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

[behemolari]

Knew Laine had very low value but this is bit surprising even. Though no retention so that probably explains a lot.

He's now gone through a very broad recovery and rehabilitation process. Time will tell if it worked or not.

Laine has tools to be a good or even a bordering star-player. He just needs to be recognized as one. He's got severe limits in skating, defensive game and overall knowing where to be on the ice. But he has world class offensive instincts and especially as a scorer he has the tools to be a top-5 goal-scorer in the league.

I really hope he turns his career around and has a chance to play at a level he's capable of.

yet somehow when you watch his highlight reels they are full of clips where he skates away from opponents or through opponents

 

[Plural]

yet somehow when you watch his highlight reels they are full of clips where he skates away from opponents or through opponents

His straight line speed is pretty good. It's his skating in close, acceleration and agility that seems quite weak.

 

[LuGBuG]

Just remember. Uncle Double Dion told you about that Drouin trade you all loved too. This is not as bad, but still not good. The Habs should have stuck with their building program. The last thing they needed was a guy whose only use is firing one timers on the PP.

Well Uncle Double Dion those two trades aren’t related in the slightest. This one has zero risk for Montreal.

 

[beowulf]

Hope it works but Laine, like Dach, leave me feeling uneasy with regards to staying healthy and playing a full season. Dude last played a whole season in 18-19.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Just remember. Uncle Double Dion told you about that Drouin trade you all loved too. This is not as bad, but still not good. The Habs should have stuck with their building program. The last thing they needed was a guy whose only use is firing one timers on the PP.

ALOT of fans were not happy with the Drouin trade at all. doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out after day 1 of the trade lol

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

I like this deal for the Habs. Reminds me a bit of the Vanek trade (despite the many different circumstances).

 

[Esko6]

I like this move a lot for Montreal. Low risk high reward type of deal. Laine's unwillingness to start the year in Columbus really hurt the blue jackets.

I have some questions about their defense, as well as their center depth. They should be better, but they're still a ways away from being a playoff team.

I really have to disagree with low risk high reward here. Injury prone player with mental issues his entire career, even if he plays well and stays PPG he is still being paid nearly 9 million. If he does somehow play well and stay healthy, he will not take a pay cut and if he fails then he will demand a trade again.

 

[Lshap]

Hope it works but Laine, like Dach, leave me feeling uneasy with regards to staying healthy and playing a full season. Dude last played a whole season in 18-19.

Other players considered 'injury-prone' came back to have healthy careers. If Dach and Laine turn the corner and stay healthy, Montreal could be in very good shape. We'll find out soon enough....

 

[jonlin]

I really have to disagree with low risk high reward here. Injury prone player with mental issues his entire career, even if he plays well and stays PPG he is still being paid nearly 9 million. If he does somehow play well and stay healthy, he will not take a pay cut and if he fails then he will demand a trade again.

Maybe start thinking? I know you have never liked Laine. Montreal is NOT in win-now mode, the team doesnt care about real money spent and have use for a scorer. They got him for free. If he starts meshing with the team, they can extend him for less money and when their top-prospects are ready, they will contend.
If he doesnt mesh well, they flip him at 2026 deadline for a 1st to a contender.

This is a win-win for Montreal.

 

[amnesiac]

I think the Habs are playoff bound as long as they can stay reasonably healthy. This trade changes the season outlook on quite a few levels.

Defence still not good enough

 

[beowulf]

Other players considered 'injury-prone' came back to have healthy careers. If Dach and Laine turn the corner and stay healthy, Montreal could be in very good shape. We'll find out soon enough....

Very true, time will tell.

 

[Lshap]

I really have to disagree with low risk high reward here. Injury prone player with mental issues his entire career, even if he plays well and stays PPG he is still being paid nearly 9 million. If he does somehow play well and stay healthy, he will not take a pay cut and if he fails then he will demand a trade again.

If Laine doesn't work out, he and his cap hit are gone in two years. If he scores 30-40 goals, he's an asset Montreal will have room to pay.

Which scenario is risky?

 

[Habs Halifax]

I think the Habs are playoff bound as long as they can stay reasonably healthy. This trade changes the season outlook on quite a few levels.

If we don't get into injury issues, this roster should be in the playoff bubble pack. I think this roster is going to score more this season but the D is still too young. It all depends on how fast that young D can mature.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I really have to disagree with low risk high reward here. Injury prone player with mental issues his entire career, even if he plays well and stays PPG he is still being paid nearly 9 million. If he does somehow play well and stay healthy, he will not take a pay cut and if he fails then he will demand a trade again.

