4 Win-Win Trade Packages for Blue Jackets Forward Patrik Laine

The Patrik Laine experience has not gone as anybody planned over the past four seasons, and it seems that the two sides are ready for a trade.

It was reported this past week that new general manager Don Waddell and Laine’s camp are going to work together this offseason to find a trade for Laine, giving him the fresh start he might need in a new city and on a new team.

Injuries and off-ice struggles have held Laine back in Columbus, and his $8.7 million salary cap hit over the next two years could be problematic when it comes to finding a trade partner. But despite all of that Laine has still been an effective goal-scorer when he has been on the ice over the past few years, and he is still only 26 years old.

A fresh start with some better talent around him could be just what he needs to get his career back on track and get him back to being a star-level player.

Now that a trade seems inevitable, let’s take a look at a few potential landing spots and some potential win-win trade scenarios that could work for everybody involved.

Carolina might actually be one of the more ideal fits for Laine.

He might not be their type of all-around, defensive-minded forward, but that is kind of what makes him intriguing for them. They need somebody that can just rip the puck and score goals. They have lacked that presence for most of this recent run they have had over the past six seasons, and they could potentially be losing players like Jake Guentzel and Teuvo Teravainen to unrestricted free agency this offseason.

Laine can score goals, he can contribute on the power play, and if the Blue Jackets are willing to eat some of Laine’s remaining salary he might end up being a pretty big bargain for them.

The Hurricanes also have some potential contracts that could go back the other way.

Carolina is on the hook for $3.9 million of Evgeny Kuznetsov’s contract for this season, while Jesperi Kotkaniemi counts $4.8 million against the cap for another six seasons.

Kuznetsov is a centerpiece that could give Columbus some serious salary cap savings over the next two seasons.

Kotkaniemi is a good two-way player, but his offensive game has not really fully developed. Does Carolina really want that contract on the books for another six years? Maybe not. He might also be a decent addition to a Columbus team that actually needs some two-way presence in its lineup. Both teams would be getting the type of player they might actually need.

Let’s just make this simple and go fresh start for fresh start and swap Laine and Reilly Smith.

Two players that are not working out as hoped in their current situations, and two players that could use a change of scenery.

Why does Columbus do this?

Well, it’s simple. Smith makes $3.7 million less than Laine this season and is on an expiring contract after this season and clears $8.7 million off the books next season. Smith might also be able to bounce back from a down year and be a potential trade chip at the deadline, and perhaps a more valuable one than Laine could be given the contract situation.

Why does Pittsburgh do this?

Well, it’s simple. The Penguins need another top-six winger and they need something that can desperately fix a power play unit that was one of the worst in the NHL a year ago and completely sabotaged their 2023-24 season.

Laine might be a one-dimensional player at this point, but that one dimension is an element the Penguins need.

There is a lot to like about the Blackhawks as a potential Laine landing spot.

For one, they have reached a point where they need to start adding NHL talent to go around Connor Bedard.

They also have a mountain of salary cap space to work with this offseason (over $30 million) and have almost no long-term commitments on their roster.

It is one of the few situations in the league where a team could actually have a real need and use for Laine, while also having enough salary cap space that it would not require another bad contract moving in the other direction or the Blue Jackets having to retain any salary to facilitate a trade.

They could just … trade him there. Even if it meant adding in a sweetener to get Chicago to take on the remainder of his contract and his $8.7 million salary cap hit the next season.

Chicago is also loaded with potential draft pick capital over the next couple of seasons that could be used as part of a trade package here, including multiple first-and second-round picks the next seasons.

The Blackhawks should dip into that cupboard of picks, be willing to eat all of Laine’s salary and add a potential 30-goal scorer to their rebuilding lineup that needs to take a big step forward this season.

The funniest suggestion here would be if the Kings offered Pierre-Luc Dubois back to Columbus before his no-movement clause kicks in, but there is virtually no chance of that happening (mostly because Columbus would have none of it). But the Kings would still be a pretty good fit for Laine because they need somebody that can consistently put the puck in the net.

The Kings’ offense completely evaporated in the second half of the 2023-24 season and they need to do something to address that, especially with Viktor Arvidsson set to become an unrestricted free agent.

The Kings do not have many bad contracts they could swap for Laine’s, so this could be a situation where the Blue Jackets eat some of Laine’s contract to make the money work for the Kings. And to get a bigger return in terms of prospects or assets. If the Blue Jackets retain a portion of the salary it could get them more back in return than they ordinarily would for Laine given his 2023-24 season performance.

The Kings should offer up restricted free agent Arthur Kaliyev, a young player who still has some upside but has not been able to put it all together in Los Angeles. He could join Columbus’ emerging young core of talent, perhaps get a bigger opportunity, and maybe start to realize some of his potential.