Rumor: The All Encompassing Patrik Laine Thread (it’s happening!!)

[MXD]

So, uh... what happens for you all if he does not end up in Montreal? After 24 pages of rosterbating about it, I mean.

Rosterbating is total genius and there's no way I'm not stealing that word from now on.

 

[Sorinth]

So, uh... what happens for you all if he does not end up in Montreal? After 24 pages of rosterbating about it, I mean.

We circle back to rosterbating about Zegras.

 

[Deus ex machina]

I’ve seen that kind of package if Laine was retained or if we included a cap dump like Anderson

Maybe, but even at 50% retained, he's not nearly worth that.
Doesn't make sense for the Habs to pay in assets for retained money they don't need anyway.

Same for Anderson, he doesn't have that much negative value.
And it also doesn't make sense to give assets to get rid of him when the Habs don't have cap issues.
According to Marco D'Amico, they are actually looking to do the opposite.
Plus, he has a no trade clause.

But that's another issue...

 

[The Great Weal]

Maybe, but even at 50% retained, he's not nearly worth that.
Doesn't make sense for the Habs to pay in assets for retained money they don't need anyway.

Same for Anderson, he doesn't have that much negative value.
And it also doesn't make sense to give assets to get rid of him when the Habs don't have cap issues.
According to Marco D'Amico, they are actually looking to do the opposite.
Plus, he has a no trade clause.

But that's another issue...

I don’t see why he wouldn’t be worth that at 50% retained but yes I agree it doesn’t make sense for the Habs either way.

Anderson definitely has less value than Laine. Andersons cap isn’t the only issue, he’s also taking up a roster spot and Laine is most definitely a better fit. Anderson proposals are contingent on him not having Columbus on his list which is unlikely.

 

[Deus ex machina]

I don’t see why he wouldn’t be worth that at 50% retained but yes I agree it doesn’t make sense for the Habs either way.

Anderson definitely has less value than Laine. Andersons cap isn’t the only issue, he’s also taking up a roster spot and Laine is most definitely a better fit. Anderson proposals are contingent on him not having Columbus on his list which is unlikely.

According to PuckPedia, retaining 2 x 4.35M is worth the 23OA pick. He's not worth that given that he has negative value at full price.

I'd rather have Anderson than an unproven AHL player on the 4th line, but maybe that's just me.

I agree, Columbus is probably on his no trade list.

 

[Walksss]

According to PuckPedia, retaining 2 x 4.35M is worth the 23OA pick. He's not worth that given that he has negative value at full price.

I'd rather have Anderson than an unproven AHL player on the 4th line, but maybe that's just me.

I agree, Columbus is probably on his no trade list.

This is the part I feel most fans aren't understanding, maybe even Waddell doesn't get it.

At full price Laine has negative value. Columbus would have to give a sweetener for a team to bite, let alone getting sent a 1st + prospect going the other way, that's completely insane. Never gonna happen.

Montreal has no reason to pay for that retention so I doubt they make for good trading partners. I'll take a slightly used Laine for basically free and I'm sure KH would as well but I highly doubt that is on the table.

 

[Rapala]

listening to Engels now on sick podcast. he thinks he is so in tune with the habs.
what a clown

FWIW both he and Stu Cowan are saying the same thing. Just waiting on Arpon Basu for the trifecta.

I read something Hughes said recently about Slaf at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup
"He want's to impact the game. It's not just about his game it's about our game."

This is where Laine may not make the cut.

 

[Deus ex machina]

This is the part I feel most fans aren't understanding, maybe even Waddell doesn't get it.

At full price Laine has negative value. Columbus would have to give a sweetener for a team to bite, let alone getting sent a 1st + prospect going the other way, that's completely insane. Never gonna happen.

Montreal has no reason to pay for that retention so I doubt they make for good trading partners. I'll take a slightly used Laine for basically free and I'm sure KH would as well but I highly doubt that is on the table.

That was just for discussion's sake because Waddell said that he'd rather not retain money. He might not have a choice though.
Portzline thinks he wants a NHL player back instead, even if not a top 6 player. Doesn't mean he's gonna get it.

Laine put Colombus in a bad spot asking to be traded and then returning from PAP after pretty much all other teams have their roster set, limiting options for them.

 

[Walksss]

That was just for discussion's sake because Waddell said that he'd rather not retain money. He might not have a choice though.
Portzline thinks he wants a NHL player back instead, even if not a top 6 player. Doesn't mean he's gonna get it.

