Breaking down why the Detroit Red Wings should trade for Patrik Laine
Making a trade for Patrik Laine could be worth the risk for the Detroit Red Wings, as he offers significant scoring potential and fits their contention window.
Despite his struggles in Columbus, Laine is a proven goal scorer. He has netted 40+ goals in a season and started his career with three straight 30+ goal campaigns.
Patrik Laine's current contract is a significant obstacle, with a cap hit of $8.7 million this year and next. Additionally, Columbus GM Don Waddell seeks an NHL-ready player without retaining salary, making a trade more complex. However, it might become feasible if a deal could be structured with Columbus retaining some salary or involving another contract like Justin Holl or Ville Husso.
If acquired, Laine could slot into Detroit's third line alongside Michael Rasmussen and Andrew Copp, providing a unique scoring threat protected by two defensively reliable players. This configuration would give the Red Wings considerable lineup flexibility and create matchup problems for opponents. Moreover, Laine would add another weapon to Detroit's power play.
A potential trade package might involve forward Jonatan Berggren and/or defenseman Albert Johansson. At the same time, Detroit has around $17.6 million in cap space, much of which is for pending RFA deals for Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond. Thus, careful cap management is crucial.
Source: Octopus Thrower
Should the Detroit Red Wings take a flier on Patrik Laine?
| POLL | ||
Do you think the Detroit Red Wings should trade for Patrik Laine? | ||
| Yes | 26 | 32.9 % |
| No | 53 | 67.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
