Eight potential commerce locations for Blue Jackets sniper Patrik Laine – Sportsnet.ca

For the second straight yr, the Columbus Blue Jackets discover themselves in the summertime highlight.

Rewind to this time final yr, and it was the Mike Babcock saga that threatened to derail the Jackets, the membership hiring the controversial coach in July solely to have to interchange him by September, the entire tumultuous affair leaving the workforce mired in chaos earlier than the season even bought underway. 

A yr later, it appears Columbus has chosen chaos as soon as once more. Pascal Vincent, who took over teaching duties within the wake of Babcock’s ousting, has been dismissed himself — the transfer made by Don Waddell, who’s taken over as GM after half a decade in Carolina. And Patrik Laine, one of many largest stars on the roster, seems to need out, too.

Experiences surfaced final week that Laine and the workforce are working collectively to search out him a recent begin. Based on Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, plans for the winger to maneuver on from the Blue Jackets have been in movement for a while.

“We had been headed to this final season,” Friedman mentioned on a latest episode of 32 Ideas: The Podcast. “Laine bought harm, and I had heard throughout that point that when Laine was wholesome sufficient to return, this was going to occur. The Blue Jackets, then below Jarmo Kekäläinen had been going to present permission for Laine to discover a commerce, and Laine’s brokers to do it. Then in fact Laine went into the [NHL/NHLPA player assistance] program. 

“I do assume that is one thing that was brewing. The Blue Jackets knew that Laine most well-liked this, they usually had been prepared to assist facilitate it.”

The 26-year-old stays in this system, and on the mend from accidents — a fractured clavicle took him out of the lineup for an prolonged interval through the common season, and he just lately underwent a minor shoulder process — however the winger is predicted to be able to return to the ice for 2024-25.

Nonetheless, a deal to grant Laine the recent begin he needs received’t be a easy one to place collectively. The core problem is wage, with two years remaining on the four-year pact he inked in 2022, which carries an $8.7-million cap hit. Throughout his early years within the league, the Tampere, Finland, product confirmed his potential to dominate offensively, however after a tricky run in Columbus — which noticed him restricted to fewer than 60 video games in every of his 4 seasons with the workforce, and unable to crack the 30-goal plateau — that price ticket will appear steep for a lot of golf equipment. That Laine’s deal features a modified no-trade clause solely complicates issues additional.

That mentioned, potential points apart, there’s no query there shall be suitors for the previous 40-goal scorer. Whereas it’s been years since Laine was in a state of affairs that allowed him to unlock the total potential of his skill-set, his all-world shot is certain to entice various groups who really feel they will put him able to rediscover his scoring contact. 

On Thursday, Waddell make clear the place the state of affairs at the moment stands. 

“We’re nonetheless working together with his agent, Andy Scott. He’s nonetheless in this system, and as soon as he will get out — which we anticipate any day, a while quickly — groups have [said] they wish to speak with him in the event that they’re going to make a transfer,” Waddell said. “It’s too early to say about [retaining] cash — our hope is that we wouldn’t have to carry cash. We wish to make a hockey commerce if we are able to, and we’re definitely exhausting each alternative, and each workforce that doubtlessly has curiosity.

“Proper now, we’re all enjoying good within the sandbox, till we get to the purpose the place a choice needs to be made. You understand, perhaps there’s not one thing on the market that is sensible for us. Then we now have to cross that bridge. Proper now, they’ve expressed their view, and we’ve mentioned that we are going to definitely take a look at all our choices. But when the choices are restricted, or there are not any choices that make any sense, then we’ll need to cope with that.”

Contemporary off a day of blockbuster offers across the league, right here’s a take a look at who is likely to be fascinated with touchdown the previous Winnipeg Jet.

Seattle Kraken

Based on Friedman, the Kraken are positive to be in that blend. “A couple of individuals mentioned to me, ‘It’s a must to watch Seattle on this one,’” Friedman mentioned within the newest episode of 32 Ideas: The Podcast. “That doesn’t come as a shock, as a result of the Kraken have been on the lookout for scorers. … The opposite factor too is Seattle can do it — they’re a workforce that may do that deal.” It will make sense. On the cash aspect, the Kraken have loads of cap house to work with. And fit-wise, the membership is in dire want of an offensive enhance, having scored the fourth-fewest targets per sport within the league final season. 

