Laine Is On the Trade Market. He Has Ties to the Florida Panthers
Columbus forward Patrik Laine left the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on Friday, not only clearing his way back onto the ice, but back onto the trade market.
Laine, who was traded from Winnipeg to Columbus during the 2021 season, has reportedly asked the Blue Jackets for a way out of town.
Last season, Laine scored six goals with nine points in 18 games before sustaining a broken clavicle on Dec. 14 in a win against the Maple Leafs.
Just over a month later, he entered the Player Assistance Program.
Earlier this week, new Columbus general manager Don Waddell told the Dispatch that a trade would likely be worked out before the new season begins.
Per the Columbus Dispatch: A big holdup in trade talks, according to Waddell, was Laine’s inability to speak with him or opposing GMs while in the NHL/NHLPA program.
Laine has two more seasons remaining on his contract with an annual cap hit of $8.7 million.
Simply because of finances, the Florida Panthers would not be a team in the running for Laine’s services although he has been doing some training in South Florida — and has some pretty good relationships within the organization.
Sasha Barkov is one of Laine’s best friends, and he knows Florida’s other Finnish players such as Eetu Luostarinen, Anton Lundell, and Niko Mikkola.
Laine’s best two seasons in the NHL came in his first four seasons when he scored 138 goals for the Jets under coach Paul Maurice.
Still, do not bet on Laine joining the Panthers anytime soon.
Someday, perhaps, just not now.
Laine just turned 26, so, he still has plenty of hockey remaining.
He will be a free agent in two seasons.
READ MORE: Panthers’ Bottom 6 Can Still Be Competitive Despite Changes
The Florida Panthers are entering the next season as Stanley Cup champions for the first time in franchise history. They look to continue their dominance of the NHL and attempt to go back-to-back. But first, they must go through free agency, which has drastically altered the roster so far.
The Panthers have lost many key players who helped them during their last two seasons of exceptional play, including Ryan Lomberg and Kevin Stenlund. This has left big holes in their bottom-six forward group. As a result, General Manager Bill Zito worked the phones and made magic happen this summer. He brought in some solid depth pieces, such as Tomas Nosek and Jesper Boqvist, while keeping some current roster players like Anton Lundell.
The Newcomers
The bottom six may look different from last season, but that does not mean it will not pack a punch to the NHL. Former New Jersey Devils’ forward Nosek was brought in on a one-year deal worth $775,000. Throughout his career, he has a 54.4% faceoff win percentage (FO%) during the regular season and a 57.2% win rate in the postseason. That is nearly a full percentage point better than Stenlund in the regular season and almost ten more in the playoffs.
The Cats also grabbed former Boston Bruins’ forward Jesper Boqvist on a one-year deal. He tallied 14 points (six goals, eight assists) and a plus-14 rating in 47 appearances with Boston. The new pieces make their bottom six just as competitive.
