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

[HeadLiceHatty]

I'm probably in the absolute minority but when he became available a few years back I wanted my team to trade for him, he's a one trick pony in a way but I think if he stays healthy with a perfect situation he's a 40-50 goal guy, his shot is ridiculous. Hard to say if he'll ever do that though.

 

[Esko6]

If that happens he might get a statue in front of the Bell center

I will eat my hat if that happens. He has been losing his scoring touch more and more every season, he is not even a threat on PP anymore. His shot has been figured out and he has not improved it at all.

 

[CDN24]

You still have to factor that in, he has to come off IR eventually and you have to plan for that as well.. which is also part of why Waddell wanted to move on from him, to allow for more flexibility.

Not to mention not every injury is IR worthy.

I think the main reason Waddell wanted to move on from him is that Laine wanted out. The Odds of Laine being a productive player for the habs are probably higher than Waddell actually using that extra financial flexibility. The only expiring contracts he has for next year that may command a significant increase is Provorov (assuming he extends) and maybe Voronkov.

At the end of the day, obviously the Habs prefer if this works out but the downside is minimal. The Habs did not need that 8.7M of Cap space this year or next year. 2026-27 is when the next group of expiring contracts will need money. Hard to spend the cap space this yr next yr on a significant UFA add as no one of that caliber will take a 2 yr contract. They kicked tires on guys like Marchessault but term did not fit.

For next year Habs have

Armia, Dvorak, Evans, RHP, and Savard contracts expiring. (maybe Savard and or Evans gets extended)

For 2026-27 habs have
Laine and Matheson as UFAs
Dach, Roy, Hutson, Mailloux, Barron, Xhekaj as UFAs

That's the year the need the money. Following season there will be others Newhook, Reinbacher, beck and maybe Demidov but more $$ frees up from Anderson and Gallagher at that point.

There is a risk that Laine does not perform but it does not affect their ability to extend their kids and ultimately he did not cost them anything other than Molsons money. There is no real opportunity cost as they could not use those dollars in UFA market anyway without a longer term. Could they trade for someone else with 2 yrs left, yes in theory, but not at the minimal price they paid for Laine.

 

[vokiel]

I will eat my hat if that happens. He has been losing his scoring touch more and more every season, he is not even a threat on PP anymore. His shot has been figured out and he has not improved it at all.

I can see this becoming a problem if his club only really has one shooter. Like when Montreal was always passing to Subban, or Souray. With him on the power play we've got multiple interesting options with Caufield also being a precise shooter.

It could free them both enough to start clipping goals all season long. That would be Montreal winning the gamble.

 

[Jeune Poulet]

He has been losing his scoring touch more and more every season, he is not even a threat on PP anymore. His shot has been figured out and he has not improved it at all.

Absolutely everything you said here is factually incorrect.

Other than the extremely small 18 game sample that constitutes last season, Laine's scoring touch is still pretty good. He's still got a legit great goalscoring touch, top 50 in goals per game in 22-23 with 0.40 per game. Even better the season before.

He was elite his first two seasons, and I think that created expectations he hasn't met and probably never will. But he has since more realistic goalscoring pace that's still pretty enviable.

That's not to say he doesn't have other issues, though. Particularly health wise. He has lots of issues. Which is why he had no value in this trade. But his goalscoring hasn't declined "every season" as you pretend.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I think the main reason Waddell wanted to move on from him is that Laine wanted out. The Odds of Laine being a productive player for the habs are probably higher than Waddell actually using that extra financial flexibility. The only expiring contracts he has for next year that may command a significant increase is Provorov (assuming he extends) and maybe Voronkov.

At the end of the day, obviously the Habs prefer if this works out but the downside is minimal. The Habs did not need that 8.7M of Cap space this year or next year. 2026-27 is when the next group of expiring contracts will need money. Hard to spend the cap space this yr next yr on a significant UFA add as no one of that caliber will take a 2 yr contract. They kicked tires on guys like Marchessault but term did not fit.

