I have to fall in the Great job by Waddell category…
This isn’t a slumping player anymore. He took no salary back, for a guy averaging 14 goals over the last 4 years, making $8.7 million for another 2 years…. And he got a serviceable player in return, who should settle into being a nice 5/6 with more experience and maturity.
Montreal is making a pretty large wager, Laine will return to Winnipeg form, and be able to deal with all the outside noise of playing in Montreal. If he doesn’t though, it’s not the end of the world. They’d likely just buy him out next summer.
One thing’s for sure. Montreal’s media and fans, won’t put up with a player making $625,000 per goal…. So getting off to a quick start is gonna be important for Laine.