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

[lawrence]

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

Poor guy, having to go to Montreal.

I think he was hoping to go to an American team, where his life would be more private and not known as well as he would in Montreal.

 

[Viqsi]

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.

I don't really expect Provorov to still be here by this time next year. If Harris can do well enough to stick around further into the future, then, hey, great. If not, we still have options.

 

[RabbleMasterBlaster]

Just want to say that those who keep bringing the media up don't understand the media in mtl.

Laine cost nothing and comes with zero expectations. It's purely a cap dump with a chance at redemption. He doesnt take space away from anyone.

If Habs had signed him to that contract, and he underperformed, then ya, he'll get his due.

It's all upside for Laine. He could end up being a God.

 

[HabzSauce]

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.

Third time's the charm

 

[Wats]

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

I wouldn't be surprised if Harris had 3rd value at least on his own. With Hutson they don't have room for another sub 6'0" D but he's a steady LD with good leadership qualities. I would be surprised if he doesn't stick in the NHL for years to come.

 

[DCHabitant]

Tell me you don't understand the player Montreal is getting without telling me you don't understand the player Montreal is getting.

Hughes didn't rob anyone you got a player that hasn't played 82 games since 2019 with mental health issues that tries half the time on an 8.7 cap hit.

Cap hit unimportant to Habs right now. Won't be for a couple of years. Habs traded a good young defenseman for a pick and a player who may well provide 25 plus much needed goals to team's offense.

 

[squashmaple]

I wouldn't be surprised if Harris had 3rd value at least on his own. With Hutson they don't have room for another sub 6'0" D but he's a steady LD with good leadership qualities. I would be surprised if he doesn't stick in the NHL for years to come.

I figure it broke down to value of Harris is somewhere around a third and the value of moving Laine unrestrained made up the rest of the second. Each part of a deal doesn’t have to have its own discrete value.

Now Harris and Mateychuk probably are redundant with each other (being roughly the same smallish size and known for their skating prowess), but both can play on the right as well, and all three actual RHD on the roster are big (and so is Werenski for that matter). There’s room on the same defense for both, especially on a team that’s growing into itself.

 

[DCHabitant]

He’s going to need to block out a lot of noise for sure. Something he has had trouble with before.Montreal might not be the best place for him. It did wonders for PLD and Drouin.

PLD? Drouin did just fine in Mtl. They just didn't think he was worth the $6m ask. Laine can't read French. He'll be fine.

 

[pth2]

This trade makes me question the collective wisdom of HF, since in previous discussions CBJ fans were insisting the guy had value, and since Harris isn't quite worth a 2nd rounder, IMO this means Laine had negative value... not at all the consensus here before today.

 

[Mrfenn92]

This trade makes me question the collective wisdom of HF, since in previous discussions CBJ fans were insisting the guy had value, and since Harris isn't quite worth a 2nd rounder, IMO this means Laine had negative value... not at all the consensus here before today.

Not the first time a fan base has been wrong. Every hf fan base has their turn in the sun.

 

[wetcoast]

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

But still behind Werenski and Mateychuk so a 3rd pairing placeholder.

 

[Uber Coca]

« Laine won’t like Montreal’s pressure. » Have you been following this team at all the last few years? Fans morale has never been higher even though they have missed the playoffs. He’ll be fine.

 

[Viqsi]

This trade makes me question the collective wisdom of HF, since in previous discussions CBJ fans were insisting the guy had value, and since Harris isn't quite worth a 2nd rounder, IMO this means Laine had negative value... not at all the consensus here before today.

Those assessments were based on presumptions that we 1) were going to retain without issue and/or 2) could hold on to him otherwise, which was the best information we had available until literally yesterday. We were still debating on recent reports that seemed to contradict that when the trade dropped.

Given a bit more time between that info release and the actual trade you'd likely have seen more of a gradual move to "well, f***, I guess we won't be getting as much because Waddell is rushing it for some reason" or similar.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Good.

Maybe both these teams improve and give someone else a spin at picking top 5.

 

[Miller Time]

Those assessments were based on presumptions that we 1) were going to retain without issue and/or 2) could hold on to him otherwise, which was the best information we had available until literally yesterday. We were still debating on recent reports that seemed to contradict that when the trade dropped.

Bad assessments happen.

Given a bit more time between that info release and the actual trade you'd likely have seen more of a gradual move to "well, f***, I guess we won't be getting as much because Waddell is rushing it for some reason" or similar.

That reason is called "precedent"

 

[KPower]

No risk for Habs.

I think he hits 30 goals again.

 

[pth2]

Those assessments were based on presumptions that we 1) were going to retain without issue and/or 2) could hold on to him otherwise, which was the best information we had available until literally yesterday. We were still debating on recent reports that seemed to contradict that when the trade dropped.

Given a bit more time between that info release and the actual trade you'd likely have seen more of a gradual move to "well, f***, I guess we won't be getting as much because Waddell is rushing it for some reason" or similar.

Perhaps, but Laine's name had been out there for a while.

 

[Viqsi]

Bad assessments happen.

Yes, but most of the bad assessments in this case were - at least based on the initial information available - coming from folks other than Jackets fans.

That reason is called "precedent"

And precedent up to that point, particularly with the Blue Jackets, indicated otherwise. We don't give credit to the broken clock just because the timer ran out at the same time.

 

[Viqsi]

Perhaps, but Laine's name had been out there for a while.

True, but the situation had not measurably changed until then. Up until Waddell's remarks there was more reason to believe things could be worked out here, or that retention could still be an option. Retention was closed as an option a couple days ago, and "working out here" looked like it was being cut off with yesterday's remarks, although we were still debating as to whether or not the situation was truly that severe yesterday and today since it was such a dramatic tonal shift. HFCBJ was still divided there when the trade happened so there was no consensus to point to.

 

[Guy Larose]

 

[Maitz]

If Laine doesn't perform, the market will eat him alive.

Montreal lately is not as tough as before, the medias and the fans knows this team will not make the playoffs and the expectations are very low. With Hughes and St-Louis they created a nice and fun environement for players and the words is that the players don't care about the pressure and it's not that hard

 

[Miller Time]

Not the first time a fan base has been wrong. Every hf fan base has their turn in the sun.

Yeah... Key word "every". The vitriol and obnoxiousness meeting most proposals and opinions offered by Habs fans around here has gotten to ridiculous proportions.

As it turns out, Harris does have value :

 

[Devonator]

Fine trade by the Habs....you really can't lose...even if he is not all that great he is only signed for 2 years and the Habs are still in their rebuild so that is fine....and who knows....perhaps the Old Laine will show up....the guy had some great seasons.

 

[DANTHEMAN1967]

Going to be lovely when Laine pots 100 points playing with Caufield and Slafkovsky next season.

You can't play Caufield and Laine on the same line.

 

[Miller Time]

Yes, but most of the bad assessments in this case were - at least based on the initial information available - coming from folks other than Jackets fans.

Operating with the same available information, assessments were offered that you, among others, discounted entirely... And worse, were incapable of engaging with in good faith.

And precedent up to that point, particularly with the Blue Jackets, indicated otherwise. We don't give credit to the broken clock just because the timer ran out at the same time.

Blue Jackets aren't "special". Waddell is a long time GM. There was a visible precedent at play that was likely to (& clearly did) factor into any trade made.

Not knowing how to read a clock doesn't mean it's broken.