For next year Habs have

Armia, Dvorak, Evans, RHP, and Savard contracts expiring. (maybe Savard and or Evans gets extended)

For 2026-27 habs have
Laine and Matheson as UFAs
Dach, Roy, Hutson, Mailloux, Barron, Xhekaj as UFAs

That's the year the need the money. Following season there will be others Newhook, Reinbacher, beck and maybe Demidov but more $$ frees up from Anderson and Gallagher at that point.

There is a risk that Laine does not perform but it does not affect their ability to extend their kids and ultimately he did not cost them anything other than Molsons money. There is no real opportunity cost as they could not use those dollars in UFA market anyway without a longer term. Could they trade for someone else with 2 yrs left, yes in theory, but not at the minimal price they paid for Laine.

That’s great!

But Waddell doesn’t care about the Habs’ financial flexibility.

 

[le_sean]

I will eat my hat if that happens. He has been losing his scoring touch more and more every season, he is not even a threat on PP anymore. His shot has been figured out and he has not improved it at all.

A guy waiting for perfect one-timer passes from Boone Jenner. No wonder he scored less goals.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I'm probably in the absolute minority but when he became available a few years back I wanted my team to trade for him, he's a one trick pony in a way but I think if he stays healthy with a perfect situation he's a 40-50 goal guy, his shot is ridiculous. Hard to say if he'll ever do that though.

He can and he will if he is playing with talent and a legit center. Many other players like him are called stars but are on teams with talent and good centers.

 

[CBJx614]

Scraping the bottom of the barrel, are you ?

Laine's cap was always a topic of discussion when it comes to flexibility. We have a metric f***ton of players coming off ELCs right around the time that Laine was going to need a new deal. Unless he was healthier moving forward it wasn't likely he was going to be extended anyway.

Granted we all thought we would get more for him, but it is what it is.

I mean, I saw the way he was training, I don't think he could do that if he wasn't 100%

Doesnt mean he can't get reinjured.

He's been 100% coming into training camp basically every season. This time he's had more time to let his body heal, but that doesn't mean he won't have another freak injury. Also it doesn't matter how healthy his body is if he gets another concussion.

 

[The Great Weal]

Just like the Habs didn't pay for Laine's pace.

The Habs didn't pay anything, Habs got paid to take on Laine.

 

[stevo61]

I'm probably in the absolute minority but when he became available a few years back I wanted my team to trade for him, he's a one trick pony in a way but I think if he stays healthy with a perfect situation he's a 40-50 goal guy, his shot is ridiculous. Hard to say if he'll ever do that though.

Its not even just health, a lot of it is between the ears. Feels like he'll miss the net or even just miss his spot a couple times and then abandons shooting altogether. He went through some weird phase of wanting to be a puck carrier and playmaker which is... not ideal. He can make good passes but its not his best weapon by any stretch of the imagination

 

[Habs Halifax]

Its not even just health, a lot of it is between the ears. Feels like he'll miss the net or even just miss his spot a couple times and then abandons shooting altogether. He went through some weird phase of wanting to be a puck carrier and playmaker which is... not ideal. He can make good passes but its not his best weapon by any stretch of the imagination

He won't lead a line by himself. He's not the type as a big scoring winger. In many cases when players have less talent to work with, they try things they should not. It happens more than you might realize and things spin for that player. Some handle it well and some don't.

Lots of factors to talk about but the most important is talent needs to play with talent.

 

[TS Quint]

The Habs didn't pay anything, Habs got paid to take on Laine.

Exactly

 

[stevo61]

He won't lead a line by himself. He's not the type as a big scoring winger. In many cases when players have less talent to work with, they try things they should not. It happens more than you might realize and things spin for that player. Some handle it well and some don't.

Lots of factors to talk about but the most important is talent needs to play with talent.

Gaudreau is kind of talented but both were trying to be puck carriers on the same line. Didnt work out in reality like it would be expected to on paper

 

[majormajor]

Its not even just health, a lot of it is between the ears. Feels like he'll miss the net or even just miss his spot a couple times and then abandons shooting altogether. He went through some weird phase of wanting to be a puck carrier and playmaker which is... not ideal. He can make good passes but its not his best weapon by any stretch of the imagination

I think Laine is a very good passer but the weak puckhandling costs him the puck so often it ruins everything.

