The Columbus Blue Jackets have had trade rumors almost all season as they’ve sat at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division. The league’s 29th-ranked team (37 standings points) will likely see them increase as the 2023-24 NHL campaign nears its March 8 trade deadline.
TSN’s Darren Dreger was the latest hockey insider to reveal what he’s heard. During an “Insider Trading” segment on Thursday, Dreger reported that the Blue Jackets and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen are willing to listen to trade offers on both forward Patrik Laine and defenseman Ivan Provorov.
Here are Dreger’s full words:
Jarmo Kekalainen, the general manager of the Blue Jackets, is willing to listen on a couple of big-name guys like Patrik Laine and Ivan Provorov and there are others. Obviously, Adam Fantilli is untouchable and there are other young players that the Blue Jackets won’t want to move. A number of teams though are also very interested in veteran Boone Jenner but he’s a heart-and-soul guy with a terrific contract so it’s highly unlikely that the Blue Jackets consider moving him. But, again, Jarmo Kekalainen and the Columbus Blue Jackets are listening.
Laine, 25, has gone through spells of injury and even a healthy scratch in November that have limited him to playing in just 18 games this season. In those appearances, he has recorded just nine points (6g, 3a) which is a far cry from the 52 points (22g, 30a) he put up in just 55 games last year.
The big Finnish winger is currently on the shelf and has not played since December 14 after fracturing his clavicle in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Laine is in the second year of a four-year extension that he signed in July of 2022 and carries an $8.7 million average annual value.
Provorov was just acquired by the Blue Jackets from the Philadelphia Flyers this past offseason. The 27-year-old blueliner, who once refused to participate in Pride Night warmups for “religious” reasons, has 23 points (4g, 19a) in 46 games this season while skating 22:48 of ice time per game. He has one more year on his contract with a $4.725 million cap hit.
Laine is the more relevant of the two players when it comes to the Washington Capitals. The Capitals and general manager Brian MacLellan have had a top-six forward around Laine’s age range circled on their wish list for almost a full year now.
This also is not the first time that Laine has popped up in conversation around Washington.
Back in December, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman brought both the Capitals and Blue Jackets up on an episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast and said that the Caps have been “around” the Blue Jackets in terms of scouting potential trade targets.
Just a couple of days before Friedman’s report, the Columbus Dispatch’s Brian Hedger had revealed that the Blue Jackets had personnel at every stop of the Capitals’ six-game western road trip.
While those rumors have completely cooled down since, Laine could fit MacLellan’s requirements. The Capitals have shown, via the deal that brought Rasmus Sandin to DC, that they are willing to add to their roster even if the team is not positioned well for the playoffs. The player just needs to fit their long-term vision.
As of Thursday, the Capitals are three points out of the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
