The Vancouver Canucks are loaded with talent, as J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes are all elite-level NHLers. The addition of Jake DeBrusk should solidify the top-six, providing them firepower to compete with Western Conference stalwarts like the Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, and the Dallas Stars.
However, the Canucks could always use a little more offense to complement their existing group. Enter Patrik Laine into the conversation. The disgruntled Columbus Blue Jackets forward has publicly requested a trade out of Columbus.
Moving Laine, though, isn’t as easy as it seems. The former second-overall pick from 2016 has two years left on his deal and has a cap hit of $8.7 million, per PuckPedia.
That makes it tough for Columbus to move Laine without retaining his salary. Nevertheless, Laine could be a wonderful addition to the Canucks’ lineup. The question would be how much it would cost for the Canucks to trade for Laine.
On the one hand, Laine’s value is at an all-time low. He’s coming off his worst statistical season, having only played 18 games, scoring six goals and totaling nine points. Apart from his injury, his 10-team no-trade clause limits what Columbus can do.
On the other, the Vancouver Canucks are right up against the cap with $15K to spare, per PuckPedia. Therefore, adding Laine, even with a 50% cap retention, would require dumping a contract on the Blue Jackets. Perhaps Brock Boeser might have to go the other way to make the deal work.
As for other pieces, Columbus shouldn’t expect a first-round pick. Perhaps a prospect or middle-round pick would be enough to make the deal work.
In short, a Laine-for-Boeser, one-for-one deal with a draft pick heading to Columbus in exchange for some salary retention could solve a problem for both the Vancouver Canucks and the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Fitting Patrik Laine into the Vancouver Canucks Lineup
Assuming the Vancouver Canucks can pull off a deal for Laine, the big question would be: where does Laine fit into the Canucks’ lineup?
Assuming Boeser is on the way out, Laine could slot into the top line, but Laine has had issues dealing with the pressure that comes with the spotlight. So, Laine may be more suited for the second line with Elias Pettersson at the center.
Now, there’s another consideration. Laine is a left winger, while Boeser plays on the right side. So, that situation might mean moving up someone like newly acquired Daniel Sprong to the top unit, with Laine either switching over to the right side or flipping Jake DeBrusk.
Alternatively, the Vancouver Canucks could switch Nils Hoglander to the right side to play with Miller and DeBrusk on the left side of the top unit. That move would leave a second line of Laine, Pettersson and Sprong. That second line could become extremely dangerous, especially if Pettersson bounces back and Sprong providing a strong forecheck.
There’s one last consideration about Laine in Vancouver, as he would provide the Canucks with a strong shot on the power play. That’s something they have lacked in recent years. Laine could line up on the top power play unit, playing mostly from the slot. That alone could significantly boost Laine’s goal totals.
Eventually, adding Laine could be a high-reward proposition for the Canucks. If anything, Vancouver should at least kick the tires on Laine to see if a deal might be possible.
