New report reveals how the NY Islanders view the value of signing Patrik Laine

It turns out the New York Islanders do have interest in free agent winger Patrik Laine.

But that interest appears to be extremely limited.

According to Stefen Rosner of The Elmonters, the Islanders did reach out to Laine's camp when free agency opened. However, the conversations never progressed beyond gauging mutual interest. Rosner believes the Islanders wouldn't offer anything more than a professional tryout (PTO).

It makes sense why fans and analysts have linked the Isles with Laine. After all, the Islanders desperately needed offense after finishing near the bottom of the NHL on the power play. Laine, despite an injury-plagued stretch, remains one of hockey's most dangerous pure shooters when healthy. The Islanders are trying to be as competitive as possible this season while gearing up for future seasons, so why wouldn't taking a flyer on Laine be worth the risk?

Apparently, it's not about arguing over term. We saw Patrick Kane get a two-year deal from Chicago this past week; that's not something the Isles would do, but it will be interesting to see whether the Islanders would offer a one-year prove-it contract or if a PTO is really all they'd be willing to do. A PTO isn't the type of offer extended to a player expected to fill a top-six role. It's essentially an invitation to prove you still belong, and that's a gamble the Islanders apparently weren't willing to make.

Mathieu Darche spent the summer reshaping the forward group by adding players like Matias Maccelli while creating opportunities for younger contributors such as Cal Ritchie. With veterans already occupying most of the roster spots and several prospects pushing for NHL jobs, the Islanders simply don't have many openings up front.

As intriguing as Laine's scoring touch remains, availability has become the biggest question.

Over the last five seasons, he's appeared in fewer than half of his team's games, and injuries limited him to just five contests in 2025-26. Even during his productive 20-goal campaign in Montreal the previous season, durability remained a concern.

Could the Islanders revisit Laine later this summer if circumstances change? Never say never.

But based on the latest reporting, it appears their interest was more about exploring an opportunity than aggressively pursuing one. For now, Islanders fans hoping to see one of the NHL's most gifted goal scorers on Long Island should probably temper their expectations.

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