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

[SmoggyTwinkles]

The team needs to start playing meaningful games at some point and we have more picks and good prospects than we can ever sign or have roster spots for. Last season we lost an ungodly number of games by one goal so if Laine turns it around then Hughes can easily flip the switch to move to contender

Well, I'm a Leafs fan (yes, it's a sad life)

All I know is..................Laine on the Habs vs Matthews on the Leafs is going to be f***ing fun! Imagine the NHL being fun like that?

Where are all those Finnish fans? They coming back?

It's Leafs vs Habs, let'd do it!

 

[nhlfan9191]

And the Hab's could have used that cap space to get other players via trades/UFA/offersheet.

Yes they opened up an avenue to get some more "trade currency" but they also shutdown a different path for awhile.

There’s only two years on the contract. And we aren’t competing for at least a year anyways. There were no big trades that Hughes viewed worth the price or he would’ve done it a month or more a go. We basically got Laine for free so it’s worth a shot in the dark.

 

[thaman8765678]

Just saw his interview lmao. The guy sounds like his dog just got shot.

Poor guy, having to go to Montreal.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Luckily Waddell is in the situation where it doesn't feel like a "sunken cost" he's simply doing whats best for the team and moving on.

It's sucks for us as fans to see a 3rd overall essentially turn into Harris. Hopefully he works out

I feel for the Blue Jackets after having gone through PLD then Laine. As i said in the previous thread, i think Laine was part of the problem in the locker room. This move is a fresh start for Laine and for the CBJ.

People crap on Jordan Harris because Habs fans included him in every trade. But he's a reliable puckmoving dman that improved rapidly over 2 years. Habs have a plethora of talent on the backend and have to make room. He will be good.

 

[behemolari]

I remember when people complained they should have drafted Laine over Matthews. Even Pronman I believe had Laine at #1. Laughable.

what is reason for laughing, its not like Leafs has achieved anything or something

 

[Legion34]

Laine's value can't be any lower. Only 2 years left, It's only up from here. Either habs trade him for more assets or he sticks with the team long term. Either way it's a huge dub. These are the type of bets you wanna see

Except if he is a locker room malcontent (outside of the assistance program stuff) and he is a 50 pt player he isn’t worth 8.7.

Columbus is also a bad team with cap to spare. They gave him up.

 

[JustAHabFan]

Everything is going according to plan. Now let's trade Laine to Washington for Dubois.

Laine is PL. Dubois is PLD. Sometime I confuse between PL and PLD.

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

What are you trying to say here? The Habs were the only team to call and got this awesome steal?

No one wanted Laine for a reason

Hate to say this, but Laine is going into a real sink or drown situation. I really want to see him rebound (but not against my team)

Who knows what's up with this guy?

Quebec journalists will find out probably by tomorrow.

edit: I meant swim or drown.

 

[Miller Time]

Luckily Waddell is in the situation where it doesn't feel like a "sunken cost" he's simply doing whats best for the team and moving on.

It's sucks for us as fans to see a 3rd overall essentially turn into Harris. Hopefully he works out

3rd overall + a 2nd...


But, despite all the negative perceptions about Harris on these trade boards, he's more than a throw in. Has a legit chance at becoming a quality top 4 dman. Not flashy, but solid all around, hard working, smart, the kind of player who will keep improving well into his late 20's/early 30's if he stays healthy.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Except if he is a locker room malcontent (outside of the assistance program stuff) and he is a 50 pt player he isn’t worth 8.7.

Columbus is also a bad team with cap to spare. They gave him up.

No offense to CBJ fans but what that team does is not a barometer on what makes good sense for a hockey team.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Except if he is a locker room malcontent (outside of the assistance program stuff) and he is a 50 pt player he isn’t worth 8.7.

Columbus is also a bad team with cap to spare. They gave him up.

If he can score 30-40 goals, he’s worth close to that. Will he ever get back to that? Who knows. But that’s why he was given away as a cap dump for basically nothing. End of the day, it’s two years and the Habs aren’t competing in at least one of those seasons. The return Columbus got is a far cry from what some Columbus fans were asking for. Even if there was no retention involved.

 

[HabzSauce]

Except if he is a locker room malcontent (outside of the assistance program stuff) and he is a 50 pt player he isn’t worth 8.7.

Columbus is also a bad team with cap to spare. They gave him up.

They gave him up because he wanted out.

I think this idea he is toxic is way overblown. Struggles are behind him now he's in a new home. I see him thriving in MTL. At least 40g next season

 

[74 others]

He’ll never reach the goal scoring heights that he reached in Winnipeg. Those days are long gone. His time in Winnipeg was the best days he will know performance wise.

