Are the Toronto Maple Leafs going to sign Patrik Laine?

The Toronto Maple Leafs may not be done adding to their forward group this summer. 

With just over a month until the new season gets underway, GM John Chayka is looking to put the final touches on the roster. 

The Montreal Gazette's Herb Zurkowsky reported last week that the Maple Leafs have been linked as a potential destination for free-agent winger Patrik Laine, along with the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Philadelphia Flyers.

Adding Laine into the fold would be intriguing from a variety of different angles. 

The 28-year-old Finnish forward is coming off an injury-laden season that limited him to just five games with the Montreal Canadiens last season. Those injury concerns seem to have dampened his free agent market, and he could likely be had for well below market value. 

When he isn't dealing with injuries, Laine has been a consistent 20-goal scorer in the NHL. He scored 20 goals in 52 games in 2024-25, and scored a career-high 44 goals with the Winnipeg Jets in 2017-18. 

Laine could slot in as a top-nine option for the Maple Leafs next season. 

Bringing him aboard would also represent Toronto bringing together the top-two picks of the 2016 NHL Draft class, Auston Matthews and Laine. 

The two players were closely compared over the first few years of their NHL careers. Laine actually outscored Matthews through their first two NHL seasons, before the Leafs centre pulled away.

Chayka and the Leafs are not working with a ton of cap space right now, and would likely need to move some things to make it work. Still, with how cheap Laine could be had on his next deal, it wouldn't be too difficult for Toronto to figure out. 

Could this be a precursor to seeing Matthews and Laine on the same line together?