Blue Jackets locker room incidents reportedly led to Patrick Laine's trade request

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Axel Williams
August 18, 2024 (10:10)

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Patrick Laine is currently in the midst of a trade request from the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are being led by general manager Don Waddell.

At this point, everyone knows that Laine is unhappy with the team. Of course, it was great news when we heard that Laine was being removed from the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. After all, you always want to be sure that every single player in the league is physically and mentally healthy.

In regards to Laine's trade request, it was recently revealed by Waddell that there are no deals on the table right now and that they may have to bring Laine back into the fold at the start of the year. Unfortunately, that might prove to be awkward for Laine. On TSN OverDrive 1050, Waddell admitted that issues in the locker room led to Laine's frustrations with the franchise.

While there are no deals on the table currently, that isn't to say teams are not interested. Waddell also said that two or three teams are currently talking to the Blue Jackets, which is certainly encouraging. Regardless, the month of August is a slow one for the NHL, so fans shouldn't expect any urgency as it pertains to making any big moves.

Do you believe Patrick Laine will be traded soon? Let us know in the poll below and stay tuned to Hockey Unplugged for the latest news and updates from around the hockey world.

Source: TSN OverDrive 1050
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