It appears that Patrik Laine has not rescinded his trade request, so let's take some time to look at several possible trade partners and what they might send back.
Looking back at what will likely be Patrik Laine's final game as a Columbus Blue Jacket, it would've been hard to consider at the time that it would be the end of his time in Columbus.
That game was on December 14th, 2023, against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Laine had one goal in the game, a slick finish in front of the net off a sweet behind-the-goalie pass from Kent Johnson. It was something Jackets fans had come to expect from the scoring winger during his time in Columbus when healthy.
Unfortunately, another thing Jacket fans came to expect: he was injured in that game, and missed several weeks with a broken clavicle.
In late January 2024, Laine entered the NHLPA Player Assistance program and vowed to focus on healing his mental health. After a long half-year of hard work, the program cleared Laine to re-enter the active roster in late July, where he will be expected to report to Training Camp in September.
Unfortunately for CBJ fans, multiple sources over the last few weeks have reported that Laine has requested a change in scenery, requiring him to be moved out of Columbus.
The new general manager and president of hockey operations, Don Waddell, has been upfront about the interest in Laine from multiple teams. Now that he has been cleared, interested franchises are free to contact Laine to speak to him regarding his interest, the current state of his health, and expectations moving forward.
While we don't have a firm idea of who these interested teams are, let's take a moment to speculate on some of them and see what they might send back in return.