I see the positives from both sides. I learn more towards having him play on the smaller North American ice surface personally. SHL is a great league too though.Yes and by the time Laine is ready he will have reached a certain threshold so he doesn't have to get sent back to the SHL.
Habs could just let Kapanen go to Sweden, play more and in a better environment than Montreal and could have picked up Tufte, give him some time. Let him play on the first line and see what he does. Maybe you find a player, worst case he goes back on waivers/you deal him away for futures.
Or knowing how the Habs are, there will be more injuries, so the Habs will need him