Wild Emerge as Contenders for Blue Jackets' Patrik Laine

The Minnesota Wild have emerged as a contender for Columbus Blue Jackets' forward Patrik Laine.

Feb 10, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Patrik Laine (29) controls the puck as Toronto Maple Leafs center Alexander Kerfoot (15) trails the play during the second period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports / Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports

The Patrik Laine drama is an ongoing sage for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and now it seems like the Minnesota Wild are entering the situation. While the Jackets continue searching for a trade partner for their star forward, their general manager recently indicated interest was low around the league.

But according to The Athletic's Joe Smith and Michaael Russo, Laine and the Wild might be a perfect match if they could make it work. The duo spoke with NHL analyst and former Blue Jackets and Wild player Michael Rupp about the speculation. Rupp discussed how much sense it would make for the Wild because it would boost their offense significantly.

“If there’s a team to kick the tires, I think Minnesota (makes sense) because they need that star power,” he said. “They need somebody else that can help carry the workload as far as putting up big numbers."

The addition of Laine would give the Wild a forward to round out their top-six. Kirill Kaprizov carries the majority of the offensive workload, with Matthew Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Marco Rossi adding some strong depth. A healthy and focused Laine would give their first two lines a shooter that it lacks, making their offensive that much more dangerous.

There are drawbacks to this if the Wild continue pursuing Laine. One of the concerns Rupp raised is how well he would fit into the defensive system in Minnesota. Known around the NHL as a pure goal scorer with suspect defensive abilities, Laine and the stout Wild defense aren't the most ideal pairing.

“The problem I have with Laine is it depends on what kind of team you are," he said. "Everything that Minnesota has established themselves to be as far as their identity, working hard and lunch pail, he’s not that. The thing that’s kept Minnesota competitive is everybody’s kind of pulling the same way and there’s no freelancers. I think he would be a freelancer. It could work, but it could be really bad, too.”

That seems to be the general consensus regarding Laine. His goalscoring would be welcomed on any NHL team. But between his hefty contract, his lack of defensive abilities, and his uncertain NHL future, the league is waiting the Blue Jackets out. In the meantime, it appears the Wild are the new front runner in the Patrik Laine sweepstakes.

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