Laine put Colombus in a bad spot asking to be traded and then returning from PAP after pretty much all other teams have their roster set, limiting options for them.

It's not just for discussion sake though, it's reality. Nobody is paying assets for Laine at $8.7 million. Literally not a single team regardless of season outlook.

If there was a single buyer at full price willing to give up anything of value this wouldn't even be a discussion anymore, it would be over and we could all move on.

 

[ZUKI]

This is the part I feel most fans aren't understanding, maybe even Waddell doesn't get it.

At full price Laine has negative value. Columbus would have to give a sweetener for a team to bite, let alone getting sent a 1st + prospect going the other way, that's completely insane. Never gonna happen.

Montreal has no reason to pay for that retention so I doubt they make for good trading partners. I'll take a slightly used Laine for basically free and I'm sure KH would as well but I highly doubt that is on the table.

i am sure you are right yeah…negative value
- Pierre-Luc Dubois ,

 

[The Great Weal]

According to PuckPedia, retaining 2 x 4.35M is worth the 23OA pick. He's not worth that given that he has negative value at full price.

I'd rather have Anderson than an unproven AHL player on the 4th line, but maybe that's just me.

I agree, Columbus is probably on his no trade list.

But he's not an unplayable player that is expensive, he's a good but flawed player that is expensive. He's definitely valuable at 4.35x2. He's got 138 points in 174 games as a Blue Jacket and it's not like he's old. Even by ignoring his missed games and only taking what he's actually produced, he'd be 3rd on the Habs since the season he joined the Jackets.

I'd rather sign someone who can PK to play on the 4th line at a fraction of the cost than Anderson and his 5.5x3 who can't play PP/PK. Not sure why we are required to play an unproven AHL player which is essentially an ECHL player. Signing 4th liners is the easiest thing ever, we don't have to deal with Anderson who honestly doesn't even do the work of most 4th liners.

 

[Deus ex machina]

It's not just for discussion sake though, it's reality. Nobody is paying assets for Laine at $8.7 million. Literally not a single team regardless of season outlook.

If there was a single buyer at full price willing to give up anything of value this wouldn't even be a discussion anymore, it would be over and we could all move on.

What i meant is we were discussing some trade proposals that have no chance of happening.

I agree with you BTW.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

I’ve seen that kind of package if Laine was retained or if we included a cap dump like Anderson

That would be too good to be true.

 

[Deus ex machina]

But he's not an unplayable player that is expensive, he's a good but flawed player that is expensive. He's definitely valuable at 4.35x2. He's got 138 points in 174 games as a Blue Jacket and it's not like he's old. Even by ignoring his missed games and only taking what he's actually produced, he'd be 3rd on the Habs since the season he joined the Jackets.

I'd rather sign someone who can PK to play on the 4th line at a fraction of the cost than Anderson and his 5.5x3 who can't play PP/PK. Not sure why we are required to play an unproven AHL player which is essentially an ECHL player. Signing 4th liners is the easiest thing ever, we don't have to deal with Anderson who honestly doesn't even do the work of most 4th liners.

There's more than points to Laine but i think that's been debated enough already. The reality is, given his history and contract, he's still a negative value.
It's ok to want to take a shot at him, but it's not gonna cost as much as some people think it will cost.

Just came across an episode of The Eye Test podcast from a couple of weeks ago with Aaron Portzline as a guest.
He said that Waddell is gonna have to take back something he doesn't like to get rid of Laine, whether it's a player or money. McGuire thinks it's probably money.
And he said that Waddell will likely have to give a pick to sweeten the pot on top of that.
Pretty much echoing what other insiders have said before.

So giving up valuable pieces like a 1st, Struble, Harris or Mesar to get Laine would just be very bad assets management.
That's not Hugues' style at all.

As for Anderson, he has flaws and i'm not his biggest fan but he's still an 6'3, 220 pounds NHL caliber player that can skate, hit, fight and score 20 goals. For a 4th line player, i think that's pretty good.
It's a bit late to sign a player to replace him anyway. UFA market is over.
I'd rather have him than an unproven AHL player like Heineman or Condotta on that 4th line to start the season. Those guys can have their chance when injuries happen.
Habs have no cap issues so what he makes is irrelevant at the moment.

