The article criticized by Suomalaistähte comes into effect today.
NHL club Montreal Canadiens’ Finnish forward Patrik Laine is celebrating a day of reckoning today. Information already spread about Laine in connection with the NHL’s transfer limit, according to which there would be a rather effervescent clause in his contract.
Among other things, The Athletic and several other North American media reported on how Laine’s current contract includes a signing bonus worth two million dollars, or 1.7 million euros, which takes effect on March 31, i.e. today, Tuesday.
Patrik Lainee will be paid substantial compensation today. PDO
The bonus is not exceptional in itself, as numerous NHL players are paid similar signing compensations. In the case of the loan, however, the article is special, as signing bonuses are usually paid in the summer.
In July 2022, Laine signed a four-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The average annual salary was 8.7 million dollars.
According to Puckpedia Laine’s base salary for this season was 7.1 million dollars (6.2 million euros), on top of which he is paid the aforementioned bonus.
No game time
Laine was in the middle of strong transfer rumors for several months, when he got badly sidetracked by his current club, the Montreal Canadiens. The wave was rumored to include the Los Angeles Kings, who were looking for a replacement for the Swiss forward Kevin Fiala, who was injured in the Olympics.
According to NHL sources, one of the problem points for Laine was the mentioned bonus clause. If the Finnish forward had been traded from the Canadiens to another club, his new employer would have had to pay the bonus in question.
On top of all that, the bonus would have been taken into account in its entirety in the Finnish striker’s salary cap for the rest of the season.
– The Kings returned to the matter at least two, maybe three times after the Olympic break, but that [vaihtokauppa] wasn’t close by all accounts, NHL reporter David Pagnotta said about Laine in the Hello Hockey podcast.
The Finnish winger has played only five NHL games this season, in which he has collected one assist.
Claims have been made about Laine, according to which he would have refused to play for the Canadiens this season. However, there has been no confirmation behind these claims.
Laine is still on the Canadiens’ injured list, even though he has been training with the team for weeks.
