Confirmed Signing with Link: [CBJ] Patrik Laine accepts QO with Blue Jackets (1 year, $7.5M)

[3074326]

I think adding Voracek will be huge for Laine. Voracek, Laine and Werenski on that top unit should be pretty deadly. Definitely a prove it deal.

 

[Aphid]

We need a good team, but trade Laine for peanuts and help out another team out of the goodness of our hearts?

He wasn't too good last season for reasons I am sure you're aware of so hopefully he raises his stock the first half of this upcoming season somehow. If your GM can get away from the fact he is from Finland too, you trade him away for some nice pieces halfway through. There is teams he'll fit perfectly on that are built for players like him and the GM's of those teams will pay that hefty price. He's a unique talent that doesn't come along too often.

 

[SteelCityCannon]

He's a unique talent that doesn't come along too often.

Decent reason to keep him then? He's 23. If he even remotely returns to form next year Jarmo will throw money at him. Who knows if he signs it.

 

[robertocarlos]

Classic throwing good money after bad.

 

[Dumais]

With Laine on the left and Voracek on the right; maybe makes CBJ a more "acceptable" destination for 1st line centers...

 

[Lempo]

Agreed it's steep but the "earned" part came during his ELC when he hit 40 goals. I'm sure you know but he's not taking less than his QO and neither side is going to commit long term so that leaves us with the high 1 year deal. Certainly wasn't earned off last years performance but he did earn the last contract coming out of his ELC. tough spot with these contract structures for RFAs.

His QO was pretty much preagreed and written into his 2nd contract effectively as the price of the "option year" that the team can opt to or not opt to take after the two years. The base salary for year 2 was higher for this very purpose.

 

[majormajor]

With Laine on the left and Voracek on the right; maybe makes CBJ a more "acceptable" destination for 1st line centers...

It's funny because Bjorkstrand is much better than both. He drives play and scores at a higher 5v5 rate.

But I do think you're right. There's cache with Laine and Voracek. Especially with Laine, even though he often sucks terribly, there are surely a lot of centers that are confident enough to think that they are the one to get him going.

 

[Dumais]

It's funny because Bjorkstrand is much better than both. He drives play and scores at a higher 5v5 rate.

But I do think you're right. There's cache with Laine and Voracek. Especially with Laine, even though he often sucks terribly, there are surely a lot of centers that are confident enough to think that they are the one to get him going.

With all this stupid talk of the city being a destination or not, I think having an environment to succeed is vastly more important than the city/team itself. Especially if money isn't a issue. Bjorkstrand is a better play driver and having Nyquist or Voracek around should help him too. Top line could very well end up with being a Laine/Nyquist line....

Either way, things should be vastly improved over last years "thrown-together" team.

 

[ArizonaCoyotes19]

Still RFA next year. Needs to play 7 seasons to qualify for UFA before age 27.

Not always the case. Michael Bunting this year is a rare Group 6 free agent.

 

[Opado]

Love the h8 here. Incoming 45+20 season for him.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

I feel like Columbus should just start shopping him. Feels like a situation where he's just going to take his QO each year and then bounce. I think he's a guy that just wants to hit the market.

With a big red Clearance Tag on him.

He's Jeff Skinner with a short term deal.

 

[majormajor]

With all this stupid talk of the city being a destination or not, I think having an environment to succeed is vastly more important than the city/team itself. Especially if money isn't a issue. Bjorkstrand is a better play driver and having Nyquist or Voracek around should help him too. Top line could very well end up with being a Laine/Nyquist line....

Either way, things should be vastly improved over last years "thrown-together" team.

Yes, adding Nyquist and Voracek to the top six is a big deal. That's a lot of playmaking ability that wasn't on the team last year. And who knows if they add more with a center in UFA.

 

[Dumais]

Love the h8 here. Incoming 45+20 season for him.

And all the haters will be in the thread for his next contract, saying Jarmo was stupid for not signing him longterm this time.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

No shit he did. He's worth about half that at this point

But if/when he scores 50+, he is worth almost twice what that...
High-Risk High-Reward

 

[Mulletman]

Yes!n This is the best possible deal for Laine. Will make it easier to get out of Columbus for sure. I was afraid that Columbus was going to try some 3 or 4 year shit deal were they would've wasted Laine's career. Now there's a good chance Laine will be traded during the season, or picked up at the trade deadline to get his ticket out of Columbus. Would love to see my Leafs pick up Laine at the trade deadline and bring him home to play were he always wanted to play!

