Why did Patrik Laine want the Columbus Blue Jackets to trade him?
Patrik Laine’s mind was made up long before Don Waddell became the Blue Jackets’ president of hockey operations/general manager.
The Finnish forward felt that a “fresh start” was needed before exiting a road trip in January to enter the NHL/NHL Players’ Association’s player assistance program and had become disgruntled with life in Columbus. He wanted out regardless of changes the Jackets made, told agent Andy Scott to inform Waddell of his wish to be traded and then waited until Monday for a deal with the Montreal Canadiens to finally materialize.
“I kind of knew, even before going into the program, that a change of scenery could probably be beneficial,” Laine said during a teleconference Monday after the trade. “I don’t think at that point, any changes that were made (in Columbus) really moved the needle at all for me. I just knew as a person that I needed a new start somewhere else, more so as a person than as a hockey player.”
Laine didn’t get into specifics leading to his trade request, but it’s no secret he struggled consistently after joining the Blue Jackets in a 2021 trade with the Winnipeg Jets.
He dealt with numerous injuries, bouts of ineffectiveness and the final hurdle was his entry into the NHL/NHLPA program for unspecified reasons. Despite not discussing details of what led to his stint in that program, Laine spoke about the importance of maintaining mental health, strategies he’s developed to “navigate” adversity and how he’s struggled with that challenge in the past.
He also talked about the pride he takes in launching an online mental health initiative last week with his fiancee, Jordan Leigh.
“That’s what I’m more worried about ... me as a person,” Laine said. “Obviously, there was stuff that happened in Columbus, on and off the ice, that kind of haunts a little bit. So, I just felt like I needed a restart for my life and my career. Now, I’m obviously super fortunate to have that in Montreal and I couldn’t be happier about it.”
Laine was sent to Montreal along with the Blue Jackets’ second-round pick in 2026 in exchange for 24-year-old defenseman Jordan Harris. Most important for the Jackets was not retaining Laine’s remaining contract, which carries an $8.7 million annual charge against the NHL’s salary cap.
That’s a large burden off the Jackets’ payroll after numerous injuries during the first two years of the contract severely limited Laine’s impact. Getting a new start in Montreal was a burden off Laine's shoulders, one of which was surgically repaired in June.
“It’s been kind of a roller coaster (in Columbus),” he said. “Obviously, it didn’t work out the way that anybody was hoping, obviously for me personally or for the team. ... But for me, I learned so many valuable lessons, mostly off the ice, about myself as a person, that I can take with me for the rest of my life. I’m still going to cherish my time in Columbus.”
At the same time, he wasn’t happy. That became clear while listening to Laine talk about his simmering frustration with playing for the Blue Jackets, partly tied to their struggles on the ice since his arrival.
“One thing I’ve noticed is that when you’re not enjoying whatever you do, you’re probably not going to be able to perform,” Laine said. “That’s kind of where I’ve been at. I haven’t been enjoying myself for a while. But now, I’m happier than ever off the ice, obviously, and I’ve done a lot of work on myself to get me back to this point, where I’m actually super excited about playing, obviously, in a new place with new teammates in a new city. I’ve learned a lot of things over these last couple years, and now it’s a good time to put them to the test. I’m absolutely readier than ever.”
Get more Columbus Blue Jackets talk on the Cannon Fodder podcast
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Why Patrik Laine wanted the Blude Jackets to trade him
