After being swept by the New York Rangers in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan is looking to try and improve his team so they can have a stronger roster for the 2024-25 season. One potential trade idea that he could consider is bringing in Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine. Laine and Columbus are currently working on shipping the 26-year-old to his next team according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun during a segment of Insider Trading, and it is something that MacLellan might think about.
The players who solely play right wing currently under contract for the Capitals are Tom Wilson and TJ Oshie. Sonny Milano can be used on either wing and Aliaksei Protas can either play wing or center. Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery would have to shuffle players around should they acquire Laine, but they may be able to make something work on the ice that would benefit both the team and the player. That leaves the question, should the Capitals trade for Laine?
Early Success and Eventual Split with Winnipeg
When Laine first broke into the NHL as a second overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, he looked like he was going to be a superstar for most of his career. He joined the Winnipeg Jets right away in 2016-17 and produced some impressive numbers. In 73 games, he posted 36 goals and 28 assists for 64 points in 73 games. He followed that up with a 70-point campaign in 2017-18. He looked as if he could be included in the category of young superstars along with Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Auston Matthews. During his first few seasons with the Jets, Laine notched the following stats:
- 2016-17: 36 goals and 28 assists for 64 points in 73 games
- 2017-18: 44 goals and 26 assists for 70 points in 82 games
- 2018-19: 30 goals and 20 assists for 50 points in 82 games
It seemed like a promising start to Laine’s career in the league. He was a machine at times when it came to scoring goals. He was chalking up hat tricks so easily and even had a five-goal contest against the St. Louis Blues during the 2018-19 campaign. Five-goal games are a feat that is very uncommon in the league and had not been done since Johan Franzen did it for the Detroit Red Wings in 2011.
However, things were not all great between Laine and the Jets. Sportsnet’s staff-written article, “Jets trade Laine, Roslovic to Blue Jackets for Dubois in blockbuster,” discussed what happened between the offensive weapon and his team. The article said, “Laine, also 22, had a long contract negotiation before the 2019-20 season and then found himself playing much of the season on the second line. Entering this season, the final year on his current contract, Laine’s representatives floated the idea that a change of scenery might be mutually beneficial.” Laine was traded from Winnipeg to the Blue Jackets. The full deal was Laine and forward Jack Roslovic to Columbus for center Pierre-Luc Dubois and a 2022 third-round draft selection. It was a fresh start for Laine and he had the possibility of being the next superstar to lead the charge for the Blue Jackets.
Entering the NHL/NHLPA Assistance Program
Despite the new change of scenery, Laine was not producing for the Blue Jackets like he had in his first couple seasons in Winnipeg. His numbers were respectable but his stats at the beginning of his career set the bar higher. Fans knew what he was capable of and wanted him to achieve those same totals again. They wanted Laine the 40-goal scorer and the talent who notched five goals in one game. Instead, he posted the following during parts of four seasons in Columbus:
- 2020-21: 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points in 45 games
- 2021-22: 26 goals and 30 assists for 56 points in 56 games
- 2022-23: 22 goals and 30 assists for 52 points in 55 games
- 2023-24: six goals and three assists for nine points in 18 games
The 2023-24 campaign was very hard for Laine. In January, he entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. Stephen Whyno from the Associated Press wrote about the news and talked about details in relation to Laine joining the program and stepping away from playing. Whyno wrote, “The 25-year-old from Finland explained his absence in a social media post, thanking the team, league and fans for their understanding and support and saying he looks forward to ‘returning to the ice with a clear mind and renewed energy’” (From ‘Columbus forward Patrik Laine enters the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program,’ Associated Press, Jan. 28, 2024).
Whyno also quoted what Laine said about the situation in his article. “‘After careful consideration and discussion with my support network and the team, I have recognized the importance of prioritizing my mental health and well-being,’ Laine said on Instagram. ‘Hockey has been my passion and my life, but I have come to realize that in order to perform at my best, I need to take this time to focus on myself’.”
Now, as LeBrun mentioned the other day, the Blue Jackets and Laine are working on trading him to his next team. Could the Capitals be the franchise to pull the trigger on a deal and land him?
Laine and the Capitals
When looking at some of Laine’s highlight reel goals in his career, it is no secret he likes to score from where some refer to as the “Alex Ovechkin spot,” from the left faceoff circle. He has scored goals from that spot in his career and could very well do it next for the Capitals (provided Ovechkin is not taking that spot himself on the same line).
Jacob Stoller from The Hockey News recently discussed five possible destinations for Laine and mentioned Washington as one of them. He talked about being able to play with Ovechkin and that there would be room for the Capitals to take on Laine’s contract. Stoller wrote, “Who better for Laine to learn from than Alex Ovechkin? Laine’s game draws parallels to Ovechkin, who was also criticized for his lack of all-around game earlier in his career. Ovechkin eventually became more engaged in areas aside from just scoring, dispelling the narrative that he was ‘lazy’ and solidifying his prowess with a Stanley Cup victory in 2018.” If Ovechkin could overcome the narrative he took earlier in his career, why couldn’t Laine do the same?
Related: Blue Jackets’ 3 Potential Trade Destinations for Patrik Laine
MacLellan and his staff ultimately have to determine if they want Laine’s services and what they are willing to give up to get him. It would be interesting to see how Carbery would use him. There almost would certainly be a temptation to put him on a line with Ovechkin and see if any chemistry is created between the two.
The hockey world will know in possibly the next few weeks where Laine will be playing the 2024-25 season. His first couple stops did not go according to plan, but maybe the third time is the charm. Ovechkin and other older veterans could help get Laine back on track. The NHL has seen how talented he can be when he is on his game. He just needs to figure out how to get back to that level. The Capitals could be the team that gets that type of play out of him.
