Trading For Patrik Laine Could Be A Risk Worth Taking

Trade rumors surrounding Patrik Laine have been dominating the offseason, but the 26-year-old still remains with the Columbus Blue Jackets. After Laine recently cleared the NHL’s Player Assistance Program, teams were free to negotiate a potential deal with the Blue Jackets to acquire him, but it’s been silent so far.

A Laine trade certainly won’t be easy given his cap hit and disappointing performance. However, it can also be a case of “high risk, high reward”. The league has seen what he is capable of at this best and that’s not out of reach given his skillset. With the right situation, Laine is a major candidate to have a bounce-back season wherever he goes next, but it’s only a matter of which team makes the jump to trade for him.

Laine In Columbus Wasn’t A Great Fit, But He Still Brings Value

It’s amazing to see how the Laine trade between Columbus and Winnipeg has aged. It’s turned into a deal where no team got the advantage, but the Jets did manage to get a pretty hefty return for Pierre Luc-Dubois a few seasons later.

As for the Blue Jackets, their luck with Laine hasn’t been great. Once he got to Columbus, injuries got the better of him such as this past season, where he only managed to play 18 games scoring six goals and nine points. Laine’s tenure in Columbus has been filled with injuries and bad luck and his role with the team started to diminish. It got to the point where Laine requested a trade once new GM Don Waddell took over, and both parties agreed that a change was needed. During the last few seasons, despite only playing 111 games, Laine had 108 points and was productive when he was healthy. Laine’s health troubles combined with the fact that Columbus has been a bottom-feeder in the standings doesn’t result in an ideal situation.

But this can’t take away from the fact that Laine still has so much to offer. It wasn’t too ago where he was considered to be one of the top young goal scorer’s in the NHL and at his peak was compared to players like Auston Matthews and Alex Ovechkin. He’s in the middle of his prime and is stuck in a tough situation. When healthy, he’s been proven to produce as he’s been a point-per-game player throughout the last two seasons.

Trading For Laine Could Reap Big Rewards

The biggest hurdle surrounding a Laine trade is his contract. Given his health and cap hit of $8.7 million, it’s a risk that many teams are not going to take.

---

---

On the flip side, what if Laine ends up working out? His contract only lasts for two more seasons and when healthy, he’s a great player. There’s also the fact that Laine’s value right now isn’t super high so there is the possibility of a team buying low on him. Teams like the Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota Wild have been connected to the Finnish forward via trade rumors, but interest in him remains low league-wide.

There’s no doubt that a Laine trade would be risky, but it also can work out very well. There will be a GM out there that’ll trade for him, as sometimes desperation may arise. One team may view Laine as the missing piece to take the next step and also may view him as bouncing back to the player he was in Winnipeg.

Columbus Isn’t In A Rush For A Trade

While both parties agree on a change of scenery, the Blue Jackets are likely going to take their time with this. It’s a major possibility that Laine starts the season with Columbus in hopes of getting his game back. After he’s shown what he is, then the trade interest will start coming.

The Blue Jackets have also expressed reluctance towards retaining too much salary which can turn out to become a problem for getting a deal done. There’s also the expectation that Columbus gets a return that’s worth their time which is also going to be hard. But eventually, as time passes, the Blue Jackets may be pressured to get a deal done sooner rather than later.

Laine’s time with Columbus has been unfortunate. He hasn’t been able to show off his skillset effectively due to on and off-ice issues, and in general, has had bad luck. He’s in dire need of a change of scenery and a bounce-back season where he can take back his reputation as a top NHL sniper. It’s only a matter of a team taking the risk to give him the chance to redeem himself.

Next: Kris Letang Expressed Interest in Trade To Canadiens [Report]