Patrik Laine has indicated he would like to "move on" from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Is there a fit with the Ducks as a possible destination for the talented forward?
Patrik Laine has indicated he would like to "move on" from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Is there a fit with the Ducks as a possible destination for the talented forward?
Pierre LeBrun reported Wednesday, June 12 on TSN's "Insider Trading" that Patrik Laine (26) wants a "fresh start" and would like a move from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
"He would like to move on, and his agent has had conversations with the Blue Jackets about it," LeBrun reported when asked about the latest with Patrik Laine. "Both sides are going to try and work together to get that done. He wants a fresh start. It hasn’t been a good time in Columbus."
On May 28, the Blue Jackets hired Don Waddell as the team's General Manager. Previously, Wadell had been President of the Carolina Hurricanes since the 2014-15 season and General Manager since 2018-19. It seems as though his first order of business in Columbus will be a sizable move involving a young, talented, and expensive winger.
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Patrik Laine (2nd overall in 2016) has scored 204 goals and 388 points in 480 games over the course of his nine-year NHL career as a member of the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets. He was traded at the beginning of the shortened 2020-21 season from Winnipeg to Columbus along with Jack Roslovic in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois and a 2022 third-round pick.
Laine missed all but 18 games in 2023-24, scoring six goals and nine points. He suffered a concussion in Oct. and a broken clavicle in Dec. before he announced his entrance into the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, where he currently remains.
Laine has two years remaining on his four-year contract with an AAV of $8.7 million and a 10-team no-trade clause.
The Fit
The Anaheim Ducks missed the playoffs and finished in the bottom-10 of the NHL standings for six consecutive seasons. During that time, they've been one of the most offensively anemic teams in the NHL finishing 31st, 26th, 31st, 24th, 31st, and 30th in goals scored.
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Ducks GM Pat Verbeek has stated his desire to add a "top-six, right-shot winger" this offseason to bolster his forward group. He's also expressed his desire to begin making strides toward contention and remain in a playoff race for as long as possible in the 2024-25 season.
In January, Verbeek traded Jamie Drysdale (22) and a 2025 second-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Cutter Gauthier (20) to add more finishing ability to the Ducks roster.
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There are few better natural goal scorers on the planet than Patrik Laine. He works to create his own shot with the puck on his stick or find soft ice without it either on the rush, on the cycle, or on the power play. He diagnoses a defense with relative ease to determine the optimal area of attack and uses his powerful stride and 6-foot-5, 216 pound frame to protect pucks and get to the middle of the ice. Once there, his release is as elite as it gets; quick, heavy, and accurate.
The Ducks are seemingly on the verge of cracking open their contending window, a window that's built to remain open for a sustained period of time. Alongside potentially elite, young play creators in Anaheim, Laine could thrive and be instrumental toward players like Leo Carlsson or Trevor Zegras realizing their entire potential.
The Cost
The Hockey News' Jason Newland spoke with Don Waddell who said the team doesn't need a "rebuild" but rather a "retool."
"Given his offensive struggles in Columbus, it may not be a huge market for him," LeBrun spectulates. "On the other hand, there’s the allure of a potential bounce-back season for a star player energized by a fresh start."
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The Ducks are in a possibly more unique position than other potentially interested teams to take on Laine's entire $8.7 million cap hit without needing the Blue Jackets to retain salary or take a significant contract back due to a projected $33.3 million in cap space heading into the offseason.
However, Columbus has a projected $23.775 million in cap space of their own, so they may see it in their best interest to retain on Laine's salary to maximize a potential return.
Laine is in a unique position given his age, salary, term, and skill where finding a comparable trade would prove difficult, so determining what a return could look like can be complicated. It's unclear what Waddell and the Blue Jackets value currently; cap space, established players, NHL-ready talent, or future draft picks.
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The Ducks have what's widely considered the NHL's top prospect pool and nine draft picks (seven in the first three rounds) in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Along with potentially parting with a valuable asset or two and while Laine's age may line up with the Ducks' potential contending window, his contract may not. Barring an extension, he will hit unrestricted free agency on July 1, 2026, just before or as the Ducks are hoping to establish themselves as consistent playoff contenders,
On the other hand, there could be potential for the Ducks to test Laine's fit with the organization for a year and determine whether it's in their best interest to explore contract extension talks or look to recoup assets during the 2025 offseason.
LeBrun mentioned that Laine recently "had a minor shoulder cleanup procedure," but the expectation is that he'll be ready to play at the start of the 2024-25 season.
The cost may never be lower to acquire one of the world's top goal scorers in Patrik Laine. It could prove risky, but the Ducks could be in a position to take on such a risk. If Pat Verbeek deems the reward is potentially too great, he may see it in the team's best interest to inquire about the supremely talented right-shot forward.
This is all dependent on if Anaheim is on Laine's no-trade list or if he would be willing to waive it to become a Duck.