Blue Jackets star forward reportedly requests trade

Laine was traded to Columbus in January 2021 along with Jack Roslovic from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Pierre Luc-Dubois and a 2022 third-round pick. The following offseason, he signed a four-year, $34.8M extension with the team.

His career started off with a bang. He scored 36 goals and 64 points as a rookie in 2016, and he followed it up with two more 30-goal seasons, including a career-high 44 goals in 2017. But his time with the Blue Jackers hasn’t yielded the kind of offensive production he had in Winnipeg.

Laine played just 18 games last season before entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program back in January to work on his mental health.

The 26-year-old Laine has a 10-team no-trade list, so if he is moved, he will at least have some say in where he goes.

“Given his offensive struggles in Columbus, it may not be a huge market for him,” LeBrun wrote on Wednesday. “On the other hand, there’s the allure of a potential bounce-back season for a star player energized by a fresh start. Depending on the acquisition cost, a team might see itself picking up a 40-goal scorer at a reduced price.”