We know Patrik Laine won’t be with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2024-25 season, or at least that’s the popular thought at the moment. Since a move could be imminent, should general manager Kevyn Adams look to make what could be a big trade and the missing piece to the Blue and Gold’s top-six?
Per Josh Wegman of The Score, the Sabres could be a fit, albeit one he ranks just two out of five stars. But still, there’s reason to believe Laine could be the missing link with Buffalo. For one, he would play on a top-six that would likely include JJ Peterka, Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, and Jack Quinn, so Laine factoring in as the sixth man completes the unit.
His presence would also give the Sabres a proven player who, at one point in his career, scored 44 goals in a single season. Laine also has six campaigns that saw him score 22 goals or more, which is also rather impressive, and he’s someone who’s routinely played top-six minutes.
Of course, the risk will be there regardless, especially since Laine played in just 18 games last season and averaged just 15:13 of average total ice time before he entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
Sabres must pursue high-risk, high-reward forward in Patrik Laine
But then again, we were all saying something about another winger last season, and to make matters more interesting, another Patrick. That player being Patrick Kane. Kane, like Laine, came with a risk, but it was thanks to a hip resurfacing procedure and at his age, we didn’t know what to expect from Kane.
Clearly, Kane made his mark and is once again a relevant player in this league, making the younger, ultra-talented Laine tough to pass on. That said, injuries have also held back Laine, and this fact comes with additional risk.
Still, we need to ask the burning question: Do the Sabres want to make the playoffs or not? If yes, Laine will get them one step closer to returning to the postseason and putting an end to this 13-year nightmare.
This is also probably Lindy Ruff’s final stint as a head coach, and the seat’s likely getting hotter for general manager Kevyn Adams. Translation: It’s time to take a risk and at least try to land a player who, if put into a better situation than what he had in Columbus, could pay dividends.