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NHL trade rumors: 5 teams that should trade for Patrik Laine

By Alex Hoegler

ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 16: Winnipeg Jets rightwing Patrik Laine (29) during a first round Stanley Cup Playoffs game between the Winnipeg Jets and the St. Louis Blues, on April 16, 2019, at Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Mo. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 16: Winnipeg Jets rightwing Patrik Laine (29) during a first round Stanley Cup Playoffs game between the Winnipeg Jets and the St. Louis Blues, on April 16, 2019, at Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Mo. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images /

If contract negotiations don’t go well, the Winnipeg Jets may have to look at trading Patrik Laine. Here are five teams who should try to acquire him, plus potential trade packages they could offer up.

The Winnipeg Jets were one of the NHL’s biggest letdowns of 2018-19, falling to the Central Division rival St. Louis Blues in the first round after opening the season as one of the true Stanley Cup favorites.

Winnipeg wasn’t able to regain any of the swagger from last season when they finished with 114 points en route to a trip to the Western Conference Final.

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Now, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has to be ready for some roster tweaks as he tries to get this club back on track for 2019-20.

Jets fans hope it doesn’t come to this, but there’s a possibility that they may have to trade All-Star sniper Patrik Laine, who dropped to 30 goals in 2018-19 after scoring 44 last season.

According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the 21-year-old ” is willing to explore all of his options,” including the chance to sign an offer sheet elsewhere or requesting a trade if contract negotiations don’t go well.

It’s hard to envision the Jets letting Laine go, given his age and the fact he’s already scored 30 or more goals in each of his first three seasons. But you have to be ready for everything, and if Cheveldayoff can’t reach a contract with Laine, he’s going to have to explore the possibility of dealing the No. 2 overall selection from 2016.

Before we start, I’d like to point out that no Central Division teams made the list, because it’s highly unlikely that Cheveldayoff would want to deal one of his franchise superstars to a competitive rival. Now, let’s take a look at five teams that should look at acquiring the Winnipeg superstar, and what they could possibly give up in return.

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