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

[Gurglesons]

Laine in Montreal is such a bad fit given his skillset and off ice situation.

He's going to get Drouin'd/Galchenyuk'd so hard there.

 

[Pebble live]

BJ's couldn't have done this earlier in the off-season to try and use this cap space on a FA or two? I guess they have some room now to make some moves but weird timing on this considering how connected Laine has been to the habs all summer.

 

[AvroArrow]

I don't think Laine is a particularly great player but this is an absolute win for Montreal, and they got a 2nd ?

 

[Dr Quincy]

ole Don clearly got to a point he just wanted a deal done and no training camp distraction. Guess they have a ton of money to play with now if they want

Name all the UFAs that are out there that you would give big money to.

 

[Just Linda]

Harris will do well in Columbus. Undersized for a dman but a good skater, he just didn't have a home on the Habs roster and isn't physical enough to be a playoffs player.

I like him as a fit for Columbus.

 

[Michoulicious]

Isn’t Montreals cap situation pretty okay for the next 2 years(might be wrong about this)

New deals for Slaf kicks in next year...

 

[Baksfamous112]

Isn’t Montreals cap situation pretty okay for the next 2 years(might be wrong about this)

Yes we’re very comfortable. Specially with Dvorak, Armia and Savard done at the end of the year and the ~3.5M we have retaining on Petry and Allen

 

[Viqsi]

It seems like Columbus's ownership wanted a trade that would completely dump Laine's cap hit. I'm sure that Laine would've had some trade value if their organization was willing to retain 50%, but because ownership didn't want to do that, teams like the Canes stayed far away, their hands were tied, and they had to dump a 2nd to make the contract go away. Tough situation for Waddell and the new FO, but this was likely their only real choice.

Seems that way. I don't think it was the right call, but whatever. Also really don't like the return. My impression of Waddell so far is that he's been fine on signings but his trades have been poor. Maybe he'll prove me wrong tho.

 

[ottawa]

Hughes statue wen?

 

[Whalers Fan]

That is a BIG salary to take.

It's only for two seasons, and the Habs have the cap space for those two seasons.

 

[slappipappi]

I mean seems like a really good deal for Montreal no matter how laine does

How is that?

Laine has a huge cap hit, if he stinks it’s a big fail.

 

[Jared Dunn]

this is untrue. Harris is a good, young puck-moving Dman. Not physical but very high IQ on an affordable contract. He's a very good 5/6

I would still say that poster is right, I don't think Harris would return a 2nd on his own. He is definitely better than given credit for and can play both sides which is a plus

 

[Aashir Mallik]

wow this could be very good for montreal, if laine can return to form.

I have a question for habs fans, is it likely that they play both dach and newhook top 6 with one being RW, or are they gonna go Suzuki-Newhook-Dach down the middle.

Caufield - Suzuki - Slaf made great progress over the second half of the season. If Laine - Newhook - Dach can turn it up than that gives montreal a good offensive second line. Laine can really excel as a goal scorer if he can find his footing

not to mention the price wasn't too bad neither is the term of laine if this doesn't pan out, all around good trade for montreal IMO

 

[stevo61]

Name all the UFAs that are out there that you would give big money to.

Doesnt have to be a UFA, they have a ton of players/picks to make moves with to bring in vets if theyd like to go that route

 

[hardcorehabs]

Man if Laine turns it around, this is Monahan trade 2.0 lol

 

[Sting]

I'm not sure why everyone is celebrating the Habs getting the second. The guy gets paid 8.7 million with no retention. Let me say that again - 8.7 million per year. This was a cap dump.

Perhaps Laine gets back on track. That would be great. I would say based on what we know about career trajectories, it is incredibly unlikely that he returns to form.

 

[Michoulicious]

and people thought Laine wasn't a cap dump...had to include a second too lol

Of course he was a salary dump. Negative value at this contract... Even if CLB fans were trying to say otherwise.

 

[TopG]

He's so bad

 

[Theodore450]

Montreal going to win the cup before Toronto does?

Probably, leafs are never winning 2 series in a row

 

[CanesUltimate11]

BJ's couldn't have done this earlier in the off-season to try and use this cap space on a FA or two? I guess they have some room now to make some moves but weird timing on this considering how connected Laine has been to the habs all summer.

Laine was still in the player assistance program early in the summer. He couldn’t be trade till he was out of that.

 

[Habssince89]

Wow Habs haters destroyed on this one. Lots of scrambling to find the new narrative now that Hughes absolutely robbed Waddell. Oh and btw Ryder Halak and a 2nd is/was an excellent package the joke needs to die

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Yikes... I don't like Laine much as a player/playing style but WTF is Columbus doing?

Short of doing the player a massive favor, they didn't need the cap space to sell a 2nd. Retain half and get a small asset if you really want him out.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Not surprising. They had to trade him.

You know what? I think Montreal is a good destination for him to play. There's a spot in the top 6, they have a good home crowd and spotlight, in his younger days that type of situation got the best out of him.

At the same time, they have other top players and the team doesn't have a ton of pressure. Don't have to grip the stick too hard.

I could see him finding his groove on the PP again at the very least.

 

[CanadienShark]

Holy f***ing shit. Yes. f*** yes. It's 4am and I just casually checked half asleep, but now I'm wide awake.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Amazing value for Montreal....though I doubt Montreal is the spot for a player like Laine to thrive. Don't really think Laine will be anything long term.