Sportsnet: Sean Reynolds on Hockey Central when asked if the Winnipeg Jets trading for Paul Stastny earlier this offseason has an impact on the Patrik Laine trade front.
** NHLrumors.com transcription
“Ya, I think it definitely does and I think it’s one of the main reasons that, that move is made. Look, Paul Stastny and Patrik Laine played on a line together. They played really well. One of Patrik Laine’s biggest beefs has been, yes that he’s not on that top line with the Jets but it’s also to a degree the fact they haven’t really found a centerman that he can click with.
So, it may be quite to a degree that he wants to play top line minutes, but he’s played quite a few minutes, he just doesn’t feel like he’s playing with them with the people that make him click. So if you get Paul Stastny it’s definitely an olive branch that allows you to say to him, “Look, if you’re going to be here, we’re trying to create the best possible scenario that we can for you.”
I think the other part about it if you’re the Jets because I don’t necessarily think that this will change Patrik Laine’s mind. If he wants to leave town, I don’t think this changes that but what it does do for the Jets is if you bring in a guy like Paul Stastny, who he’s had success with in the past, and they can rekindle that success, then it just makes Patrik Laine that much more valuable on the trade market.
It’s hard to trade a star who says he wants to be traded and get full value back for that player. But if you can bring in Paul Stastny it at least allows the Jets to buy some time, potentially keep Laine in the fold this year, and if he has a phenomenal year and puts up really good numbers, it just means that much more back on the trade market when it is time to go ahead and move that massive asset.”