Penguins Should Avoid Patrik Laine Trade Amid NHL Rumors

Patrik Laine is a sharpshooting left wing who, through the first-half of his career with the Winnipeg Jets, averaged about 62 points a year.

A reliable scorer and setup man, he was an asset to those Jets squads and was expected to be a major part of the Columbus Blue Jackets' future when he signed with the organization in 2020.

Now, his time with the team appears to be over as Elliott Friedman reported that teams interested in acquiring him by trade from Columbus should feel free to contact him.

One such team would be a no-brainer to sign him and enhance their scoring production: the Pittsburgh Penguins, who were just barely above league average last season.

They should, instead, avoid Laine for two important reasons: a lengthy injury history and under-production.

Dating back to his 2020 signing with the Blue Jackets, Laine has suffered no less than nine significant injuries that have forced him to the sidelines.

From his lower body to his ankle, his wrist to his oblique, he has had more than his fair share of ailments that have taken a toll both on his physical well being as well as his ability to produce at the level he had previously.

Since signing with Columbus, Laine has averaged just 28.2 points per season and played in just 66 games. He has not been available and when he has, he has not delivered the same output he did previously.

Yes, he is still a sniper on the ice who can find the back of the net or set his teammates up to do so, but there are other players still available who can contribute similar, if not better, numbers than Laine without the worry of impending injury that will cost him significant ice time.

He is still an excellent power play scorer and will benefit teams that have more depth on their roster and can afford to take him on, knowing he could potentially miss time and not worry about having someone behind him to pick up where he left off.

Add to that the fact that the Penguins are already the oldest team in the league, even after free agency, and you have even more reason not to want to bring in a 26-year-old with nine NHL seasons under his belt and concerns for his physical health.

Laine can still contribute.

About that there is little concern.

Whether he can stay healthy and, by proxy, rediscover the prolific numbers of the earlier part of his career, is the real question and one he must answer this season for whichever team deals for him.

As long as that team is not the already shaky, depth-deficient Pens.