The Canadiens want to settle the Patrik Laine issue before the Olympics

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
The Canadiens want to settle the Patrik Laine issue before the Olympics
Credit: Getty Images

The more time passes, the more it becomes clear that the Patrik Laine issue is becoming a problem for the Canadiens. It's becoming clearer and clearer.

In fact, at the moment, the Habs are said to be considering trading him. But when you analyze the whole thing, you realize that it's becoming more and more necessary and that it's not just something the GM is thinking about.

And that's why the Habs are willing to do a lot of things to facilitate a trade.

Because yes, a trade remains the Habs' preferred option. If Kent Hughes and Patrik Laine's agent could find a new destination for him, that would be ideal.

And as Renaud Lavoie said this morning on the radio (BPM Sports), the ideal situation would be for the matter to be settled before the Olympic-period freeze on transactions.

Could the idea of sending him to Laval be on the table? As Anthony Marcotte says, it wouldn't make sense, because the goal isn't to send him to Laval to save a spot at the top: the goal is to get his salary out of the pot.

Sending him via waivers would only save a little over a million dollars on the lot. And a rehab stint (the player would have to say yes, and it would only be for a few games) would mean that 100% of his salary would be on the Habs' payroll.

Either way, he'd have to be activated from the injured list, which seems to be the problem.

Laine surely won't want to stay on the sidelines indefinitely if he's healthy, as he's fighting for a contract this summer. That's why time is running out to send him elsewhere to play and get his salary (part of it, at least) out of Montreal.

And for that, a trade would be the ideal way to go.

Renaud Lavoie also points out that communication with the agent is important, as it allows us to buy time before activating him when he's healthy.

Lavoie doesn't believe there are any secrets between the player's clan and the Canadiens.

Finally, Lavoie doubts that Laine will play another game with the Canadiens. This makes sense, given that the main problem remains getting him off the injured list.


overtime

– Of note.

– Also on soccer.

– Interesting.

– Shohei Ohtani leads the charge, of course.

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