Zak MacMillan: Perfect February: Patrik Laine Playing for Pay

I believe I've said it here earlier. I prefer to sign him if he's open to staying in Columbus. He's still young - his prime yrs ahead - and would fit the playoff window with the BlueJackets. I wouldn't trade him at the TDL unless he's indicated that he doesn't want to be here after next season, not signing long term.
Otherwise, offer a 5-6 yr x $8-8.5MM AAV. The Jackets don't have anyone in the pipeline, and probably won't be drafting, who can do what Laine does. No - he's not the complete 200 ft player - but neither are Ovechkin, or McD - and they're getting alot more $$ than Laine will get.
Last year's team was a complete Torts' tire-fire that had gasoline added by some of the veteran leadership(?) in a toxic lockerroom. Jarmo cleaned house, making those trades for a good reason - the high draft picks were just icing on the cake.
That contract also gives Laine the opportunity at the end, to sign another big $$ contract.

Zak MacMillan: Perfect February: Patrik Laine Playing for Pay
- Zak MacMillan

Cbj will need more than a 3 game win streak to close the gap on 8th, best bet, that old Washington team has injuries and gasses out , or the Bruins actually need Tukka to get them in, all those being highly unlikely, the team is in an odd spot.

You have to try and sign him.

This team is not the old Kansas City A's in MLB when they were in essence a New York Yankees farm club that traded their best players to the Bronx Bombers for scraps. Though it seems media and other people in other cities seem to treat the CBJ that way.

There seems to be an awful lot of CBJ players still in the league playing for other teams (though I may be wrong about this). Why are they not still in Columbus if they were good enough to play other places?

Columbus is a great place to live. It's not Detroit, or Pittsburgh, Chicago, or any one of a dozen other NHL cities that are not great towns to live in. Laine can be a superstar here without all the added problems of playing in some over-priced, over-taxed state that might or might not have a nice climate sometimes.

It's time management opened the checkbook, paid players well, and got some free agents in here to make this team better. Yes, there are a lot of young players on this team, but if I remember correctly it has been the youngest roster in the NHL the last three years. What do we have to show for it?

It is a rebuilding year, but we traded the #3 pick in the draft for Liane who played Center, and did a good job for the CBJ. Liane is the kind of scorer this team needs and really has never had except for Rick Nash and Breadman. Once this season ends sign him and then it's time to find some quality free agents that mesh with the young players and go start winning again.

If you trade Laine now no matter how many low 1st round picks and prospects you get for him the CBJ will get the bad end of the deal. Sign him!