Patrik Laine has been making headlines since it was revealed that he wanted a “fresh start” in June. There have been mock trade proposals, speculations on his trade value, and even questions on whether he will change his mind.
Recently, Don Waddell made an appearance on TSN1010 Toronto. The very first question asked was about Patrik Laine. It seems clear that Laine still wants a trade. Waddell did not shy away from discussing the reality of the situation.
“This is a different situation than any that I’ve really dealt with. I’ve had players that have requested trades, and sometimes you trade them, sometimes you don’t. Obviously, I don’t know Patrik, I wasn’t here last year. He went into the program 28 games into the year, and he’s been very vocal about it, way before I got here, that he does not want to play for the Blue Jackets. There was a lot of things that went on in the locker room and he just doesn’t want it.”
“This is different because it’s harder to bring him back knowing the situation, but saying that, that might be the option. We’re into the summer, he’s got a high cap hit for two years. I’m talking to teams every day. I’ve got two or three teams engaged right now, we’ll see where it goes. At the end of the day, like I told Andy Scott, his representation, I can try to do it, but if there’s not a deal to be made, he’s going to have to come back here to camp and we’ll welcome him back and try to make the best out of the situation.”
-Don Waddell
While it’s publicly known that Laine wants to be traded, one thing Waddell revealed raises another question: What happened in the locker room? At the moment it’s unknown what may have happened. No facts or rumors about this situation have been reported.
This isn’t the first time Laine requested a trade with a team. Before joining the Blue Jackets he had played for the Winnipeg Jets and asked for a trade while there. In an article from January 2021, writer Pekka Jalonen of the Finnish news site Iltalehti discussed why Laine wanted out of Winnipeg. Laine had a tough time due to issues with other star players, the two noted were Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. Wheeler later admitted, “Maybe I could have communicated a little better instead of being frustrated.”
At the time Paul Maurice was the head coach of the Jets. In an interview, he admitted that he had failed to create a quality environment for Laine and took responsibility for the situation.
This past season the Blue Jackets former head coach Pascal Vincent also had an incident with Patrik Laine. After Laine returned from being out with a concussion he was not playing like his former self. This ultimately led to Laine being a healthy scratch for one game. In an interview, he had said,
“It’s probably, over my career, the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to me.”
He went on to say,
“If your confidence isn’t there, I don’t think you’re going to find it eating popcorn, watching the game, that’s my opinion. I understand it, that guys who are going are playing. I understand that. I’m not stupid. But at the same time, if you want to get going, you have to be out there. I can’t get confidence drinking BioSteel on the bench. I’m not crying about it, because I’m not in a position where I can complain about anything with the way I’ve been playing. But that’s how I see it.“
Vincent was fired and replaced by Dean Evason, but Laine still wants a trade. In an interview between writer Mark Scheig and Don Waddell, the GM said,
“Dean (Evason) did talk to him, very cordial conversation, but he’s made it clear that he wants a fresh start someplace else”
When asked if he thinks Laine will start the season with the Blue Jackets, Waddell stated,
“Well he’s still a Blue Jacket today and as we speak, I don’t have anything (newsworthy of) interest, but nothing that I had to make a decision on yet. Just some teams do their homework and trying to talk with Patrick and his agent and he thought about giving full permission to talk to teams. So, but as we are talking (Thursday afternoon 8/15), I don’t have anything that on the table that would even make any sense for the Blue Jackets to make that deal.”
To sum everything up:
Laine asked to be traded last season before entering the NHLPA Player’s Assistance Program.
The Blue Jackets made some big changes by hiring a new GM and head coach. Some people speculated this could change Laine’s mind. It did not.
The exact reasons why he would like to be traded are unknown. In an interview, Waddell said, “There was a lot of things that went on in the locker room and he just doesn’t want it.”
Laine’s reason for leaving Winnipeg was that he had difficulties with other players. Could he have a similar reason this time?
Waddell is setting the price high for Laine. Some offers have been made but none “that would even make any sense for the Blue Jackets to make that deal”
If he does not get traded in the offseason, Laine may have to start the season with the Blue Jackets.
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