Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
The verdict is in for Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine, and it’s not the one the organization was hoping for.
Yesterday’s 3 p.m. deadline, marking the roster freeze for the Olympic break, passed without any major movement.
Patrik Laine is still a member of the Montreal Canadiens.
This radio silence is not the result of a lack of effort on Kent Hughes’ part.
The general manager tried to find a dance partner right up until the final minutes.
The reality is rather brutal for Montreal’s front office.
According to the information available, the Canadiens were ready to make significant financial concessions to resolve the situation.
“Montreal is looking to move out his money and might be willing to spend an asset to do that. The Canadiens are prepared to retain a good chunk (even up to 50 per cent) of his deal, considering they haven’t used any retention slots and because Laine’s contract expires at the end of the season anyway.”
– Nick Kypreos
Kent Hughes was unable to trade Patrik Laine, and the worst-case scenario is now confirmed for the organization
Despite this openness, none of the other 31 teams bit before the final buzzer.
What stands out is the difficulty of the current market.
It appears the Canadiens were even willing to add a complementary piece, an asset, to help facilitate the trade.
When a team has to pay to get rid of a former 40-goal scorer, it highlights the complexity of the situation.
Let’s be honest: Laine’s market value seems to have hit a worrying low.
That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll finish the season in Montreal, but it does show that this distraction isn’t going away anytime soon.
The real NHL trade deadline will come after the Olympic Games.
There is therefore still a window of opportunity for Kent Hughes, with several intriguing trade ideas beginning to circulate around the league.
That said, the task looks daunting if conditions don’t change by then.
If teams turned their backs on the offer this week, creativity will be required to restart discussions in a few weeks.
For now, the status quo prevails, and it’s a heavy situation that continues to hover over the team during the break.
It’s a scenario that demands a lot of patience, both from the player and the organization.
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics
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Nick Kypreos reveals how far the Montreal Canadiens are willing to go to trade Patrik Laine
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