he put up 54 points for Chicago.
Late-September free agency is like the last hour of a garage sale. The prices drop, the good stuff is still sitting there, and somebody always drives off happy.
Opening rosters are due today, and the regular season starts Tuesday.
Pagnotta says the answers are coming. For Laine, the only question left is whether teams still see the 44-goal scorer or just the five-game season.
Should an NHL team take a chance on Patrik Laine before opening night?
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