While Jets star Patrik Laine might stay with the Winnipeg Jets for the most of this upcoming NHL season, according to Jordan Hall of NBC Sports, expect one team to stay in any trade conversations surrounding the player. That team is the Philadelphia Flyers and they’ve been rumored to have interest in Laine for some time.
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Hall writes, “Laine is one of the biggest names — if not the biggest name — on the trade market.” Noting he’s still No. 2 on TSN’s trade bait list, rumors of his being moved have not seemed to dwindle away and the 22-year-old’s name continues to be floated around. Hall adds that as per a source told to NBC Sports Philadelphia, the Flyers interest in Laine is well known.
Back in October, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun mentioned that the Flyers and Jets had trade discussions involving Laine. Since then, those talks have cooled down, even if the idea of a deal hasn’t completely gone away. Hall mentions that conversations could strike up again but isn’t sure when that would be. Suggesting that during the 2020-21 campaign and after the season has played itself out a little or when there’s other movement is an option, talks could also come after the season and before any Laine extension negotiations.
But, the consensus feeling is that Laine has made it known his long-term future is not with the Jets, thus teams like the Flyers are keeping close tabs on the situation.
What Would a Flyers and Jets Deal Look Like?
Laine has seasons of 36, 44, 30 and 28 goals over his four-year career and the Jets certainly aren’t going to let him go for anything but a strong return. This isn’t shocking news. What the Flyers could offer is another story.
The expectation is that Winnipeg would ask for a top level defenseman which puts a name like Ivan Provorov in play. If not him, Philippe Myers would need to be included as part of a package deal. Would the Flyers be willing to go there to acquire Laine? They certainly could use the scoring help but that’s a sizeable sacrifice to make.
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perttujunnonaho
December 18, 2020 at 8:23 pm
We do not need Laine, if the asking price is so high! While Laine is a elite scorer, he”s still only a one trick pony, who cant play 200f feet, and thus would be liability in our defensive end!