He won't lead a line by himself. He's not the type as a big scoring winger. In many cases when players have less talent to work with, they try things they should not. It happens more than you might realize and things spin for that player. Some handle it well and some don't.

I think Johnny Gaudreau is more talented than Dach and Newhook, I don't think that's going out on the limb. Laine nonetheless felt the need to carry the puck all the time, and frequently lose it.

If he's going to do well in Montreal it's going to be because he's mentally re-set and drops the superman act, and focuses on being a shooter. That and of course health. That whole line might play 12 games together with how often they're injured.

 

[Frank Drebin]

I will eat my hat if that happens. He has been losing his scoring touch more and more every season, he is not even a threat on PP anymore. His shot has been figured out and he has not improved it at all.

cap dump basically

 

[Guess]

Laine's cap was always a topic of discussion when it comes to flexibility. We have a metric f***ton of players coming off ELCs right around the time that Laine was going to need a new deal. Unless he was healthier moving forward it wasn't likely he was going to be extended anyway.

Granted we all thought we would get more for him, but it is what it is.

He's been 100% coming into training camp basically every season. This time he's had more time to let his body heal, but that doesn't mean he won't have another freak injury. Also it doesn't matter how healthy his body is if he gets another concussion.

He's been concussed several times?

 

[HomeAndHome]

He's been concussed several times?

He got a concussion in '17 from the hit by McCabe, missed about a month I believe.

Last year in October he had an 'UBI' when Rasmus Andersson elbowed him in the head (4 game suspension) and Laine missed 9 games it looks like.

That's what I can find at the moment.

 

[CBJx614]

He got a concussion in '17 from the hit by McCabe, missed about a month I believe.

Last year in October he had an 'UBI' when Rasmus Andersson elbowed him in the head (4 game suspension) and Laine missed 9 games it looks like.

That's what I can find at the moment.

Yeah those are the two known concussions he's had.

 

[HuGort]

We don’t know how high Laine would have ranked

Laine wasn’t available for trade untill all the major events had gone by, draft& july 1st

But I’d make a guess Montreal would love to see Laine get back to his game and sign him to a longterm contract

I doubt they lock him up long term. Be a lot of money long term. Too much risk.

 

[winnipegger]

It's a gamble but you don't get rich buying high priced assets. If he figures out his game it's a massive win for the franchise.

 

[Lazytrout]

It's a gamble but you don't get rich buying high priced assets. If he figures out his game it's a massive win for the franchise.

And if Laine flop it won't affect them 2 years down the road, it's nice seeing habs management be aggresive when they can afford that kind of risk in the current phase of the rebuild.

I really hope Laine succeed in Montreal, such a fun player and likable personality.

 

[SteelCityCannon]

He got a concussion in '17 from the hit by McCabe, missed about a month I believe.

Last year in October he had an 'UBI' when Rasmus Andersson elbowed him in the head (4 game suspension) and Laine missed 9 games it looks like.

That's what I can find at the moment.

Man, he was never right after that one against the Flames. Even when he came back he was a shell of himself. Fumbled the puck a ton. Hope he's over that by now.

 

[JianYang]

Laine wasn't Montreal 's first choice obviously. Imagine there's reasons why. I doubt he's in their long term plans. Hughes almost traded the 21st pick in draft for Zegras. If Hage gone by 21 Zegras be in Montreal. Think about it? Kent Hughes willing to give up a first over Laine for free?

How do you know it was for zegras

I know they had a trade in place incase Hage was not available at 21, but I don't think it was a given that was for zegras..... Rutger may have been another candidate.

 

[Captain97]

How do you know it was for zegras

I know they had a trade in place incase Hage was not available at 21, but I don't think it was a given that was for zegras..... Rutger may have been another candidate.

I thought I read that the target was Rutger if Hage wasn't available as well.