Which UFA Forward Should the Penguins Sign (If Any)?

I was visiting one of my favorite Penguins sites this morning when I received a bit of a surprise. Namely, a writer who I personally have great respect and regard for suggested a rather off-the-wall option for replacing 33-goal man Anthony Mantha, who is almost sure to depart via free agency.

His suggestion? Canadiens forward Patrik Laine, like Mantha a pending UFA.

To digress, Laine entered the NHL as an 18-year-old rookie and No. 2 overall pick of the Jets to great fanfare and promptly set the league on its ear.

Think Ben Kindel’s 17-goal, 35-point season was special? Try Laine’s 36 goals and 74 points on for size. A sterling performance that earned him runner-up status to Toronto’s Auston Matthews in the Calder Trophy voting.

He was even better as a sophomore, ripping home 44 goals, including a league-best 20 on the power play. The sky truly seemed to be the limit for the Tampere, Finland, native.

Then Laine began a gradual fade, dipping to 30 goals in ‘2018-19 and 28 in the Covid-shortened ’19-20 campaign. Still plenty good, but not quite up to his early meteoric pace.

The following season he was dealt to Columbus along with Jack Roslovic for Pierre-Luc Dubois and a third-round pick. Laine’s numbers cratered with the CBJ (only 10 goals and 21 points in 45 games) to go with a dreadful minus-29, far and away the worst on the team.

Although dogged by injuries over the next couple of seasons, the hulking right wing bounced back when healthy, averaging nearly a point-per-game while lighting the lamp at roughly a 35-goal pace for a full season.

His ’23-24 season was aborted at 18 games in December by a fractured clavicle. Laine then entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.

Never a comfortable fit in Columbus, Patrik was dealt to the Canadiens on August 19, 2024. Again, he was beset by injuries that limited him to 52 games. To his credit, Laine was still productive, popping 20 goals. Fifteen, it should be noted, on the power play, with only five coming at even strength.

However, a core-body injury and subsequent surgery limited him to just five games this past season. It’s been whispered that he was well enough to make a return, but the Habs chose not to reactivate him from IR.

There’s no denying Laine can score. Even dinged-up, he produces at close to a 30-goal pace. Problem is, that’s about all he does these days. He isn’t fast, nor is he a play or possession driver, as his almost exclusively sub-50 percent Corsi and xGF% will attest.

Due to his checkered health history, availability is a huge concern. You can’t score if you’re not on the ice.

Physical play? Despite his 6’5” 216-pound frame…roughly Mantha dimensions…fuhgeddaboudit. Same goes for any sort of defensive acumen (a career minus-75 despite his considerable offensive prowess).

The ultimate one-trick pony. One that seems increasingly limited to scoring on the power play.

Yes, Laine is liable to come cheap. He’ll likely sign for far less than his current AAV of $8.7 million on an incentive-laden contract.

Just hope it’s not with us.

As for other UFA options? Seattle’s Bobby McMann and the Blue Jackets’ Mason Marchment, both late bloomers, appeal to me.

The 29-year-old McMann brings warp speed and an underrated scoring touch (29 goals) to the table, along with hustle, some physicality (165 hits) and the versatility to play either wing.

At 6’5” and 212 pounds, the super-sized Marchment is a virtual knock-off of Mantha, with a bit more of an edge. Coming off consecutive 22-goal seasons, the 30-year-old winger notched 19 goals for the Kraken and Blue Jackets, including 15 in 39 games with the CBJ.

Like present Pen Justin Brazeau, the son of former NHLer Bryan Marchment is a Kyle Dubas discovery. One that our POHO/GM laments allowing to wriggle off the hook when he was in Toronto.

The problem? There’s likely to be stiff competition for McMann and Marchment, which could lead to a bidding war that Dubas isn’t likely to embrace.

In the end, the Pens may not sign any free-agent forwards, opting instead to fill Mantha’s slot internally, with Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen the leading candidates.

Speaking of, McGroarty scored the game-winner in the Baby Pens’ 4-3 victory over the Toronto Marlies in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals Wednesday night. Knotting the Calder Cup series at two games apiece.

Heating up following a cool start to the playoffs, Rutger’s strung together a five-game points streak. He’s tied for second on the Baby Pens in scoring (ironically with Koivunen) with four goals and nine points in 13 games.