Would this be a playoff team is this unlikely trade and signing happened

I say no. They're still old

I say no. Patrik Laine is probably not a piece that makes a team better anymore but we’ll see how he looks coming back from this last injury.

Two locker room cancers for one another, Yeah that trade makes no sense especially for a young Columbus team. You don't trade a young Patrik Laine for an aging Evgeny Kusnetsov.

Imagine writing off Laine at 25 years old. The only question about him is if he can provide enough value to make his contract worthwhile currently as a part of the Jackets. He absolutely would make nearly every team better when playing within a coherent system with other top 6 caliber players. I've never seen people go so hard against a player after a poor 18 game stretch like you all have against Laine. It's ridiculous at this point.

Listen I love him as much as anyone and I want it to make sense for us in columbus but his hands are non-existent, the shot is less accurate than ever and weaker than ever, and his decision making has left a lot to be desired. It doesn’t look great right now.

The question was “does this make a playoff team” and the answer right now is no but I did say we’d have to see how he looks returning from this latest injury.