The Patrik-Laine era in Winnipeg ended in a terrible way, with the Finnish sniper being dealt to Columbus Blue Jackets.
The trade was the first major blockbuster in 2021. He headed to Columbus with Jack Roslovic, Pierre-Luc Dubois, as well as a 3rd round draft pick.
As our own Cam Lewis wrote on Jan. 25, a “toxic environment” led to Laine’s departure. Here’s some of what he wrote:
It was not hard to see the drama surrounding Dubois’s Blue Jackets. There were many reports in Columbus that Dubois was unhappy playing for John Tortorella’s head coach. Tortorella has a reputation for being hard on his players.
Mike McIntyre, of The Winnipeg Free Press, reported that Laine and Jets leadership had fallen out. The young Finn reached a point of no return.n.
It will take some time to determine which team got the best deal between the Blue Jackets & Jets. Dubois, while a great young prospect, has been traded by the Jets to three highly-drafted and developed players (Laine Roslovic and Jacob Trouba) and also had veteran Dustin Byfuglien mysteriously leave the team.
Zach Laing, Nation Networks news director, is a senior columnist. You can follow him on Twitter at @zjlaingYou can reach us by email [email protected]
