Patrik Laine Trade Destinations: Top 3 landing spots for Columbus Blue Jackets forward
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine has asked for a trade, but no deal has come to fruition. Laine asked for a trade earlier this summer before the draft and free agency began.
Although Laine has struggled as of late, he still can be a dynamic offensive player and would be a logical fit for a couple of teams.
Top 3 landing spots for Patrik Laine
#1. Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes have lost several key players this offseason, including Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov.
Carolina needs to replace the offense those two gave them and trading for Laine makes a lot of sense. Laine is just 26 years old had a troubled last season, butn recorded six goals and three assists for nine points in just 18 games as he was plagued by injury.
Laine likely won't cost much to acquire, and is worth a chance for Carolina who needs to find more offense.
#2. Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals have been active this offseason as they want to give it one more run with Alexander Ovechkin, and Patrik Laine could be a nice touch.
Washington has already added Pierre-Luc Dubois and Andrew Mangiapane to their forward group this offseason, but the Capitals could look to add even more scoring in Laine.
The cost won't be much for any team taking on Laine, so Washington would be able to make a deal.
#3. Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are looking to take the next step forward as Connor Bedard enters his second season in the NHL.
The Blackhawks have started to build a more competitive roster and a trade for Laine would make a lot of sense. Laine is just 26, so it wouldn't just be a trade for a year or two. Instead, he fits right into the timeline for when Chicago will be competitive, which will likely be in another two or three years.
Patrik Laine can be a secondary scorer for Chicago and be a great fit on the second line.