Patrik Laine has demanded a trade while he remains on player assistance program

The Columbus Blue Jackets have been informed by Patrik Laine that he wants out, and are now mutually working with the forward towards a trade, as Pierre LeBrun reported on Wednesday’s edition of “Insider Trading.”

“That’s the goal from everyone involved. … (Laine) would like to move on,” LeBrun said. “His agent has had conversations with the Blue Jackets about it, and both sides are gonna work together to try and get that done. He wants a fresh start. Hasn’t been a good time in Columbus.

"Let's see how big that market is, but we know what the potential is."

Laine missed the end of the 2023-24 season after he entered the player assistance program on Jan. 28. At the moment, he remains in the program.

In just the 18 games he played with Columbus this year, Laine recorded six goals and nine points. He was sidelined for nine contests due to a concussion in October before sustaining a broken clavicle on Dec. 14 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Laine is working with the Blue Jackets since he has a 10-team no-trade list on the two years he has left on his contract with an $8.7-million cap hit.

The former Winnipeg Jet ended up in Columbus in 2021 after he was traded for Pierre-Luc Dubois and a third-round pick.

He is now looking to join his third NHL team since he was selected second overall by the Jets in the 2016 Entry Draft.