Drouin had his best year last season while some thought he was cooked because of the injuries and off ice issues. Laine is three years younger.

 

[jfhabs]

The risk isnt moneywise, its that he hasnt been a leader by example.

Think he need to come to a team where there are real stars(Mcd,Mckinnon etc, and he cant escape the whole work.

Talent is 1 thing, but it not taking you the whole way. The best talent is those who can train hard and get better.

Seems more of a publicity stunt from Gm. then making the team better.

Meh, time will tell.
Seems like you're looking at the glass half empty here tbh.
Keep in mind the habs just hired Pascal Vincent to be the coach of the AHL club. He was the head coach in Columbus last season and assistant coach the 2 years before that. I'm sure they asked him what he thought of Laine. If there was such concerns about Patrick Laine being a negative leader, I really don't think they would've traded for him, only to get a 2nd back.

Luckily Waddell is in the situation where it doesn't feel like a "sunken cost" he's simply doing whats best for the team and moving on.

It's sucks for us as fans to see a 3rd overall essentially turn into Harris. Hopefully he works out

Very intelligent player. Smooth skater. But he gets overpowered sometimes and can have difficulty breaking the cycle against heavier competition. He's not flashy, but makes the smart play. He's not going to rim it every time.

 

[pekka55]

They gave him up because he wanted out.

I think this idea he is toxic is way overblown. Struggles are behind him now he's in a new home. I see him thriving in MTL. At least 40g next season

He's already wanted out of 2 teams. Wait and see a few years when Montreal press is coming down on him for not speaking french and not scoring goals and he'll want out once again.

 

[jfhabs]

He’ll never reach the goal scoring heights that he reached in Winnipeg. Those days are long gone. His time in Winnipeg was the best days he will know performance wise.

Most likely, but he's just 26. We'll see.

 

[Buresflyingelbow]

Tidy bit of Buisness for CBJ to get out of that deal without retention and a guy that has fallen out of favour on every team he’s ever played on in the NHL. I didn’t see any scenario where there wasn’t at least 25% retention, with that amount of Cap space you’d be better off weaponizing it better on a couple deals over the next 2 years for $17 million in space while adding several pieces instead of this.

Laine will not do well in such a huge market with tons of pressure and a microscopic lens on him. Playing video games and the the stress of the media will not sit well with that fanbase once he stops scoring and playing defence.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

It will be interesting to see how Laine goes with the next couple of years.

It's a little odd that Habs management wanted him in as a vet but I don't know enough about him

 

[Colezuki]

He's already wanted out of 2 teams. Wait and see a few years when Montreal press is coming down on him for not speaking french and not scoring goals and he'll want out once again.

French media doesn’t go at the players for language only the management

 

[Andrei79]

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...

Harris a reliable defenseman who should have a long career though. He was part of a logjam, but he never would have been traded if not for having so many left handed defensemen. Don't be surprised if he develops into an excellent top 4 guy.

 

[wetcoast]

If Hughes keeps doing this, he's going to remind us old timers of Pollock

Start planning the parade then eh?

 

[Miller Time]

I wonder if/what better deal was on the table but from a team he had on his no trade list?

I find it hard to believe that Calgary wouldn't have made a better offer.

 

[wetcoast]

Harris a reliable defenseman who should have a long career though. He was part of a logjam, but he never would have been traded if not for having so many left handed defensemen. Don't be surprised if he develops into an excellent top 4 guy.

Harris is going to slot in as the 3rd pairing LHD placeholder until Mateychuk is NHL ready so for about a year and just a different logjam.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Tidy bit of Buisness for CBJ to get out of that deal without retention and a guy that has fallen out of favour on every team he’s ever played on in the NHL. I didn’t see any scenario where there wasn’t at least 25% retention, with that amount of Cap space you’d be better off weaponizing it better on a couple deals over the next 2 years for $17 million in space while adding several pieces instead of this.

Laine will not do well in such a huge market with tons of pressure and a microscopic lens on him. Playing video games and the the stress of the media will not sit well with that fanbase once he stops scoring and playing defence.

Laine’s not being brought in with huge expectations. Those are the players that the media in Montreal eats alive. He’s a project and the price we paid to acquire him reflects that.

 

[squashmaple]

Harris is going to slot in as the 3rd pairing LHD placeholder until Mateychuk is NHL ready so for about a year and just a different logjam.

Provorov’s gone at the deadline. There’s room for both of them as soon as March. Harris > Svozil and Jake Christiansen easily.