The Columbus Blue Jackets have done the impossible, and have traded disgruntled star Patrik Laine to the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens also receive a 2026 second-round pick in the deal in exchange for D-man Jordan Harris. Laine has a cap hit of $8.7 million for the next two seasons, of which the Canadiens will pay 100%. They are now $1,072,084 over the cap, and will need to work that out by the NHL preseason.
Laine has 204 goals and 388 points in 480 games split between the Jets and the Blue Jackets. There is plenty of upside if all goes well, however, he has not played more than 60 games in each other last three seasons due to injury, including entering the Players Assistance Program in January of 2024. He was cleared to play on July 26.
What the Habs are Getting in Laine
Patrik Laine, 26, was drafted second overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 2016. Touted as a generational goal-scorer, Laine’s career has been full of ups and downs. In four seasons with the Jets, Laine scored 140 goals and 250 points in 306 games, taking Winnipeg on a few playoff runs. In 2020-21, Laine demanded out of Winnipeg, and was traded to the Blue Jackets. In that time, he has been almost a point-per-game player, scoring 64 goals and 138 points in 174 games.
There’s no doubt, that if the Habs get a happy Patrik Laine, he could add a huge boost to this young Canadiens team. The problem is, between injuries and disgruntled behavior, it’s hard to know exactly what Laine the Canadiens will be getting. He went into Players Assistance in January to work on his mental health, and while that is an important thing for all of us to take care of, and Laine has been working hard on himself, the point remains true that he has had a hard time staying on the ice.
Now for the upside. Montreal has a lot of really strong talent. Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky, and Dach are all under contract for the foreseeable future. While the off-ice concerns are real, on-ice Laine could really elevate this team to the next level. While they only had 76 points last year, finishing 8th in the Atlantic, the Canadiens were always competitive, and this move could really push them over the hump.
What This Means for Columbus
At $8.7 million per year for the next two season, it really is incredible that the Blue Jackets were able to trade Laine and retain none of the money. In return, Columbus receives defenseman Jordan Harris. In 131 games in the NHL, all with Montreal, Harris has 8 goals, 24 assists, and 32 points. He is also a -5, which is pretty solid considering the defensive and goaltending woes the Canadiens have had in the last 3 seasons. A lot of scouts are high on Harris, and he will get plenty of opportunity to prove himself on this up and coming team.
For the rest of the lineup, Laine has been a distraction for the last few seasons. This trade adds some clarity for a young team that is trying to find their way back into the post-season. They still have a lot of talent in the top-six, and if someone doesn’t want to be there, it’s better to give a player a chance who does.
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