The Columbus Blue Jackets have been working on completing a Patrik Laine trade for a while now, but nothing has come to fruition. While a recent report listed the Minnesota Wild as a potential fit and as a team that will likely reach out and pursue Laine, there have been rumblings about a possible trade between the two teams. The same report mentioned that the Blue Jackets would prefer not to retain half of his cap hit but are open to retaining some of it if it meant getting a deal done. While there hasn’t been any indication of what the Blue Jackets have asked for in return for Laine, it’s clear they’d prefer to make a hockey trade that gives them back a player who can help improve their depth and be someone who plays every night. Let’s look at a potential blockbuster deal between the two teams.
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Laine has a $8.7 million cap hit that teams may be a bit hesitant to acquire in full. The recent report from TSN that mentioned the connection between Laine and the Wild revealed that Blue Jackets general manager (GM) Don Waddell would prefer not to retain 50% of the deal but is open to retaining a portion of it to maximize a return. In theory, the Blue Jackets retaining 33% of Laine’s contract and dropping his cap hit to $5.8 million could make trading him a bit easier, but it could still prove challenging to get a massive return. Waddell also mentioned he’d like to get a player in return for Laine who can help them on a nightly basis, even if it’s a depth player, making it clear why a deal hasn’t been completed yet.
Laine’s Value Is High, But His Contract Is Worrisome
Despite his defensive lapses, Laine has always been viewed as someone who can produce well offensively. His offensive production has proven valuable to the Blue Jackets during his tenure with them. Still, he was also a solid addition to the Winnipeg Jets’ lineup before he was traded. While he would be a solid addition to the Wild and could take some offensive responsibilities away from their superstars, his contract is worrisome because of the fit with the Wild. Some fans and analysts have questioned if Laine would fit into the Wild system, as they are known to be a tough, gritty, and structured team on a nightly basis.
When looking at what a potential deal could look like, assuming the Blue Jackets retain some of Laine’s salary, it’s hard to imagine what a complete deal looks like. Still, a trade could be made between the two, involving Marco Rossi as well as a mid-round draft pick, but it would likely take a third team to retain extra salary or the Blue Jackets to retain half of his deal. I don’t think Laine would be able to bring back a massive return that included a prospect and a high draft pick, but the two sides could probably agree to as close to an even hockey trade as possible.
Now, Laine is a wildcard and needs a fresh start. While the Wild could be a good spot for him to go to and help a fringe playoff team make a deeper playoff run, he isn’t the best fit for them. He could be a solid addition regardless, but only if the Wild use him properly and don’t overpay for him. At the end of the day, it seems like a matter of time before Laine is traded. While we won’t know where he’s being traded to for a while, the Wild seem like the frontrunners now.
