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NHL Rumors: Analyst worried for $34.8M Patrik Laine and Minnesota Wild's mismatch in interests
As per the latest rumors, the Minnesota Wild have emerged as a potential landing spot for Patrik Laine. He has expressed his desire to be traded out of the Columbus Blue Jackets, having cleared the NHL/NHLPA program he entered in January.
As per TSN, Wild GM Bill Guerin is anticipated to initiate discussions with Laine to explore the possibility of a trade and gauge the player's interest in joining Minnesota.
The move signifies a significant step in Patrik Laine's career and could lead to a new chapter in his career with the Wild.
According to NHL analyst Mike Rupp, he reckons the Minnesota Wild could be a suitable destination for Laine because the team needs star power. Rupp suggested that adding a player like Laine could help the Wild in terms of scoring big numbers and sharing the workload.
“If there’s a team to kick the tires, I think Minnesota (makes sense) because they need that star power,” NHL Network analyst Mike Rupp told The Athletic (via TSN).
“They need somebody else that can help carry the workload as far as putting up big numbers.
However, the analyst also expressed concerns that there might be a clash of interest between Patrik Laine and the Wild. He reckons the Wild have a specific identity based on hard work and teamwork, where every player contributes equally.
In contrast, Laine is seen as more of an individualistic player who may not completely fit into the team's established culture.
“The problem I have with Laine is it depends on what kind of team you are. Everything that Minnesota has established themselves to be as far as their identity, working hard and lunch pail, he’s not that.
"The thing that’s kept Minnesota competitive is everybody’s kind of pulling the same way, and there’s no freelancers. I think he would be a freelancer. It could work, but it could be really bad, too.”
The 26-year-old Finnish sniper has two years left on his $34.8 million deal, with an average annual value of $8.7 million.
"That's not my first choice": Blue Jackets GM on retaining Patrik Laine's salary
In an interview with The Columbus Dispatch, Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell made it clear when asked about retaining Laine's half salary to facilitate a trade.
He expressed that they could have traded the forward by now if they were willing to cover half of his salary; that option is not their preferred choice, though (via TSN):
“We might end up eating some money,” Waddell told The Columbus Dispatch. “If I wanted to eat half, I could’ve traded him by now, but that’s not my first choice.”
Patrik Laine joined the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2020-21 season following a trade from the Winnipeg Jets. He has been with the Blue Jackets for the past four seasons, appearing in 174 games and scoring 138 points (64 goals and 74 assists).
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