Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine has been released from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program after being cleared by its doctors today, reports Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch.
The news comes amid a trade request from Laine that’s stood since at least June, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported at the time. As Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman points out, Laine is still recovering from clavicle/shoulder surgery that ended his 2023-24 season back in December. The Finnish winger entered the Player Assistance Program about five weeks after sustaining the injury.
Trade talks couldn’t progress with Laine in the program. It was widely reported that interested parties wanted to speak with Laine before acquiring him, which was prohibited before he was cleared. Now that he’s been released from the program, those talks with other teams can now commence. Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell declined to comment on Laine’s clearance and future trade talks Friday, per The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline.
Among potential landing spots for the 26-year-old, Friedman named the Kraken as a team to watch last month. The Athletic’s Michael Russo and Joe Smith later reported the Wild had engaged in preliminary discussions for the sniper as well.
Laine’s numerous injuries last season, including an upper-body ailment, limited him to just six goals and three assists in 18 games. But in the two preceding years, the 2016 second-overall pick had been a force for Columbus, averaging nearly a point per game (108 in 111 GP) while logging an ATOI of 18:58. When healthy, he remains a top-line winger, but the first part of this sentence is a large caveat. He hasn’t played more than 60 games in a season since before the pandemic.
Even with Laine out of the program, those injury concerns will remain. That’ll likely force Waddell to retain a solid chunk of his $8.7M cap hit in a prospective trade to make it an appealing swap for both sides financially. Laine remains under contract through 2025-26 and he’ll be a UFA upon expiry. He can block a trade to 10 teams with his modified no-trade clause, per PuckPedia.
Outside of the trade discussions, it’s always good news to see a player cleared to return to action from the program. All of us at PHR wish Laine the best as he continues his NHL career.