Patrik Laine has sought a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets, and one trade proposal has him going to the New York Rangers.
The Rangers are one of the NHL’s best teams and could be a piece or two away from winning the Stanley Cup. So, the website PuckPedia has a new tool called PuckGM that allows users to make their own deals, and one user offered a transaction in which the Rangers would acquire Laine.
Rangers get:
- Patrik Laine ($4.4 million retained)
Blue Jackets get:
- Kaapo Kakko
- 2025 first-round pick
The proposed transaction benefits both parties because the Rangers gain Laine, who, when healthy and at his peak, is one of the best players in the NHL. New York also moves on from Kakko, a former second-round pick who hasn’t worked out, while also trading their first-round pick.
Laine has two years left on his four-year $34.8 million contract, but in the proposed agreement, Columbus retains $4.4 million of his $8.7 million contract so that New York can pay him. Last season, while dealing with injuries, Laine scored 6 goals and 3 assists for 9 points in 18 games.
In exchange for Laine, Columbus receives a first-round selection, which serves as the centerpiece of the trade package, as well as Kakko. The forward is only 23, and a change of environment could help the former second-overall pick succeed.
Kakko scored 13 goals and 6 assists in 61 games last season, totaling 19 points.
Laine Has Permission to Speak With Other Teams
With Laine asking a trade from Columbus, Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell told Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers that the forward has clearance to negotiate with other teams.
“Well, he’s still a Blue Jacket today, and as we speak, I don’t have anything (newsworthy) to report, but nothing that I needed to make a decision on. Just some teams doing their homework and trying to talk with Patrick and his agency, and he considered providing full permission to talk to teams. So, but as we speak, I don’t have anything on the table that would make it worthwhile for the Blue Jackets to make that trade,” Waddell said.
The general manager says there hasn’t been a transaction that makes sense for the Blue Jackets, but he’s talking with teams about trading Laine.
“I’ve told his representative that we will surely look into every proposal, and I’ve given him complete rights to speak with teams. So, I’ve had players ask to be traded before, and simply because a player wants to be traded, two things must happen. You need a willing partner, as well as an arrangement that we can both accept and agree on. And I don’t have it right now, so I can’t rule anything out,” Waddell explained.
Laine was selected second overall in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Kakko Frustrated With Role With Rangers
The Rangers drafted Kakko second overall in 2019, although he has yet to play a significant part for the team.
Last season, Kakko was a healthy scratch during the regular season and playoffs, and he expressed dissatisfaction with his role.
Of course, everyone wants to play. I was disappointed that I was not in the lineup, but I remained determined to win. I was hoping to win for the squad, keep progressing, and eventually return to the lineup, but I can say I was disappointed, and I believe everyone in this room wants to play,” Kakko remarked.
Kakko has played in 300 regular-season games, scoring 57 goals and 60 assists for 117 points.
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