Report: Patrik Laine Being Low-Balled By Winnipeg Jets

With NHL training camps now underway, and the preseason starting next week, tons of talented restricted free agents remain unsigned. One such player is Winnipeg's Patrik Laine, who seems very far from any sort of new contract with the Jets.
Andy Strickland has reported that the Jets have made an offer to Patrik Laine with an annual salary somewhere between 5 and 6 million dollars per season. He goes on to say that terms has not been an issue in their negotiations, but Laine's camp is hoping for more money.

Winnipeg made a recent short-term offer to RFA Patrik Laine in the $5 million per year range (less than $6). Term isn’t the issue in getting him signed. Will need to come up on money #gojetsgo

— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) September 12, 2019

Can you blame him?

Laine is a 21 year old who already has three 30-goal seasons under his belt, one of those being a 44-goal campaign in 2017-18. Laine was competing with Alex Ovechkin for the Maurice Richard trophy as a 19-year old.

When you look at contracts given out over the off-season to players like Sebastian Aho, Clayton Keller, Timo Meier and even Auston Matthews earlier this season, you'd assume Winnipeg would be starting with at least 8 million per season.

Couple this with the fact that the Jets have, according to Laine, been rather quiet over the off-season regarding contract negotiations, it seems Kevin Cheveldayoff has made Laine a second priority, behind Kyle Connor.