But due to Laine's current enrollment in the Players Assistance Program, that gives the trade, a little bit more complexity than Waddell considered, according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN.
However, According to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline, as of June 30th, the club hasn't been informed whether Laine has exited the program or not yet. This offers challenges, as teams would need Laine out of the program to begin discussions regarding the move, term, and contract details.
Ultimately, his two-year $8.7 Million cap hit offers some difficulties to fit him under the cap, but GM Chris Drury would get innovative and find a way for another NHL team to retain some money, if not the Blue Jackets themselves.
For any trade to occur, Laine first needs to exit the Players Assistance Program before teams discuss money and term, of which could deter multiple teams from completing the trade.