The Florida Panthers did not get the most encouraging news this past week regarding the future of Brad Marchand. The veteran forward could miss significant time at the beginning of the season, prompting questions about this replacement in the lineup.
Well, it just so happens that the Panthes might just have Marchand’s replacement sitting in free agency. Former Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine remains unsigned at this point of the summer and could become a bargain option for the Cats.
The biggest issue with Laine will be the sort of contract he wants. Most likely, the 28-year-old is looking for a multi-year deal. That situation, however, may not quite materialize at this point. The questions surrounding his health and overall skill set at this point in his career have likely turned off some teams this offseason.
But if the Panthers could get Laine for, say, a one-year incentive-laden deal, would that make sense for Florida? Absolutely. As long as he is willing to help the Cats figure out the math, it would make sense to bring him aboard.
Since there is no telling how much time Marchando could miss, bringing in Laine and his one-dimensional game to take up a third-line spot wouldn’t be such a bad idea. The most important thing will be to see him contribute offensively, making up some of the lost production while Marchand is away.
Panthers Don’t Have Much Cap Space to Work With
The biggest obstacle at the moment is the lack of cap space the Panthers have to work with. At the moment, Florida has $34K in room. That’s just a whisker under the cap limit, essentially zapping any chances of signing Laine to anything beyond a league-minimum deal.
The good news is that because Laine missed virtually all of last season, he could sign a performance bonus-heavy contract to offset the cap impact this season.
It might be a bit of a long shot considering how the Finnish forward sees himself. But given how few teams have been willing to give him a call, signing on with the Panthers would make sense.
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Laine Would Do Well to Suit Up in Florida
There’s one other reason why Laine might be willing to suit up for the Panthers even on an incentive-laden deal. Florida is still regarded as one of the best organizations in the league. Getting a chance to play there could help Laine get his career back on track.
In fact, playing with a notable team like Florida could give him the opportunity he didn’t quite have with other clubs. That’s not to say that Montreal or Columbus didn’t have the support system Laine needed. It’s just that these teams were in completely different circumstances.
The Panthers aren’t looking for Laine to be a top-six forward who can fill the back of the net. The Cats are looking for someone with enough left in the tank to provide depth scoring at a reasonable price tag.
If Laine can prove he’s still got it, it could open the door to a multi-year deal down the line.
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