Confirmed Trade: [MTL/CBJ] Patrik Laine, '26 2nd for Jordan Harris

[yianik]

He's gotten tagged on here because he plays a kind of bland game and he's a Hab who constantly gets thrown into trade proposals, but Harris is young, plays a smart/responsible game and been very effective as a 3rd pair D in Montreal. If Columbus needs a LD, then he's a pretty good fit.

He is also by all reports an A+ human being who will likely fit into any locker room. I'm going to miss him, even if I understand why Montreal's betting on Guhle, Hutson and Xhekaj at LD over him.

He's going to be a pretty solid D, especially if he adds a few pounds of muscle. And yeah, he's going to win whatever humanitarian awards that are going.

 

[shaner8989]

CLB had to add a second for someone to take him. He clearly had no value league wide.

$9 mill is a lot for someone so mentally weak and unmotivated.

However if he can regain his form from 2018 this could be a monster move for Mtl.

 

[Dion TheFluff]

wow! Huge upside for the Habs here!
Got him for peanuts!

 

[Mrfenn92]

They way it has been going for the Habs, they prob will at trade deadline.

Maybe

 

[HanSolo]

Had a feeling it would be either them, Anaheim, or Washington

Glad it's not Anaheim.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

17 million dollar second

But id take the risk if I was MTL honestly. I think he's fools gold at this point but who knows.

Owner has big big pockets.

 

[Jared Dunn]

Only downside for the Habs here is the opportunity cost on whatever they could have signed with the money they allocate to Laine. It’s not much, it’s not nothing but that’s what they’ve given up.

Yeah but even still if someone they want to go all in for like Draisaitl emerges on the market next year I think they've collected enough future assets to dump Gallagher or Anderson and then they can just buy out the other or even move Laine @50% if he doesn't prove to be a great match

 

[dalewood12]

Not sure if a market with famously intense media is the right spot for Laine.

 

[Sting]

the guy is ppg in CBJ and we got him for nothing what do you expect the reaction to be , zero risk for us even if Laine poops the bed its a nothing burger for us

8.7 mill is nothing to ignore imo. Yes, for a rebuilding team that doesn't expect to compete for another 2-3 years it's a good scenario. It still limits your ability to bring in a big UFA or land a big time player via trade. Whether that would have presented itself is anyone's guess but I don't think it's zero risk. When you throw in the Montreal media against a guy who typically does not perform well under a spotlight, I'd say the probability of it working out isn't amazing.

 

[Viqsi]

Why are you calling out MTL fans? You thought Laine was gonna return a 1st.

I thought that would be fair compensation and we didn't get it. And again, I'm only bringing that up because there's some folks going on about how everything we said was completely wrong and I'm pointing out that the extreme case didn't happen on either end. It's closer to Montreal's view of the end result than ours, but that happens.

 

[Natey]

New deals for Slaf kicks in next year...

That's fine.. Armia, Dvorak, and Savard are all done next year.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

What an incredible buy low

 

[dirtydanglez]

had no idea laine was considered that much of a cap dump. good for montreal. i hope laine is able to continue where he left off.

 

[Wats]

Does Montreal plan on competing ever? They have some bad contracts and are collecting more.

Maybe when their core is approaching 30 they will start?

Also, not close to PPG with CBJ.

How does moving Harris for Laine worsen Montreal exactly? They already signed everyone on their team for next 2 years at least so it's not like they are going to have issues with cap. Did you want them to sign some UFAs to inflated deals? Adding a 25yr old who's had 0.91pts/game last 3 seasons on an equally bad team with only 2 yr term seems like a decent investment... especially when it comes with a 2nd.

Habs did this with Monahan... Let's see what happens. Might pay off but if it doesn't they still have a 2nd for Harris.

 

[waitin425]

Habs haters in here trying to shit on the deal is hilarious.

 

[Viqsi]

I get that Rakell at 5 million for 4 years. Is cap on the books.

Was realistically the only player that would work to fit in the cap.

I'd just rather have 2 2nds over Harris.

Maybe Columbus uses the cap space well?

That's the presumed hope, but frankly I don't think we're going to see any such application of that cap space for this coming season. Not unless something really unexpected materializes out of the blue.

 

[Garo]

Jesus I love Hughes what the hell.

Harris is a good one though, I'd rather have kept him over others but I totally get why you'd take that gamble here.

 

[Satan]

8.7M profesional Fortnite player - we'll C how this one works out for the HABS

 

[Heldig]

Montreal GM continuing to show he is a top GM in the league. Ridiculous lopsided deal in their favour.

 

[saska sault]

That's a nice deal for the Habs... Laine and an asset. He can be flipped next year if he doesn't work out, young enough to still figure it out.

You do have to wonder if Montreal is the best market for a guy like him, but I wish him the best when he's not facing Detroit.

 

[thebestnic]

Habs haters in here trying to shit on the deal is hilarious.

Leafs and Wings fans throwing shades as if their team core has accomplished anything

 

[FinlandPanther]

Pretty excellent deal for Montreal regardless of how Laine does. I’ll give Hughes credit he does make some nice moves. He’s an anti Grier.

 

[mediator]

Slaf is probably the best cross ice passer on the team , suzuki is close but Slaf sends piss missiles all over the ice

I will pay more attention to that the upcoming season then! Hoping for a good run for him and Laine

 

[Viqsi]

What an incredible buy low

This. I am very, very unhappy that Waddell considered it acceptable to sell low. That said, at least we got back someone we can definitely use. (On the other hand, if it weren't for Waddell throwing away perfectly good blueliners for free earlier, there wouldn't have been a spot for Harris... yeah, I'm not exactly thrilled here.)

 

[CBJx614]

Unreal.

I truly thought we would retain and get some more back (or not have to send assets to move him)before we would trade him as a cap dump. Laine must've been extremely clear he didn't want to start the season here and ownership must've been pretty clear about not retaining.

Well...at least we have a ton of space and don't have to RELY on JMFJ all season next year...