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

[Suntouchable13]

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.

No way it was possible to foresee the injuries and the mental issues. BUT from what I have seen early in his career is that he was a great shooter but his overall game was severely lacking. I think he has rounded his game a lot, but then injuries and the other issues hit. Sucks. He is a good/great talent.

 

[sxvnert]

Good trade for the Habs.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Laine was 2nd overall.

PLD -> Laine -> Harris is what he's referring to

 

[Mrfenn92]

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 :

Only habs fans?

 

[NotCommitted]

No way it was possible to foresee the injuries and the mental issues. BUT from what I have seen early in his career is that he was a great shooter but his overall game was severely lacking. I think he has rounded his game a lot, but then injuries and the other issues hit. Sucks. He is a good/great talent.

Yeah, though I think his overall game was not as bad as many people made it out to be, he had among the best 5v5 results in the Jets for those first 2½ seasons, but even then, I agree his overall game certainly had a lot of room for improvement.

Basically what I envisioned he would become is an even slightly better version of the 21-22 / 22-23 Laine from Columbus but with the shooting and blazing hot streaks of early career Laine. So basically a player with around 80-90pts baseline production, which then gets boosted to 90-110pt or something by going super hot once or twice a season.

But Matthews turned out better than I figured either of them would. While I didn't count him as a finished product at 19, I thought he was one of those guys who got to their peak early and wouldn't improve that much.

 

[jonlin]

Ì`m pretty sure many ppl here will be surprised when the season starts. Laine had his best games with Scheifele at C. In Columbus he was nearly PPG ith Roslovic and Jenner... Suzuki and Dach are both better offensive players than both.

 

[Whalers Fan]

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 after two seasons Laine will not sign for what the Habs are willing to pay, Montreal can simply let him walk. They got him basically for free for two seasons (it only cost them salary cap space they were not using).

 

[heretik27]

I mean, he's played 131 games and has 32 points so far in a little over two seasons which took all of 4 seconds to Google.

That's fair, I did see that but the brain was tired after a long day and 1+1 = squirrel?

 

[NotCommitted]

For the trade itself, I don't see much downside for Montreal, if it turns out really well and he also stays healthy, they get a player that's well worth that hefty contract and might be a core piece for them in the future. If he plays reasonably well but there's no future for him there, they'll get a haul at TDL this season or next year. If he completely fails, all they lose is that capspace, but at the stage their team is in, even that doesn't seem a horrific disaster. They can afford the risk and the potential rewards are massive.

 

[rahad]

Because they are an organization that knows they need to reset the internal culture if they want to succeed... One rich in young elite talent. Step one is buy-in, hard to do with an 8.7M core player publicly asking out...

After last year's pre-season debacle and disappointing season, it's understandable that the new GM wants to give his new HC as much of a clean slate as possible...

It's likely a lottery season anyways, so saving the owner 16-18M$ (not sure on timing of this year's 2M signing bonus) in the process also helps I'm sure.

I bet the Jackets will be aggressive in UFA/vet trade market next summer, this move paves the way for that

Columbus also drafted multiple elite forwards in the last couple of years. Trading Laine, will give more time for Fantilli in the PP. Making room for Lindstrom next year.

 

[LOFIN]

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

I mean if we assume (a big assumption for sure) he's healthy, that isn't out of reach. He will get to play next to a real center for a change (assuming Dach is healthy), and he should get some PP time too no? In his last two "somewhat healthy" seasons he was pretty much a PPG player in a shitty Columbus team.

 

[torniojaws]

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.

He's been playing with himself mostly. Oh and cosplaying as a center as a hobby, instead of using his strongest skills as a winger. That's one of the problems with him and the reason his scoring went down a lot.

 

[SteelCityCannon]

He's been playing with himself mostly. Oh and cosplaying as a center as a hobby, instead of using his strongest skills as a winger. That's one of the problems with him and the reason his scoring went down a lot.

His scoring went down because he's been hurt nearly constantly. He's still effective when healthy. Doesn't have the extra gear many NHLers have, but he can put it in from anywhere.

 

[Habs Halifax]

He's been playing with himself mostly. Oh and cosplaying as a center as a hobby, instead of using his strongest skills as a winger. That's one of the problems with him and the reason his scoring went down a lot.

Look at how much Gaudreau's numbers dropped as well. These types of players are still very good but talent always needs talent to work with. There are only a handful amount of players in the NHL that can carry lines on their own and not have their production levels affected (depending on how they are surrounded)

If Suzuki and Dach are healthy all year, Laine will do well with either of them IMO. Will also be interested to see how they manage both Caufield and Laine on the PP.... They both are in the left side wall spot.

 

[CBJx614]

Laine was 2nd overall.

We drafted Dubois 3rd and traded him for Laine.

 

[samsagat]

I understand that the Jackets have a philosophy of building a roster with players wanting to be there, but at the same time, they're not a contending team.

They've been a bottom 5 team the last two years, so they should've been in a "maximizing assets value" mode.

So AFAIC, if I had been Waddell, I would've try to maximize his value by keeping him a bit more.

Because actually, his value might be at it's lower point.

He's a potential elite point producer and I'm sure if he'd started the season there, he would've done the best he can to make himself attractive and boost his value, in order to get out of there.

It would've been in his own best interests and those of his former club.

But Waddell was in a hurry and Hughes was circling around like a Vulture.

Good for us..

 

[I Hate Philadelphia]

Habs will be paying $20mil for Laine, Gallagher and Anderson to score a combined 35-40 goals

 

[Just Linda]

Habs will be paying $20mil for Laine, Gallagher and Anderson to score a combined 35-40 goals

I highly doubt Gallagher and Anderson don't get any goals this year.

 

[jonlin]

Will also be interested to see how they manage both Caufield and Laine on the PP.... They both are in the left side wall spot.

Laine could actually play LD on the PP. He has that good of a shot and is accurate.

 

[I Hate Philadelphia]

Laine hasn't touched 30 since before COVID existed. Habs are paying him based on his performance from 5/6 years ago.

 

[LOFIN]

Habs are paying him based on his performance from 5/6 years ago.

They can afford to.

 

[seanlinden]

Give Montreal credit here..this is the kind of move that has the potential ot substantially accelerate their rebuild, without neccessarily a ton of risk. He's only 26, so fits pretty well into Montreal's core.

 

[jfhabs]

His scoring went down because he's been hurt nearly constantly. He's still effective when healthy. Doesn't have the extra gear many NHLers have, but he can put it in from anywhere.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but he seems to have the top speed but lack in explosion/acceleration?

 

[LOFIN]

Columbus paid this guy $9mil to play <20 games last year and got out of the contract with zero retention. They are the clear winners of this deal. They will still suck but no retention is crazy.

But what good is that capspace going to do for them in the next two years? And vice versa, how does the Laine caphit hurt the Canadiens during the next two years, when they are essentially just trying to make the playoffs? Even if they miss the playoffs this year, it won't be a disaster as long as it's close.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

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.

Worst case scenario he underperforms and scores at a 25g 50p pace, its not like Montreal is contending in the next 2 years anyways. More likely, he paces for at least 30+30 and becomes a contract you can trade with retention at the deadline for a 1st+

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.

Who cares about his next contract? You don't have to try to keep him long term for him to have value as a rental.