In the world of NHL trade rumors, the name Patrik Laine has been making headlines. The talented sniper has reportedly requested a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets, sparking speculation about where he may end up next. According to The Athletic’s Michael Russo and Joe Smith, the Minnesota Wild have emerged as a potential landing spot for Laine.
Wild GM Bill Guerin is expected to reach out to Laine to discuss the possibility of playing in Minnesota. NHL Network analyst Mike Rupp weighed in on the situation, stating, “If there’s a team to kick the tires, I think Minnesota (makes sense) because they need that star power. They need somebody else that can help carry the workload as far as putting up big numbers.”
However, Rupp also expressed some concerns about how Laine would fit into the Wild’s team culture, saying, “The problem I have with Laine is it depends on what kind of team you are. Everything that Minnesota has established themselves to be as far as their identity, working hard and lunch pail, he’s not that…The thing that’s kept Minnesota competitive is everybody’s kind of pulling the same way and there’s no freelancers. I think he would be a freelancer. It could work, but it could be really bad, too.”
Financial considerations also come into play, as the Wild would need to clear significant salary cap space to accommodate Laine’s $8.7 million annual contract. With only $1.531 million in cap space available, the team may need to make some tough decisions to make a potential deal work.
On the other side, Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell has made it clear that he is not willing to retain half of Laine’s salary to facilitate a trade to a team with cap constraints. “We might end up eating some money,” Waddell told The Columbus Dispatch. “If I wanted to eat half, I could’ve traded him by now, but that’s not my first choice.”
The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline suggests that the Blue Jackets are looking to make a ‘hockey trade’ for Laine, meaning they may need to take on some salary in return. Portzline stated, “Waddell has said he wants to make a ‘hockey trade,’ but I think most assume he’s going to be taking money back, either in the form of retained salary or an undesirable player with a hefty contract. The question he must ask himself is how ugly (if ugly at all) this may get if Laine isn’t traded and comes to camp. What’s it worth to avoid that? I think he’d go half if the right player is coming back (with the right term).”
Laine, who recently returned from the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program, is looking to bounce back after a challenging season where he played just 18 games and recorded six goals and nine points. The 26-year-old Finnish forward is undoubtedly a talented player, but his fit with a new team like the Wild remains to be seen. Only time will tell where Laine will end up and how he will perform in the upcoming season.