Reports that Patrik Laine spotted in Canadian NHL city

Could Patrik Laine be on his way to Canada's capital?

Rumours surrounding NHL free agent Patrik Laine are picking up steam after a report surfaced on Reddit claiming the veteran sniper was spotted at Ottawa International Airport earlier today.

The speculation originated in the Ottawa Senators subreddit, where a user shared a post claiming to have seen Laine at Ottawa International Airport (YOW). While there is no confirmation that Laine was actually in Ottawa for hockey-related reasons, the sighting has understandably caught the attention of Senators fans.

With Laine still looking for his next NHL opportunity, the possibility of Ottawa emerging as a destination is certainly an intriguing one.

Interestingly, this isn't the first time Ottawa has been connected to Laine. Earlier reports indicated that Senators general manager Steve Staios had explored the possibility of bringing the former 40-goal scorer to Ottawa. There have also been reports that Laine's representatives had been in contact with the Senators about a potential opportunity.

The fit makes plenty of sense when looking at Ottawa's biggest weaknesses this season.

Through 16 games, the Senators have converted just 12.5% of their power-play opportunities, ranking dead last in the NHL at 30th. Ottawa has scored only eight power-play goals on 64 opportunities, an alarming statistic for a team hoping to establish itself as a legitimate contender.

Laine could be exactly the type of player Ottawa needs to address that problem.

The Finnish winger has long been regarded as one of the NHL's most dangerous power-play specialists. His ability to unleash a devastating one-timer from the left circle would give Ottawa another legitimate shooting threat and force opposing penalty-killing units to respect his presence.

With players like Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson already in the mix, adding Laine could give the Senators a much more dangerous first power-play unit.

Of course, an airport sighting posted on Reddit is hardly confirmation of an impending signing. There has been no official announcement connecting Laine's reported appearance at YOW to contract negotiations with Ottawa.

Still, given the Senators' struggles on the man advantage and their previous interest in the veteran sniper, it's easy to understand why fans are getting excited about the possibility.

For a player still searching for his next NHL home, Ottawa could present an interesting opportunity to revive his career while helping a playoff hopeful address one of its biggest weaknesses.

Original rumour: Reddit – Just saw Laine at YOW