The Columbus Blue Jackets are getting healthier.
Zach Werenski and Patrik Laine each made the five-game road trip starting through Western Canada as both players near a return to the lineup.
For Laine in particular, it's been another tough season, with injury and on-ice struggles.
In 18 games, he has just nine points (three goals, six assists). The experiment to try him at center was received with mixed results at best, and a nasty cheap hit just four games into the season by Rasmus Andersson at the end of a win over the Calgary Flames in October set the tone for Laine's hard-luck year.
Laine scored a goal in his return to the lineup on Nov. 11, a 5-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings.
His opportunity to come back strong was short-lived following a clavicle fracture against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 14. That's the same game that saw the Blue Jackets skate out to a 5-0 lead only to hang on late and win 6-5 in overtime. Laine scored a goal in that game.
While Laine won't return for Thursday's rematch against the Flames, it's good news that he could be back before the trip ends.
#CBJ coach Pascal Vincent said its possible that Laine returns by the end of the 5-game road trip but not by Thurs in Calgary.
— Brian Hedger (@BrianHedger) January 22, 2024
Werenski, it sounds like he could be back sooner. Jackets steadily getting healthier.
It's hard to believe that it's already been three years of Laine as a member of the Blue Jackets. Three years ago yesterday, to be exact, when he was acquired with Jack Roslovic in the trade with the Winnipeg Jets, sending Pierre-Luc Dubois the other way.
Laine scored 250 points (140 goals, 110 assists) in five seasons with the Winnipeg Jets between 2016-21. For the first three seasons of his career, he scored at least 30 goals, with 44 goals in 82 games in 2017-18.
Flash forward to today, he's only 25 years old but has been riddled with injuries and offensive inconsistencies with the Blue Jackets.
Laine embraced the opportunity to play center last season and had that chance for two games before injury ended his season in March. He scored two assists in his debut at center against the Golden Knights and notched two more against the Washington Capitals.
In four seasons as a Blue Jacket, he has 138 points (64 goals, 74 assists), which leads the team. He's second in goals (Boone Jenner, 70) and fourth in assists over that span, trailing Roslovic (86), Zach Werenski (79), and Johnny Gaudreau (75).
And yet, Laine's Blue Jacket tenure feels severely underwhelming.
Outside of an 11-game tear in 2021-22 that saw Laine string together 21 points (13 goals, eight assists), and spurts here or there, it feels like there should be more. Injuries might be the primary culprit, but at this point, what can the Blue Jackets hope from Laine?
He doesn't have to be the team's best player.
Fortunately, the team has the young, dynamic skill and scoring prowess of Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko, Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger, Yegor Chinakhov, and Dmitri Voronkov.
How does Laine fit in Columbus' long-term needs?
In the second year of a four-year contract signed during the 2022 summer, Laine has a cap hit of $8.7 million through 2025-26.
Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets, Laine's value is low, but if he can get healthy and stay healthy, and string together offensive production, might they look to move him?
A healthy, productive Laine is the first hope. Whatever happens from there remains to be seen, but when he's scoring, he's a weapon.
