Patrik Laine was cleared from the player’s assistance program, and with that news, he’s back on the trade block. Suddenly, the summer has one more intriguing move as many teams look to add a player looking to restart his career after a few rough years with the Colombus Blue Jackets.
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The New York Islanders are one of the teams that can use a player like Laine. His upside makes him a great addition to any team, and the Islanders could particularly use his dynamic playmaking ability from the wing. The question is what type of offer they can put together. With the Blue Jackets looking for the best return in a trade, a lot of things will be considered in the coming weeks.
Laine’s Cap Hit
Laine has a big contract. While only two more seasons remain on the deal, it has an $8.7 average annual value (AAV), making him a difficult player to move. The Islanders are pressed against the cap, and the recent signings, notably Simon Holmstrom and Oliver Wahlstrom, leave them with no room for another addition.
The first thing the Islanders hope for is that the Blue Jackets, or a third team, will be willing to take on some of Laine’s salary. Aside from the Blue Jackets, a rebuilding team would do that, assuming they can add a draft selection in the process (it’s something the Arizona Coyotes did multiple times before their new era in Utah). The next thing the Islanders would need to do is move out some contracts with bigger contracts to make a deal work.
Islanders Have Contracts They Can Swap
The Islanders’ general manager (GM), Lou Lamoriello, got himself into this mess with many bad contracts. He extended many of the core players from the 2020 and 2021 playoff runs, and now it’s costing him. That said, a hockey trade with the Blue Jackets would benefit all sides involved.
The player the Islanders ideally move in a deal is Scott Mayfield. He doesn’t have a high AAV, but with six more years remaining on his contract, it would be good to move on from him. At all costs, Mayfield is also the player the Blue Jackets would avoid, especially since their defense needs more youth and not a 31-year-old on the decline.
He won’t be traded as much as Lamoriello wants to get himself out of that contract. Instead, all eyes are on Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who has a $5.5 AAV and still plays a valuable role in the middle of the forward unit. The Blue Jackets can take on the contract and add a depth center to round out the roster heading into the 2024-25 season.
Islanders Throw-ins
The Islanders can do one of two things to push a Laine deal over the top. They can either throw in a future asset like a draft pick or a prospect who isn’t William Dufour or Matthew Maggio, or they can add another player to the deal. The latter option is more interesting since it closes the gap on Laine’s contract.
The Islanders have a handful of players with one-year deals attached, notably Holmstrom, Wahlstrom, and Hudson Fasching. None of them have an AAV over $2 million, but they could sway the Blue Jackets to take on some salary and keep the Islanders under the cap in the process.
What the Final Offer Might Look Like
The Islanders would need a combination of all of the above factors. Either the Blue Jackets or another team would need to take on some of Laine’s contract, and they would need to move Pageau, another skater, and a draft selection to make it work. It’s a high cost for a player with a lot of question marks, but it’s worthwhile considering what he does for the Islanders’ offense.
The roster is good but not great at the moment. The Islanders have the talent to make the playoffs, but they aren’t in the same tier as the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Laine might not do that, but he brings the Islanders closer to contention. Moreover, Laine at his best makes him and the offense he’s a part of tough to stop, and that’s the upside this team needs.
What do you think must happen for a Laine trade to work? Let us know in the comments section below!