 

[majormajor]

Yes!n This is the best possible deal for Laine. Will make it easier to get out of Columbus for sure. I was afraid that Columbus was going to try some 3 or 4 year shit deal were they would've wasted Laine's career. Now there's a good chance Laine will be traded during the season, or picked up at the trade deadline to get his ticket out of Columbus. Would love to see my Leafs pick up Laine at the trade deadline and bring him home to play were he always wanted to play!

You misunderstood. Columbus wasn't going to try to sign him for more than a one year deal after the way he played last year. If there was any interest in going longer it would have come from Laine.

 

[Opado]

And all the haters will be in the thread for his next contract, saying Jarmo was stupid for not signing him longterm this time.

And complaining how he’s defending sucks and he is a one dimensional player.

 

[Mulletman]

You misunderstood. Columbus wasn't going to try to sign him for more than a one year deal after the way he played last year. If there was any interest in going longer it would have come from Laine.

Many times you see teams gamble on players past performance too. And if Laine performs well this year he's much more valuable when you trade him if he's signed to a few more years. With Voracek feeding him and if Columbus get their powerplay working there's a good chance Laine could break Rick Nash's single season goal record and if that happens it would be pretty sweet for Columbus to have Laine signed for another 2 years when they trade him next summer...

 

[Dumais]

And complaining how he’s defending sucks and he is a one dimensional player.

It's like the typical hf poster are all really bad politician. Hypocrisy, double standards, hidden agendas and all to entertain an elite few; who we don't know.

false sincerity.

 

[libertarian]

Laine is a good player who has been constantly surrounded by toxic environments, whether a terrible Winnipeg locker room, or a belligerent Torts. Sure, he needs to work on some things, but the hate this guy gets here isn't warranted.

Can you show me examples of this toxic environment in Winnipeg's locker room?

If Winnipeg's locker room is so toxic why did Paul Stastny choose to resign with the Jets days before FA.

From what I hear whatever toxicity that was in the Jets locker room disappeared the day Laine was traded.

 

[jay from jersey]

Laine at this point is looking like the Finnish Yakupov. A very skilled flash in the pan that didn't have his head set straight and couldn't handle the pressure. He's supposed to be developing into a superstar about now, not be thrown around like a lazy, whining hot potato.

This is his year to show he is up to working hard to stay in this league and stop complaining. Work on his flaws instead of complaining no one is setting him up. He thought his shot alone would be enough to stay in the league.

Laine has shown very low levels of sisu for a Finnish player so far.

he’s a one trick pony. But the trick he possesses is incredibly important. He probably has a top 5 shot in the entire league. He’s going to sulk his way thru to FA and sign to play with his boy Barkov. And Zito is going to look like a genius, he’ll be happy and scoring and Barkov and whoever else is on the line will cover for his defensive deficiencies.
I’ve never seen a shitter all around player that’s capable of drop 50 goals on any given year.

 

[jonu]

he’s a one trick pony. But the trick he possesses is incredibly important. He probably has a top 5 shot in the entire league. He’s going to sulk his way thru to FA and sign to play with his boy Barkov. And Zito is going to look like a genius, he’ll be happy and scoring and Barkov and whoever else is on the line will cover for his defensive deficiencies.
I’ve never seen a shitter all around player that’s capable of drop 50 goals on any given year.

Laine in WPG later years was actually quite good at back-checking though.

 

[Lempo]

Not always the case. Michael Bunting this year is a rare Group 6 free agent.

Yes,

but the rule about guys qualifying for UFA courtesy of turning 25 and still having had no significant NHL experience by that time while having played three or more pro seasons under an NHL SPC, has zero relevance to the case of Laine who will at 25 have Accrued the needed 7 NHL seasons with no single game played in AHL.

 

[Lapa]

The amount of hate in this thread is ridiculous.

Zero risk for CBJ in this deal. Laine had a bad year but he's skilled enough to bounce back.

 

[thadd]

When was the last time a player making so much money accepted a 1 year qualifying offer?