Patrik Laine on the trade block?: 5 possible landing spots

Pittsburgh Penguins

The trade: The Penguins acquire Laine. The Blue Jackets acquire Ryan Graves and the Penguins’ 2025 third-round pick.

Penguins’ lead executive Kyle Dubas is as aggressive as they come and he may look at Laine as an exciting opportunity. Pittsburgh must see what they can do this offseason to support its aging core. Swinging a talented goal scorer like Laine could be a home run. He is not a guarantee at this point in his career, but not many players have the type of ceiling that he possesses. 

Graves’ contract does not look great right now. The 29-year-old defenseman is still owed $18 million over the next four years. He could help offset the money that Pittsburgh would take in from Laine. Graves would have the chance to be a third-pair blueliner for the Blue Jackets as he attempts to revive his play. The third-round pick may be the more valuable asset here.