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“Sweet marketing” : Patrik Laine to Chicago or San Jose?
Marc-Olivier Cook
“Sweet marketing” : Patrik Laine to Chicago or San Jose?
Credit: Getty Images

It cannot be said that the “Patrik Laine experience” in Montreal is a huge success.

The forward has scored 15 goals and added 11 assists (26 points) in 35 games since the start of the season, but it’s his level of engagement on the ice that bothers more than one person.

This is normal. In Montreal, fans want to see the players giving their all on the ice – and not being dragged along every other game.

The risk was not enormous when Kent Hughes made the acquisition, but still: one has to wonder if Laine will play his first game of the next season in a Canadian uniform.

Let’s recall that in 25-26, he will be in the last year of his contract, which earns him $8.7 million annually.

Mathias Brunet had fun creating his lineup for the next campaign, and Laine is not in it.

But what piqued my curiosity was when the journalist wondered if the player could be sent to clubs like the Blackhawks or the Sharks, who will probably need to add big salaries to respect the salary floor.

The idea is not bad:

Laine being offered to a rebuilding club like San Jose or Chicago to allow them to reach the salary floor and give their fans a little marketing treat? Very possible. – Mathias Brunet

The Hawks and the Sharks are in a similar position.

They have good young players in place, but they are still a few years away from being able to compete with the good teams in the National League.

And at that level, it’s true that the idea of giving a “marketing treat” – to use Mathias Brunet’s words – would be interesting for the fans of the two teams.

In Chicago, maybe it would also allow Connor Bedard to have a sniper on his line. The young man is not surrounded in the right way, and adding natural talent to the lineup could help.

And in San Jose, maybe it would help the Sharks be more competitive from next season with the emergence of Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini, who are having a great first year respectively in the NHL.

In both cases, acquiring Laine would not cost an arm. Kent Hughes is not in a position to ask for the moon for his forward for logical reasons, and I wonder if the CH GM will be interested in the idea of giving up a pick to get rid of the main concerned.

It would make some people happy, in any case.


In passing

– Seeing Armia (who trained this afternoon) play tomorrow would be great news.

– A classic.

– It’s true.

– Oh well.

– Solid.

– Good reading.

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