Sorry but this is a low risk.

1) Harris was an extra D we could spare. He's a fringe top 4D and probably depth guy.

2) Habs got a 2nd added to our futures. That's not something small.

3) Habs have plenty of cap space in the next two seasons. That's even with Gallagher, Anderson, Dvorak, Armia, Savard. It opens up more after that.

Name me the centers Laine has played with so far in his career? Scheifele and then who? I think Laine will do very well with either of Suzuki or Dach.

 

[BLONG7]

If we don't get into injury issues, this roster should be in the playoff bubble pack. I think this roster is going to score more this season but the D is still too young. It all depends on how fast that young D can mature.

The young D and the system they seem to play, does not compute at all.
That said the D system changes to a zone style D vs the man 2 man they could be better.
But yes, the young group of D are going to have growing pains....

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

I really have to disagree with low risk high reward here. Injury prone player with mental issues his entire career, even if he plays well and stays PPG he is still being paid nearly 9 million. If he does somehow play well and stay healthy, he will not take a pay cut and if he fails then he will demand a trade again.

There's no risk associated to this move , we won't need his 8.7 next year. If it doesn't work out we move on , not a big deal

 

[Henkka]

I don't see a decent playmaker to play with Laine, if he does not play at Suzuki.

Man, where are all the playmakers from Montreal?

 

[wetcoast]

Having both Mateychuk and Harris on your d isn't recipe for success. I think Harris will be expendable once Mateychuk is NHL ready.

Not sure about the first part as Harris is going to be a 3rd pairing type of guy until the Jackets find their overall mix and then determine what is needed from their 3rd pair which is sometimes bigger more physical type of players.

Also, I think people will be disappointed at the amount of time Mateychuk will take to be a solid NHLer. He's a really good prospect but he's also pretty raw in some parts of his game.

He is only 20 and no one is expecting Bobby Orr here.

He is a smaller Dman who is a great pucker mover and obviously has to work on his defensive skills but he slots in very nicely as a second pair Dman who can have a long and successful career within his limits.

Funny enough, they are kinda similar players outside of the skill gap.

Sure but the skill gap is the thing that matters.

 

[SteelCityCannon]

People thinking this is some huge risk for MTL are kinda out to lucnch. Honestly the only risk is bringing a potential toxic personality into a locker room that seems to have pretty good vibes. Patty always seems miserable. People attributed it to being Finnish and very straightforward, but I'm not so sure. You're never gonna win meaningful hockey games on Laines back, but if he pots 30 this is a great deal for the Habs.

I don't hate it as much for us as others do. Got a serviceable defensemen and dumped 9 mil in cap, which is borderline impossible anymore.

 

[rahad]

Laine is never going to live up to his contract. He will need to produce above 90 pts+ to be worth.

At the same time, we pretty much got him for free. Did any one see the Habs top 6 forward? after the first line, it is beyond bad. If Patrik Laine can produce 50-70pts. Is going to be a huge win for us.

We already signed our core players. We have lot of space in our cap and his contract end in 2 years. So we have space to sign our next core of players (Demidov, Hutson and Reinbacher) in 2 years.

Patrik Laine contract won't be a problem for us.

 

[Baksfamous112]

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

Ours turned into Dvorak. Welcome to the club haha

 

[Thechozen1]

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.

Different situation. Amazing what playing with the talent in Colorado where he doesn’t have to be a driver can do for a career.

 

[NotCommitted]

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

Hindsight is 20/20, but anyone saying it wasn't close for the first 2½ years of their NHL careers is kidding themselves. There's a spot in time in late November 2018 when one of them was leading the league in goals since beginning of 16/17 season, about 180 games into their careers. That guy was not Matthews.

Obviously Matthews is the better player now, and probably was even back then, mostly by virtue of being a center, but whoever you had 1st back then, if it was "AINEC" you weren't being very objective.

Funny thing is I actually thought Laine would turn out better in the end, I thought he had higher ceiling and saw Matthews as being closer to his eventual peak level. How hilariously wrong was I Not even embarrassed about it, I had my reasons and I could not foresee the massive amount of injuries Laine has had since then.

 

[FerrisRox]

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

Laine was 2nd overall.

 

[JianYang]

I don't see a decent playmaker to play with Laine, if he does not play at Suzuki.

Man, where are all the playmakers from Montreal?

My prediction is that he will play with dach and newhook 5 on 5.

I'm less certain of the PP. Someone will be the odd man out on the top unit between Suzuki, caufield, dach, Slafkovsky and Laine.