Does it make sense for the NY Islanders to trade for Patrik Laine?

What the Islanders would be getting from Laine

Laine is one of the purest goal-scorers in the game today. He eclipsed the 30-goal plateau in each of his first three seasons in the NHL, but injuries have kept him off the ice since being acquired by Columbus before the 2020-21 season, missing 154 games over that period.

In 2021-22, Laine played 56 games, averaging a point per game, scoring 26 goals. The following year, he finished just below a point-per-game, finishing with 52 in 55 games, including 22 goals.

When healthy, Laine is exactly what the Islanders want and need in a top-line winger. He's often lackadaisical in the defensive end, but that's something teams learn to live with regarding players who can put up 40 goals.

With Barzal's ability to find shooters through the narrowest of seems, and Horvat willing to get his nose dirty and work around the front of the net, this threesome has the potential to be one of the best lines in the NHL.

In addition to working on the top line, Laine does his best work from the circle on the power play, ripping one-times past the goaltender - an area the Islanders have struggled with over the last few seasons.

But the price and risk may be too steep for the Islanders. Though he's coming off a down season, Pageau would leave a whole at 3C for the Islanders, leaving them to move Casey Cizikas or Kyle MacLean into that role- something they likely aren't comfortable with. Or, the Blue Jackets may not want a piece like Pageau and want prospects instead - something the Islanders don't have many of

Additionally, Laine's injury-plagued past may be the biggest stepping stone. On paper, the transaction makes perfect sense, but the best ability is availability, and that's something Laine hasn't been in the recent past.

The search for a scoring winger will likely continue.