Breaking: Detroit Red Wings make a serious move to trade for top NHL star to strengthen their…….
Do the Detroit Red Wings think trading for Patrik Laine was worth the risk? If so, where in their top nine would he fit in?
After Patrik Laine was recently removed from the NHL and NHLPA Players Assistance Program, there will soon be more trade rumors. Does the young scoring forward have enough value to warrant a trade to the Detroit Red Wings? For mental health issues, Laine entered the player assistance program in January of last year. It was then reported that he and the Columbus Blue Jackets had reached an agreement to pursue a trade so that the 26-year-old could start over somewhere new.
Laine has been the subject of trade speculations since June, so it makes likely that both parties would decide to part ways following his three years of underwhelming play in Columbus. Of course, Laine’s potential suitors are limited by a couple major obstacles. With $9.1 million in real money owed in each season, Laine has a cap hit of $8.7 million for both this year and the following. There is a ten-team no-trade list included in Laine’s contract. Anthony Ibanez of Octopus Thrower also investigated the idea back in June.
Don Waddell, the general manager of the Blue Jackets, has stated that he would like to negotiate a deal in which Columbus obtains a player who is ready for the NHL while keeping all of Laine’s money. This was reported by Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. With Laine recovering from a shoulder injury this past season, his restricted availability, and his declining output over the previous four seasons with the Blue Jackets, this looks a bit unrealistic. Because of their off-season acquisitions, Portzline further conjectured that the Jackets may instead take a return of prospects and draft picks. In his opinion, they would also need to hold onto part of their salary in order to enable a transaction.
Is it wise for the Detroit Red Wings to try to acquire Patrik Laine?
Before sustaining a broken collarbone in the middle of December last season, Laine, 26, managed six goals and nine points in 18 games while being a minus-10. Before being traded to Columbus, Laine, a former 40-plus goal scorer, made his debut in the league with the Winnipeg Jets for three consecutive seasons in which he scored 30 or more goals. Laine has scored 64 goals and 138 points in 174 games with the Blue Jackets. Over the previous four years, he has been a combined minus-58 with Columbus, after playing evenly in 306 games with Winnipeg.
Laine was briefly tried at center by Columbus in an effort to get him going offensively, but I think his best use is on the wing.
Laine would fit in well with two dependable 200-foot guys like Michael Rasmussen and Andrew Copp if the Detroit Red Wings were interested in negotiating a trade for him. That would create a special third unit for Derek Lalonde and company. Laine, who is only 26 years old, provides a great deal of versatility to the lineup and does fit into Detroit’s window of contention. When healthy, Laine is a top-line player. However, with Alex DeBrincat, Lucas Raymond, Patrick Kane, and the recently acquired Vladimir Tarasenko set to start the season on the top two lines, a player with Laine’s scoring ability shielded by two defensively sound players on a third line can cause matchup problems for Detroit’s rivals.
Not to mention another tool for Detroit’s offensive offensive.
This summer, general manager of the Detroit Red Wings Steve Yzerman still needs to work on signing new contracts with restricted free agents Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider. A potential deal package centered around forwards Jonatan Berggren and/or Albert Johansson wouldn’t be out of the question if Laine turns into a trade option. Naturally, if Waddell and the Blue Jackets won’t let Columbus keep any salary, Yzerman will have to push out another terrible contract like that of Ville Husso or Justin Holl. At the moment, Detroit has about $17.6 million in cap space, but its looming RFAs are projected to take up a large portion of that.
