A 40-goal scorer with the Canadiens? Proposal for Patrik Laine
While the Canadiens are in search of promising young talent to add to their offense, journalist Arpon Basu has proposed a trade involving Patrik Laine.
We're talking about a forward who was selected just behind Auston Matthews and who scored 36 and 44 goals respectively in his first two seasons (at 18 and 19 years old) in the NHL.
Laine's big problem is his work ethic and frequent injuries. Effort isn't always there, but at the right price, he could be quite an asset for the Canadiens, under the guidance of Martin St-Louis.
Here's Arpon Basu's proposal:
MONTREAL gives: 2024 2nd round pick (Avalanche) + Prospect (Emil Heineman)
At that price, Kent Hughes shouldn't even hesitate. It's certain that Laine is currently at the lowest point of his value, and he's earning 8.7 million until 2026.
If the Blue Jackets agree to retain 2 million of his salary for the remaining two years and want to get rid of him, Hughes absolutely must take advantage of it.
At 26 years old, Laine still has some good hockey left in him, and he could score a lot of goals with playmakers like Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky. He'll become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026, so he wouldn't be a very big risk, especially at such a low price.
And you, would you accept this trade?
| POLL | ||
Would you be willing to take Patrik Laine and his big contract in exchange for a late 2nd-round pick and Emil Heineman? | ||
| Yes | 330 | 51.2 % |
| No | 315 | 48.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