After seemingly taking a step ahead 2022-23, Seattle fell again to earth in 2023-24 — in the event that they hope to bounce again subsequent yr, they want a difference-maker, and Laine’s proven prior to now that he has the potential to be simply that. “I believe there’s a actual push in that group to be extra aggressive, and I see Laine as one thing that is sensible there,” Friedman continued. “For the those that wish to be extra aggressive, and the individuals who want to be a bit of conservative. As a result of I don’t assume his contract breaks you, or is overly dangerous.”

Carolina Hurricanes

The Canes’ need to improve their offence was made clear of their swing to land Jake Guentzel on the commerce deadline. However the playoff run fell brief, and now Guentzel heads into free company. If he doesn’t decide to return to Carolina, might Laine wind up as a backup possibility? In fact, there’s extra to the hyperlink than merely swapping one sniper for an additional — essential for any workforce buying Laine shall be their view of whether or not or not they will get probably the most out of the winger, whether or not they have items that may assist Laine thrive. The Canes have a transparent benefit on that entrance, as they’ve already seen Laine dominate alongside the chief of Carolina’s offence, Sebastian Aho. 

The pair made waves collectively for the Finnish nationwide workforce on the 2016 World Juniors, amassing a mixed 27 factors via seven video games as they received gold on house ice. Like we noticed with Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin’s reunion in Colorado, maybe an Aho reunion could possibly be the important thing to serving to Laine discover his sport. And past his potential linemate, the remainder of the Canes roster is robust sufficient, offensively and defensively, that Laine might play freed from the strain of being the offensive focus. The cash could possibly be a complication, until Columbus retains some wage, however Carolina does have the cap house to make it work as they retool their offence, and the Jackets’ new GM, Waddell, has in-depth information of the property the Canes might provide up in return.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Look down the listing of wants for the Penguins heading into their redemption marketing campaign, and Laine checks loads of packing containers. The Pens appeared in want of offensive assist final season, of dynamic talent to bolster their talented-but-ageing core. They should get youthful too, with stars who’re of their prime, not the twilight of their careers. After which there’s the facility play, which desperately wants a brand new ingredient to assist elevate its stage. Enter, Laine — 26 years outdated, a former 40-goal scorer, and at one time, when he was at his greatest, the league’s power-play goal-scoring chief. Key to the potential slot in Pittsburgh is the truth that the Pens nonetheless have two all-world playmakers in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. We want solely to look to what occurred final time Pittsburgh introduced in a gifted, oft-maligned winger who wanted a recent begin, and put him alongside the membership’s star pivots (see: Kessel, Phil).

It will doubtless take some wage retention to make a deal occur, although the Penguins do have some sizable contracts that could possibly be moved this low season. Dubas has proven his willingness to make the cash work if he has an opportunity so as to add game-changing expertise — as he did with the Erik Karlsson acquisition — and Waddell has proven his willingness to cope with Dubas, the pair linking up on the deal that despatched Guentzel to Carolina in March.

Utah Hockey Membership

The ex-Arizona Coyotes method a landmark season in 2024-25, certainly hoping to start their stint in Utah on a excessive notice. Working of their favour is the promising pool of younger expertise already assembled on the roster, with Logan Cooley, Matias Maccelli and Clayton Keller already discovering success, and others — like younger Conor Geekie and the prospect Utah will snag sixth general on this yr’s draft — on their means. Nonetheless, the roster is brief on veteran game-breaking expertise, and as a middle-of-the-pack offensive membership final yr, they may use a lift on that entrance. In Laine, the workforce might herald the kind of highlight-reel scorer new proprietor Ryan Smith would certainly wish to showcase to Utah’s new followers in Yr 1.

Laine could have some management over the place he goes given his modified no-trade clause, although. And his function on Utah’s roster won’t be too dissimilar to the one he appeared to wrestle with in Columbus. That mentioned, Utah does have some distinctive younger playmakers who might assist him discover his sport. And when it comes to a recent begin, it doesn’t get a lot brisker than the possibility to be a face of the franchise for a metropolis’s inaugural NHL marketing campaign. Utah has an absurd quantity of cap house, loads of draft picks, and a few roster gamers they may half with, so there’s little doubt they may make a deal work, asset-wise. 

