NHL Rumors: A Patrik Laine Trade is Not an Easy Things to Do?

It’s not going to be easy for the Columbus Blue Jackets to trade Patrik Laine

Sportsnet: Aaron Portzline on the Jeff Marek Show (with Matt Marchese) on why it’s going to be very hard for the Columbus Blue Jackets to trade forward Patrick Laine.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Marchese: “So Patrik Laine you mentioned him there. Listen, we know about the talent. We know about the off-ice issues. We know about the injuries. It just hasn’t been a marriage that is worked out between both of the sides.

I guess the biggest question is, what is the perception of Patrik Laine around the league and how much does Columbus need to eat of that $8.7 million per season over the next two years if they are going to move that cap hit?”

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Portzline: “Yeah, I’ve been saying that’s going to be a tough one to move. And then nothing, they could trade him even though he’s still in the NHLPA/NHL players assistance program. You can still trade a player out of that.

But there’s a sense that Don Waddell is portrayed is that any team that’s interested in, Patrik Laine wants to speak with him first. Where are you? What are you thinking?
What is your motivation? All of those things.

He played 18 games last year. He’s played less than 60% of the games the Blue Jackets have had since he got traded here. Just hasn’t been the player they thought they were getting. Has not been the player he was early in his Winnipeg days.

They thought bringing (Johnny) Gaudreau in would really bring some life to Laine’s game. And it’s hard to believe but in the last two seasons they’ve played together, Gaudreau has the primary assist, they’ve played a ton on, on the same line and on the powerplay, Gaudreau has been the primary assist on six of Laine’s goals in the last two seasons. That’s crazy. Just hasn’t clicked.

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So yeah, something’s got to give there. And the league I, I do think there’s a big question mark around Laine now. I still think there’s a lot of people intrigued by his talent. So there’s probably a mark there, but it’s hard for me to believe that, that they can make the hockey trade that they want to make. I think they’ll have to keep something on that.”