Patrik Laine gets a harsh reality check in free agent negotiations.

In a summer where teams around the National Hockey League have seemed desperate to get their hands on every bit of talent that they can, many have been left surprised at the fact that 28 year old free agent winger Patrik Laine remains unsigned.

The Harsh Reality.

There's never been any disputing Laine's natural talent but the deficiencies in his game and inconsistent play have made it difficult to trust him, something that seems to have finally caught up with the Finnish forward. A recent report from New York Islanders insider Stefan Rosner has revealed that the Islanders weren't even prepared to offer Laine an NHL contract.

From Rosner:
The noise that I heard about Patrik Laine came on Day 1 of NHL free agency and Day 1 of NHL free agency only.

I reported that the Islanders had talks with Patrik Laine’s camp, and I didn’t believe they were willing to offer anything more than a PTO.

While that may seem harsh, Laine was limited to just 5 games with the Montreal Canadiens last season despite reports that he was healthy enough to return well before the trade deadline. Laine was earning $8.7 million per season at the time and if that wasn't enough to motivate him to play what kind of effort can you expect out of him at a significant pay cut?

Combined with the fact that Laine has struggled to remain healthy in recent years and it should come as no surprise that teams are not leaping at the chance to sign him to a new deal.

A Road To Redemption?

With Laine's stock at an all time low he may not be looking at a major payday this season but what he could be looking at is a real chance to rehabilitate his image both in the eyes of fans and NHL general managers. At 28 years old Laine remains in his prime and continues to shine in specific situations, like the power play, despite obvious deficiencies in his game.

While he is now several years removed from his multiple 30+ goal seasons with the Winnipeg Jets, the only team with which Laine has achieved that feat, a Laine motivated to prove his doubters wrong could help a team in need of filling the back of the net.

While there will be risks for any team that gives Laine a shot at redemption this season, it doesn't sound like there's any real risk of those consequences being long-term given that team's appear unwilling to offer Laine so much as a guaranteed contract.