
The Calgary Flames don’t exactly have the luxury of being picky when it comes to finding offence right now.
Goals have been difficult to come by through the opening three games of the season for the Flames. With very little proven scoring throughout the lineup, management may eventually have to look outside of the organization for some help.
Or perhaps they already are.
According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, the Flames have discussed the possibility of signing Patrik Laine, who remains a free agent.
Calgary isn’t believed to be rushing into a deal, as the organization wants to give its young players an opportunity to establish themselves. Still, it’s easy to understand why Laine has at least been discussed internally.
Laine has certainly fallen from the superstar trajectory he appeared to be on earlier in his career, but the former second-overall pick remains one of the more dangerous shooters in hockey when healthy. He scored 44 goals for the Winnipeg Jets in 2017-18 and has reached the 20-goal mark seven times during his NHL career.
More recently, he scored 20 goals in just 52 games with the Montreal Canadiens in 2024-25, including 15 on the power play.
There are obvious concerns. Injuries have become a major issue for Laine, while his overall five-on-five impact has declined considerably from his best days in Winnipeg.
But Calgary isn’t exactly in a position where adding another legitimate scoring threat would hurt.
The Flames’ young forwards are going to be given every opportunity to prove themselves, and that should remain the priority. However, if the offence continues to sputter, bringing in a player with Laine’s shooting ability could suddenly become a much more appealing option.
For a team struggling to score, it’s at least a conversation worth having.
Who knows, if he comes in healthy and delivers, the Flames could dish him out at the trade deadline for a nice return.
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