The more time it takes, the more difficult it’ll get. That’s the situation the Columbus Blue Jackets find themselves in regarding finding a suitor for Patrik Laine in an offseason trade.
According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, the potential Laine trade away from Columbus has hit a roadblock in the shape of his clearance (or the lack of it) from the NHL/NHLPA player’s assistance program.
The Athletic: Blue Jackets Sunday Gathering
1. New TV voice Steve Mears lands dream gig, 25 years in the making
2. Patrik Laine trade only getting more difficult
3. Big draft
4. Snacks: Coach hire close, three RFAs file for arbitration, #CBJ trivia, etc.
“As of Saturday [July 6], the Blue Jackets were still waiting to hear that Patrik Laine has been cleared by the NHL/NHLPA players’ assistance program, which he entered voluntarily last January. For weeks now, president and GM Don Waddell has said that Laine’s clearance was imminent,” Portzline wrote. “Let’s be clear: Laine should only be cleared when the doctors who run the program believe he is well enough to resume his career as an NHL player.
“But the Blue Jackets’ attempts to accommodate Laine’s trade request have taken — one can only assume — a huge hit by going this deep into the offseason.”
Laine entered the program voluntarily in January 2024 but he’s yet to exit it. He’s not appeared in a game since he last played for the last time in the 2023-24 season on a matchup at the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 12, 2023.
The Finn suffered an injury in that game when Maple Leafs defenseman William Lagesson tripped him. Laine fractured his clavicle and was expected to be out for six weeks but ultimately he never played again through the campaign.
Laine is under contract for two more years, with a cap hit of $8.7 million before becoming an unrestricted free agent in July 2026. He signed the full four-year, $34.8 million contract with the franchise in July 2022.
Carolina Hurricanes Linked to Patrik Laine
According to Portzline, the Blue Jackets and GM Don Waddell are looking for a partner to make a “hockey trade.” That means Columbus would accept a one-for-one deal as long as the player the Blue Jackets get fits their needs.
“Waddell has said he wants to make a “hockey trade” for Laine, meaning he’d like to move Laine for a player who interests the Blue Jackets without eating a portion of Laine’s contract. But the last two weeks have made such a move dramatically more difficult,” Portzline reported.
The analyst followed that with an interesting “oft-rumored move,” that would send Laine to the Carolina Hurricanes and defenseman Martin Necas back to Columbus.
Necas, a restricted free agent, filed for arbitration along with 13 other players on July 5.
It’s fair to say Necas is the biggest star of that group. He is coming off a 2023-24 season in which he scored 24 goals and assisted 29 for 53 total points. He also contributed 9 points in 11 postseason games with the Hurricanes.
Carolina has $11.6 million of cap space and the team already has 21 of 23 players under contract in its active roster.
Even if Necas lands a contract below Laine’s cap hit ($8.7 million) for the upcoming season, the Hurricanes could complete a swap without a problem absorbing the difference between both players’ salaries.
Patrik Laine Among Top Players Available for Trade
In The Fourth Period’s annual “Summer Trade Watch,” published on July 5 after the first wave of free agents signed new contracts, the outlet ranked Laine as the ninth-best player available for trade.
“Laine wants and needs a fresh start and the Blue Jackets are willing to give it to him. But new-GM Don Waddell has a tough task ahead of him, as Laine’s $8.7M cap hit will be a tough hurdle. Columbus may have to retain part of that deal or take back a contract or two in a trade,” the outlet wrote.
Laine asked for a trade on June 12, as reported by Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
INSIDER TRADING – #TSNHockey Insiders discuss…
– Waiting game for Markstrom
– Marner speculation mostly off-base, premature
– Jets/Ehlers; CBJ/Laine; Canes/Necas
– Draisaitl’s hit deemed not worthy of SCF suspension
– Jon Cooper/Team Canada
WATCH: t.co/dXxdqH76iP
“My understanding is that the Columbus Blue Jackets intend to work with Patrik Laine’s camp, led by agent Andy Scott of Octagon, to find the star winger a fresh start with a new team,” LeBrun wrote. “Laine has a 10-team no-trade list, so his camp will have some say in things, but again, the idea is that new Jackets general manager Don Waddell and Laine’s agent want to work on this together to find a new spot for the player.”
According to PuckPedia‘s data from July 8, only 26 NHL franchises have cap space available. Of those, just 10 have more than Laine’s $8.7 million available allowing them to eat his salary without giving up any other in a trade.
The Anaheim Ducks and the Calgary Flames are the only two teams with more than $20 million in cap space, with the Detroit Red Wings close to matching that room clocking in at $19.9 million.
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Blue Jackets’ $34 Million Winger Trade Attempts Took ‘A Huge Hit’