Patrik Laine trade proves that the Blue Jackets are embracing a culture change

Sometimes, even though it may not make sense at first, you have to move away from a talented player in order to improve. That seems to be the case with the Blue Jackets, who are embracing a culture change at this stage of their rebuild. Trading Patrik Laine seems to be a big step in that direction.

After the big trade was announced on Monday, light was shed about a leadership meeting that happened sometime back in 2021. Per reports, several players who were remnants of the John Tortorella era went to management and told them that the team didn't want Laine nor goaltender Elvis Merzlikins around any longer.

"I think it was Cam (Atkinson), Seth Jones, (Zach) Werenski, maybe Gus Nyquist (when asked about fixing the room): you gotta get Laine and Merzlikins out of here."

- Aaron Portzline

I was completely not surprised by this story. In fact, the more I think about it, the more it makes perfect sense. This all came about around the time Tortorella left the organization. The team was just beginning its rebuild in earnest.

The players who were here - the ones who helped build this team's competitive culture - were supposedly vocal about these two enormous personalities in their locker room. They were so concerned that they apparently demanded Laine and Merzlikins get sent away. This would have been just months after the team acquired Laine, so things must have been pretty bad early on.

If true, this certainly connects a lot of dots in regards to things we didn't know. For starters, why did Tortorella suddenly decide to "mutually part ways" with the organization? After all he'd built up here, it felt like he would want to help this team get back on its feet. It may have been time for him to go anyhow, but I have a hard time seeing him walking away from a good situation.

I've long considered that it had something to do with then-GM Jarmo Kekalainen bringing in players Torts didn't want to coach. This would be affirmation of that theory, if true. He'd already seen his captain (Nick Foligno) and wily veteran defenseman (David Savard) both traded that spring. I'm feeling more confident that he just didn't want to stick around while the locker room fell apart.

What about Seth Jones? He seemed quite happy in Central Ohio until something changed behind the scenes. Suddenly, he had no interest in signing a contract extension with the team, and was dealt that summer for a handful of futures. He wouldn't say exactly why he didn't want to stay in Columbus. Wouldn't it make sense that it's because he didn't want to publicly call out the players he might have to keep playing with?

Though let's be fair here: that Seth Jones contract was a bullet dodged by the organization. Call it dumb luck.

Cam Atkinson fell victim to this process as well. The beloved winger - and noted Columbus lover - was traded to Philadelphia that summer in exchange for Jakub Voracek. The team obliterated its leadership core in the span of just a few months, spiraling itself into a full rebuild that is still ongoing, three full years later.

There are other hints that the team soured on these players. We don't even have to look very deep ... let's dive deeper on the next slide.