 

[calder candidate]

Begging to leave two teams by the age of 26. No thanks

Columbus tried to bring him talent (Gaudreau), they gave him ample opportunity. They even made him a centre upon request. Still not good enough. Don’t want a player like that.

Columbus lineup has been trash plus they had injuries. Regardless I agree It isn’t great look for Laine but those two team weren’t well oiled machine either… I just don’t see any player available that could have a bigger impact or would be cheaper to acquire.

The player fit our need for a top 6 Fw
26yo fit our time line in term of age
He is sign for two years and the cost to acquire will very low which limits any risk.
His cap hit limits the amount of team that can acquire him which will also help. Expectations are as low as can be he only needs to be 4/5th best FW.

This isn’t giving up the farm to acquire PLD, (which way to many people were more than willing to do), those situations are not similar at all this would be a lot more like PIT acquiring Kessel.

 

[Dichow Stopper]

listening to Engels now on sick podcast. he thinks he is so in tune with the habs.
what a clown

Aren’t you the one listening?

 

[Spring in Fialta]

It's not just for discussion sake though, it's reality. Nobody is paying assets for Laine at $8.7 million. Literally not a single team regardless of season outlook.

If there was a single buyer at full price willing to give up anything of value this wouldn't even be a discussion anymore, it would be over and we could all move on.

Yeah, I have to agree here, which I am somewhat surprised by. Of course you'd figure Laine was a depressed asset so he would cost little in terms of what you'd be giving up but if he hasn't been moved at this point, clearly it's a situation where his value is downright in the negative. Furthermore, I don't think anyone is going to make the sort of cap gymnastics you probably need to fit him in.

In short, it looks like he came out out of the assistance program at the absolute worst time for Columbus. Personally I don't give a hoot about low picks so I wouldn't care about trading Florida's 1st but if no one is willing to give positive value for him, it's tempting to hold firm and hold Columbus out. With that said, man, he's a prime reclamation project.

 

[schwang26]

Hughes won’t overpay, but someone else probably will. I think it’s more likely they look internally to fill the second line spot. Like it or not, Anderson will get ample opportunity because they want to trade him. Definitely Roy gets a shot. Maybe Heineman. With Demidov coming next year, I just don’t see them acquiring Laine or Zegras this year. Not if it’ll cost too much. We should truly see the rebuild take off later this year. That’s when they’ll look to move some vets (provided they can of course)

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Yeah, I have to agree here, which I am somewhat surprised by. Of course you'd figure Laine was a depressed asset so he would cost little in terms of what you'd be giving up but if he hasn't been moved at this point, clearly it's a situation where his value is downright in the negative. Furthermore, I don't think anyone is going to make the sort of cap gymnastics you probably need to fit him in.

In short, it looks like he came out out of the assistance program at the absolute worst time for Columbus. Personally I don't give a hoot about low picks so I wouldn't care about trading Florida's 1st but if no one is willing to give positive value for him, it's tempting to hold firm and hold Columbus out. With that said, man, he's a prime reclamation project.

The Calgary/Florida pock is unknown. I wouldn't trade it in a Laine trade unless it was straight up for Laine or with very little added.

 

[Vachon23]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1821652218770034940

 

[Spring in Fialta]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1821652218770034940

That's that 'Come and get me' workout videos. He really doesn't want to stay in Columbus.

 

[schwang26]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1821652218770034940

Ok. So he can help me move, but can he still score?

 

[schwang26]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1821652218770034940

“Sorry to interrupt your workout, but you just got traded to the Habs!”
CRASH BANG! Torn acl

 

[StCaufield]

According to PuckPedia, retaining 2 x 4.35M is worth the 23OA pick. He's not worth that given that he has negative value at full price.

I'd rather have Anderson than an unproven AHL player on the 4th line, but maybe that's just me.

I agree, Columbus is probably on his no trade list.

I’d rather a plug than Anderson. Maybe he’ll make a simple pass

 

[CHfan1]

I’m not sure why posters want to trade the Florida/Calgary at its assumed lowest value (a low first). I get the most likely outcome is ending up with Florida’s late 1st but it’s definitely not set in stone. There is more variance with that pick than most. Who knows with Calgary, they probably finish bottom 10 but there is always chance they finish in the bottom 11-16 range or Florida, after two long post-season runs, has a down year.

If I’m Montreal I wouldn’t trade it (if they do that) until there is more certainty around it or unless they are getting more value from it than a low 1st.