Don Waddell Hopes Hockey Trade Is Possible When He Moves Patrik Laine
Aside from the other restricted free agents who have yet to sign this offseason, the biggest rumors surround Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine. With Laine out of the NHL-NHLPA Players Assistance Program, talk has begun as to when Columbus might move him.
NHL News: Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators, and Buffalo Sabers
Columbus has a new general manager in Don Waddell. Waddell has made it clear that he wants to move Laine to a hockey career. The last thing he wants to do is keep his salary because this trade would have been done if that was the case.
Aaron Portzline of The Athletic joined Jamie Hersch and Stu Grimson on NHL Network to discuss the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL Tonight Season Outlook segment. Portzline was about where things stand regarding the Patrik Laine trade and what Waddell wants.
** NHLRumors.com transcript
Stu Grimson: “And we get the idea from the Blue Jackets’ point of view, Don Waddell’s point of view that they want to do a hockey trade in all directions and by saying that it’s not really a transaction that involves a lot of picks and hopes of coming back for something. but you’re a great NHL player do you get the same idea?”
Aaron Portzline: “I think that’s what Waddel wants to do. Of course, he would love to trade Laine and his $8.7 million salary. Obviously the rest will come back to him as a player. I think what he’s hoping to avoid is keeping some of that salary. She really has to bend over to move Laine and she thinks she can.
There are teams that have continued to look at the Blue Jackets about Laine for weeks as they wait for him to be released. So there it is. I still think he would like to help this roster with a veteran player if he can. The player they think can help them. But we will see.
NHL Rumors: Do Montreal Canadiens Have Any Kind Of Interest In Patrik Laine?
You know, most of the time in the offseason when teams make these types of moves has passed, so I think it’s fair to say that maybe it’s a limited team than it would have been a month and a half ago but what it takes is one team, so they’re going to continue to work toward that.”
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