Report: Wild could have interest in F Laine
Published
As rumours continue to swirl on a possible Patrik Laine trade, the Minnesota Wild have emerged as a possible destination for the sniper, who has requested a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo and Joe Smith.
It is expected that Wild GM Bill Guerin will reach out to Laine at some point to discuss his interest in playing in Minnesota.
“If there’s a team to kick the tires, I think Minnesota (makes sense) because they need that star power,” NHL Network analyst Mike Rupp told The Athletic. “They need somebody else that can help carry the workload as far as putting up big numbers.
“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.”
The Wild would need to clear plenty of salary to fit the 26-year-old on the roster, as the club has $1.531 million in cap space available. Laine's contract has two years remaining with an average annual value of $8.7 million.
Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell has said he is not interested in retaining half of Laine's salary in order to facilitate a trade to a cap-strapped suitor.
“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 believes the team is looking to make a 'hockey trade' for Laine to maintain competitiveness on the ice, meaning the Blue Jackets may need to take money back, either in the form of retained salary or a player with a sizeable contract.
“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,” Portzline said. “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 was recently cleared to return from the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program after entering in January. He played just 18 games last season, recording six goals and nine points.
Selected second overall in 2016 by the Winnipeg Jets, Laine has been unable to replicate the success he had early in his career since being traded to Columbus in 2020. After scoring 28 or more goals - including a career-high 44 goals in 2017-18 - in each of his first four seasons, Laine has failed to top 26 with the Blue Jackets while dealing with various injuries.
He had 22 goals and 52 points in 55 games in 2022-23 with the Blue Jackets, who have missed the playoffs in each of the past four seasons. He has totalled 204 goals and 388 points in 480career games with the Jets and Blue Jackets.