Few stories in hockey have captured the imagination of Montreal Canadiens fans quite like the arrival of Patrik Laine. Since joining the team, the Finnish forward has sparked hope and debate across the city, with flashes of brilliance hinting at a new chapter for both player and franchise.

But as the 2024-25 season unfolded, Laine’s journey took unexpected turns—both on and off the ice—leaving many to wonder what the future truly holds.

Now, as his contract approaches its final year, whispers and speculation have reached a fever pitch. Behind the scenes, sources suggest that Laine’s connection to Montreal runs deeper than anyone realized, and new details have emerged that could change everything for the Canadiens.

From dramatic career moves to personal challenges, Laine’s story is far more complex than meets the eye, and the latest updates hint at a decision that could reshape the team’s destiny.

Will Laine choose to remain in Montreal, potentially sacrificing financial gain for loyalty and happiness? What events have influenced his mindset, and how might his performance in the upcoming season affect negotiations? The answers are not as simple as they seem. Read on to uncover the full story behind Patrik Laine’s surprising future with the Canadiens.

Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine

Photo credit: A Wining Habit

There is no doubt that Patrik Laine is happy to play for the Montreal Canadiens, and the forward had several good moments in 2024-25.

The Finn’s contract will expire at the end of next season, and there are now some very interesting new details about it.

On August 19, 2024, Kent Hughes acquired Patrik Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets, along with a 2026 2nd-round pick, in exchange for defenseman Jordan Harris.

The latter, who had been drafted by the Montreal Canadiens 71st overall in 2018, unfortunately experienced difficult times in Ohio, and the organization ultimately decided not to submit him a qualifying offer.

Harris was therefore completely free and chose to continue his career with the Boston Bruins. He signed a one-year contract worth $825,000. The bad news for him is that Daily Faceoff does not believe he will be in the team’s top three defensive pairings, and he could therefore end up in the AHL.

In his first season with the Canadiens, Laine had several strong moments. Even though he only played 52 regular-season games, he recorded an impressive 15 power-play goals, placing him 4th in the NHL in that category.

The forward has missed a lot of hockey in recent years and seemed to lack energy, particularly in the playoffs. However, he is training extremely hard this summer and is determined to have a huge 2025-26 season. He even took the time to send a message to his critics, suggesting they shouldn’t bet against him in the upcoming campaign.

Patrik Laine Loves Montreal and Could Now Accept a New Contract Offer to Stay in La Belle Province

The site DansLesCoulisses reports very interesting information regarding Patrik Laine, revealing that he could agree to sign a new contract with the Canadiens, as he is very happy in Montreal.

“I’m told that Patrik Laine REALLY loves Montreal and the Canadiens organization. I think that if I could have programmed an animation on the word REALLY, I would have done it.” – Max Truman

Clearly, it seems he may even be willing to leave money on the table in order to remain with the team.

In recent years, he went through extremely difficult times, even enrolling in the NHL player assistance program. Then, he received terrible news with the passing of his friend and former Columbus teammate, Johnny Gaudreau.

If at first it seemed like Laine’s time in Montreal would be temporary, everything now indicates the situation is very different. His performance in 2025-26 will be closely monitored, and we sincerely hope he will achieve great success!