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Patrik Laine: the Habs have “a chance” of getting him, believes a journalist in Columbus

 Matthew Garcia
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Patrik Laine: the Habs have “a chance” of getting him, believes a journalist in Columbus
Credit: Getty Images
With Patrik Laine now out of the player assistance program, we can expect his name to circulate widely in the rumour mill. The forward, who wants to leave Columbus, can now talk to other teams, which could facilitate a transaction.

And when a quality striker is so openly available, it’s bound to get people talking.

Obviously, in Montreal, the connection is easy to make. Frank Seravalli may wonder if the Habs already have enough mavericks, but we agree that he would improve the forward group.

And if there’s one team that has what the Blue Jackets are looking for, it’s the Tricolore, with money, picks and prospects.

The question, though, is whether the Habs are in the running… and according to Aaron Portzline, who covers Blue Jackets activities for The Athletic, it looks like they are. In a recent piece, here’s what he wrote on the subject of potential destinations to watch for Laine:

If I had to pick just two: Anaheim and Carolina, but Montreal also has a chance. – Aaron Portzline

What’s clear, then, is that the Habs have their nose in the matter, but they’re not alone. That said, it looks like they’re about third in the race right now.

Optimists will say that it’s good to see Montreal among the three destinations mentioned, while pessimists will say that there are obviously two clubs ahead of the Habs at the moment. It’s up to you to decide.

In the case of the Hurricanes, it’s a destination that Seravalli mentioned yesterday. For the Ducks, it’s a little more out of left field… but we’re talking about a team whose situation is very similar to that of the Habs.

And if the Blue Jackets want an attacking prospect, the Ducks have a better bank than the Habs.

A bit like the Habs, then, the Ducks probably want to speed up their rebuild by picking up a more established player to help the youngsters on the top-6.

But clearly, between the three formations, the Blue Jackets have a nice variety in terms of available assets. All that remains now is to see what kind of deal Don Waddell can pull off.


Overtime

– Names to watch.

– There’s a nice camaraderie between Xhekaj and Slafkovský.

– Please note.

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