I don't see CBJ being interested in any of those pieces for Laine. If the deal doesn't include Hertl, Meier or Eklund+ there's not much of a deal to be made. He's a cornerstone of the team and CBJ would need a similar player back.

This chart should explain why:
https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/nhl/stats/all-time?min-age=18&max-age=23&sort=g&from=2000-2001

Not enough for Laine imo + CBJ is on the upswing and would probably look to add rather than sell

A general rule of thumb is that if you go beyond a 3:1 ratio in terms of assets exchanged in a trade, you're ripping off the team with the 1 and you need to be replacing existing assets with higher quality ones, not trying to throw in more and hoping that makes it work.

Get the point just starting a conversation. (Don’t think that ratio always is applicable tho, but again I get it)

Starting with Dahlen, Labanc, 11 wasn’t tryna to throw crap.
Roster player (like Eichel trade, Labanc), 11th OA, quality young player Dahlen, and Coe who I personally have high hopes for, and I would rather keep in if I’m CBJ.

As mentioned below in my other reply, definitely would entertain throwing guys like Gushchin and such into the mix. And if we take out Hill that only puts up more prospects if that’s up your alley.


Completely fair.
I dont think SJS would part with any pieces except for a Meier Laine swap but Meiers play last year definitely puts the favour in SJ as both players had their personal years of struggle but I would say recency bias would factor in based on Meiers overall dominance.

Id be willing to part with better prospects than Coe (but I don’t think Coe is a low quality prospect just FYI, higher on him than Ozzy) and maybe go Gushchin/ Ozzy/ Merkley (Ryan) but I don’t think SJ would entertain moving Eklund, Bordeleau.

Oh yeah - just food for thought if Laine was willing/ wanting to move and CBJ wanted to load up for a deep run by 2024-26.

If San Jose don't want to move Eklund for the player who has scored the most number of U24 goals in the last 10 years not named Matthews, Pastrnak or McDavid I don't really know waht to tell them.

You do realize tho Laine is not even close to the same level as those 3. I have nothing against Laine - but he hasn’t even come to close to being the player he was in his debut seasons. He’s completely lost track of Matthews and isn’t a top winger in the league. Matthews and McDavid are the best players on the planet and Pasta is a top 5-10 winger arguably.
Laine is not in the same realm as those 3 right now so that stat line only fits your narrative but doesn’t hold much weight.

Not saying he can’t or won’t be a 30-50g scorer again but Eklund is valuable as is still fresh. And worth holding onto.
I am a fan of Laine and what happened to him in Winnipeg was pretty much a flat out embarrassment for that franchise and the way they treated him. But you’re discussing his far past that he has long since been near.

I did not say he is on their level, I said he's scored a historic number of goals. He's one of the best goal scorers for his age that there has ever been. This metric also includes his severe mismatch with Tortorella.

I'm not saying Laine doesn't have flaws but you're comparing a high level 2nd OA pick, with performance commensurate to his draft position, to a 7OA in a weak draft who has barely played in the NHL. I think Eklund is one of the better players in the draft but to say you think he's a better asset is a bit weird.

I don’t think he’s a better asset in the literal sense, I think SJ cannot afford throwing young talent around with unseen potential (as in Eklund still has a lot to prove).

And once again; you are referencing the past. Not just a year ago. But basically 5 years ago is what contributes to your statline. Again; it’s not that he isn’t on that level, but you’re literally referencing metrics from basically a half decade ago that he has yet to even come close to. Right now he hasn’t hit 30 goals in almost 4 years; and you’re trying to sell me on a product that hasn’t “worked” in that span.

It would be like me selling Couture based on his playoff resume. Yeah he has an insane playoff track record.. and it would fit my narrative. But that’s in a vacuum.

Do I think Laine could score 40 again? Yes.
Should I pay Eklund, 11th OA, Gushchin, Coe, Labanc for it?

I’m skeptical as I argue that’s a large step better than Eichels return.

Eichel demanded a trade under acrimonious circumstances with a serious injury that was potentially career-ending that he would only allow to be addressed in a new and experimental fashion. Laine loves it in Columbus and wants to resign. I would posit that expecting a return better than the Eichel one is not only expected but mandatory, given these wildly different circumstances.