Patrik Laine has reportedly requested a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets, and one suggested trade scenario involves him moving to the New York Rangers. The Rangers, who are among the NHL’s top teams and potentially just a piece or two away from a Stanley Cup run, could benefit from acquiring Laine.
A user on PuckPedia’s new PuckGM tool proposed a deal where the Rangers would receive Laine, with Columbus retaining $4.4 million of his $8.7 million annual salary. In exchange, the Blue Jackets would get Kaapo Kakko and a 2025 first-round pick.
This trade could be beneficial for both sides. The Rangers would gain Laine, who, when healthy, is considered one of the league’s top players, while moving on from Kakko, a former second-overall pick who has yet to reach his full potential. Columbus would receive a valuable first-round pick and Kakko, a 23-year-old forward who might thrive with a change of scenery.
Laine has two years left on his four-year, $34.8 million contract. Last season, he recorded 6 goals and 3 assists for 9 points in 18 games, hampered by injuries. Kakko, on the other hand, notched 13 goals and 6 assists for 19 points in 61 games last season.
Laine Has Permission to Speak With Other Teams
With Patrik Laine requesting a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets, their general manager, Don Waddell, spoke to Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers and confirmed that Laine has been granted permission to discuss options with other teams.
“He’s still with the Blue Jackets as of now, and I don’t have any offers that require a decision yet. Some teams are doing their due diligence and talking to Patrick and his agent, and I’ve allowed full permission for those conversations. But at this point, there’s nothing on the table that makes sense for us to proceed with a deal,” Waddell stated.
Waddell emphasized that while he’s in discussions with teams regarding a potential trade for Laine, no suitable deal has been presented.
“I’ve informed his representatives that we’ll consider every offer, and I’ve given him full permission to explore options with other teams. I’ve dealt with players wanting trades before, but it requires both a willing partner and a mutually agreeable deal. Right now, we don’t have that, so I can’t rule out any possibilities,” Waddell added.
Laine was the second overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Kakko Frustrated With Role With Rangers
Kakko was selected second overall by the Rangers in the 2019 draft, but he has not been given a significant role with the team.
Last season, he was a healthy scratch during both the regular season and playoffs, expressing dissatisfaction with his role.
“Of course, everyone wants to play… I wasn’t happy about not being in the lineup, but I still wanted the team to win. I was hoping we would keep winning so I could get back in the lineup at some point, but I can say I was not happy. I think everyone in this room wants to play,” Kakko stated.
Kakko has played in 300 regular season games, tallying 57 goals and 60 assists for a total of 117 points.
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