Anaheim Geese

The Geese are in considerably of the same state of affairs. It’s been six years since Anaheim earned a playoff berth, and flipping that script in 2024-25 appears removed from a certainty at this level. However their roster is brimming with marquee younger scorers in Mason MacTavish, Trevor Zergras and Leo Carlsson, alongside some strong veterans dotted all through the roster, and a gifted netminder who appears worthy of a greater squad in entrance of him. Like Utah, what Anaheim doesn’t have is an elite, veteran scorer. And whereas it’s unclear if that’s what Laine is at this level, given how his tenure in Columbus has gone, within the early years of his profession he appeared each bit that sort of influence participant. For a membership in Anaheim’s place, rolling the cube on him rediscovering that contact in Geese colors appears a worthwhile gamble.

It’s clear they want the offensive assist — the Geese scored the third-fewest targets per sport within the league final season, and put the fourth-fewest pucks on web. Unsurprisingly, their energy play floundered too. However they’ve three gifted playmakers in Zegras, MacTavish and Carlsson, all of whom have sufficient talent to unlock Laine’s goal-scoring prowess — and may gain advantage themselves from having a trigger-man like No. 29 on their wing. Cap house wouldn’t be a problem, and the Geese have a number of picks in every of the primary three rounds of this yr’s draft, together with some moveable roster items. The query is whether or not Laine would view the younger Geese’ state of affairs as higher than the one he can be forsaking.

Nashville Predators

This time final yr, Barry Trotz was making clear his imaginative and prescient of the Predators’ future as he took the reins of the membership and introduced in a brand new head coach. “We wish to turn into extra of an offensive workforce,” Trotz had mentioned then, explaining how that need tied into the workforce’s determination to rent Andrew Brunette. And it’s exactly due to this purpose, and the way Brunette is working to make it a actuality, that Laine could possibly be a slot in Nashville. “Andrew specializes on that aspect of the ice — he lived it as a participant, and he coaches it as a coach. He’s pretty much as good of an offensive trainer and power-play coach as there may be within the sport right this moment,” Trotz continued. Should you’re a former star scorer seeking to get again on observe, that looks as if a great place to start out. 

The Predators have already been linked to different marquee scorers this low season given the membership’s need for offensive assist. It’s honest to imagine Laine shall be on their radar too, given he’d be a transparent improve for his or her prime six. His wage wouldn’t be a problem, because the Preds head into the summer time with loads of cap house to work with. The larger query is whether or not the presence of an offensive-minded coach like Brunette can be sufficient to persuade Laine to just accept a deal to Tennessee. Working in Nashville’s favour is the potential mixture he could possibly be part of — look again via what labored and what didn’t throughout Laine’s earlier stops, and it appears the perfect combine for him is a line that provides him some playmaking to work with, and a few defensive cowl. Powerful to do higher than Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly on that entrance.

Chicago Blackhawks / San Jose Sharks

Given how related their conditions are, you may as nicely lump Chicago and San Jose collectively. Each golf equipment bottomed out in 2023-24, ending as the 2 worst groups within the league by the season’s finish. Regardless of the promise introduced by younger expertise on each squads, offensive woes had been among the many main causes for these big-picture struggles, with the pair potting the fewest and second-fewest targets per sport, and pictures per sport, within the league final season. Asset-wise, each have a hefty assortment of draft picks, and no scarcity of cap house to slot in Laine’s wage — and each desperately want the presence of his elite shot on their prime line.

Most significantly, although, each squads will head into 2024-25 with an unbelievable younger scorer main their ahead corps. In Chicago, Connor Bedard proved in Yr 1 why he was definitely worth the hype earlier than his entrance into the league. In San Jose, the workforce will quickly use their 2024 first-overall choose so as to add Boston College standout Macklin Celebrini. Each franchises would certainly have some curiosity in dropping Laine on to their younger star centre’s wing, giving them a confirmed outlet for his or her playmaking promise. Whereas for Laine, both franchise would convey a recent begin in a market that will recognize his talent, on a workforce the place he would have loads of alternative to play, with a future famous person feeding him the puck.