I wonder where things went wrong for Patrik Laine this season, because last summer carried so much promise. He came back to Columbus early and participated in a new summer hockey league with other local pros. He let Adam Fantilli stay at his house until he found his own place. Those two also showed instant chemistry in the preseason. This could finally be the 1C that Laine needed! He also seemed posed to have a bigger role in the leadership group, as he was one of the veteran players that spoke to the media after the firing of Mike Babcock and promotion of Pascal Vincent to head coach.
Things went south early in the season, when Laine suffered a concussion from a dirty hit in the final minute of win over Calgary. He missed three weeks then struggled in his return to the lineup. His minutes declined and eventually he was a healthy scratch for a game in Philadelphia.
That may have been the tough love he needed; he scored a goal in his return to the lineup and put up five points in the eight games after that. His bad luck continued with a broken clavicle against Toronto on December 14. Just as he was due to come back to the lineup in January, he entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program for mental health reasons.
Players in the program can not be in direct communication with the team, but his agent has made it known that would like to be traded. Part of me hoped that new management and a new coach could change his mind, but Don Waddell has addressed the matter and it sounds like a matter of when, not if, Laine is traded.
What sort of return will Laine bring? There are a few negatives that could turn teams off. There is mental state, though he is reportedly close to being cleared, and will be able to talk with other teams at that point. He has a 10 team no-trade clause. He carries a $8.7M cap hit for the next two seasons. That is a steep price tag for an inconsistent player. Finally, there is Laine’s inability to stay healthy. In his four full seasons in Winnipeg, he missed just 12 games. In the last three full seasons in Columbus, he has missed 91 games.
On the plus side, Laine is still just 26 years old. He has scored 117 points in 129 games over the last three seasons. This is a player who could have a lot of productive seasons remaining. If there are still concerns about the price tag, the Jackets may have to retain some salary, or at least pay the $2M signing bonus on July 1.
Laine could be a great fit for a team that is in their window of contention and can let Patty be Patty. That means not trying to force him to be something he’s not, i.e. a 200 foot power forward or a center. Let him be a sniper. Put him with linemates that complement his strengths and cover for his weaknesses.
2023-24 Stats
Games: 18
Goals: 6
Assists: 3
Points: 9
Plus/Minus: -10
PIM: 6
5v5 Corsi%: 43.9
5v5 Fenwick%: 45.5
Offensive Zone Start %: 59.1
High Point
Laine opened the scoring in a 6-5 victory in Toronto. This was part of his December heater, and was the only game where he was on ice for multiple goals for and none against (and one of just three games with a positive rating)
Low Point
That same game was the one where Laine suffered his final injury of the season.
The other injury was an unnecessary hit by Rasmus Andersson in October.
Grade
Incomplete
It’s hard to assign a grade for just 18 games. If I had to pick something, I’d say C+. His year started slowly but he was rounding into form in his final nine games.
I wish Laine luck in his next stop, and hope that Waddell can get a good player in return and make good use of any cap savings.