Confirmed with Link: Patrik Laine and 2026 2nd round pick acquired from the Blue Jackets in exchange for Jordan Harris

[Guess]

Interesting that two different reporters asked about what Pascal Vincent said about Laine before the trade assuming they asked him when doing their research, and Hughes refused to answer either of them, just saying that they did their homework and he didn't want to get into it.

Maybe Vincent didn't say good things?

 

[Habs]

Interesting that two different reporters asked about what Pascal Vincent said about Laine before the trade assuming they asked him when doing their research, and Hughes refused to answer either of them, just saying that they did their homework and he didn't want to get into it.

Maybe Vincent didn't say good things?

lots of opinions on Laine, good and bad. This is certainly a hockey trade, it could be really good or really really bad, but it's only 2 years so worth the gamble. People dissecting Laine's personal life are hilarious, like any of us know an ounce of what he went through or how he's doing.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Wow! The price was dirt cheap to acquire! Laine fits what we were after! 2 year term is pretty much no risk and we got a 2nd. Gorton/Hughes are getting the job done well

 

[JianYang]

What I do wonder, is whether "media pressure" can even exist in 2024, in the sense that we meant in, say, 2008.

The medias don't have nearly as much power as they used to back in the TV days.

It's the overall scrutiny and people all over the city knowing who you are that can grate on a player over time, particularly if things are not going well. Media is only part of it, but there's a larger picture to look at.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The PTSD is real, lol

PTSD for sure.

But it’s incredible to look at the contrast between these two regimes. Night and day.

 

[BenchBrawl]

It's the overall scrutiny and people all over the city knowing who you are that can grate on a player over time, particularly if things are not going well. Media is only part of it, but there's a larger picture to look at.

I agree, good point, although it's increasingly easier to avoid all of this, especially for a non-local. For a Drouin, it would have been tough, even if he hid in his house, but for a random non-Queb? Much easier than in 2008 I would guess. Could be wrong. Would love the insights of others on this.

 

[tazsub3]

The PTSD is real, lol

Not only that ,one should never forget where he came from. Even as shitty as it was .

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Believe it or not, for few weeks, I've been thinking (and dreaming) about trading Harris + 2nd pick for Laine whose $2.7M salary is retained (we pay $6M, so less than Suz).

Dream comes true for me

This is what I posted in the Laine thread last week.

Barron and/or Struble is not something I’d part with for him. Both should have good careers and Barron in particular has some nice upside.

It has to be a pure dump. Harris is expendable so… sure. But that’s the most I’d give for him. And honestly, Columbus should be giving us something to take that contract.

So, pretty much exactly what I said.

Good on Hughes for this. I’d have liked a first but given that it will likely be a high second, that’s good enough. No way Columbus would give a high first to complete this.

 

[Walksss]

What would really be insane as a secondary result of this trade is if we actually click as a team; Dach stays healthy, Laine returns to form, the top line takes a step etc. We could convincingly make the playoffs imo.

In that scenario could you guys imagine we're the ones taking a playoff spot from Florida and they miss? That gives us the Calgary pick next year and puts us into a stratosphere I never thought imaginable.

For the first time in a very long time we can start to dream big, and this looks like it's gonna last a long time. Amazing.

 

[KevSkillz4]

I can easily see after his 2 years, to sign for 6 years and less money.

I think Hughes want to see him succeed right now and to play for many years to come with that core we have.

That's not a "Monahan type of trade".

Laine is only a 26 years old and can be a Habs for many years to come.

 

[calder candidate]

Because Letang is good and Gallagher and Barron are not. This has been the worst 3 year performance in the history of this franchise and I would like to turn it around.

Letang is a legend and actually the best role model you could ask for with all our young defenseman. There is zero log jam at RHD either, Savard is the only NHL caliber RHD on the roster, and Mailloux and Reinbacher could both benefit form more AHL time.

The only real hold up for me is the 35+ contract, I agree that is tough. But it is only 1 extra year and you're saving money the first 3 years. The cap will be at 90m+, there are many work arounds. Retain 2 mil on Gallagher and 2 mil on Letang and that makes the worst case scenario 4.1m burnt.

It doesn’t matter how big of a legend Letang is, he is 37 he isn’t going to help us in the next 4 years, he would have no part in turning things around these are the kind of move that lead us to be in that situation in the first place, even with the cap going up that money still would be better use on a player that will actually play or earn the money we are paying him… regardless of your evaluation of Letang, Gallagher and Barron, Pit will have to pay 1st even if Gallagher was going the other way because that 4th year at 6.1M$ will be horrible. Even at 4.1m$(can’t see a team retaining on 4 years) that is still significant wasted cap when we will be trying to contend

 

[WatchfulElm]

What would really be insane as a secondary result of this trade is if we actually click as a team; Dach stays healthy, Laine returns to form, the top line takes a step etc. We could convincingly make the playoffs imo.

In that scenario could you guys imagine we're the ones taking a playoff spot from Florida and they miss? That gives us the Calgary pick next year and puts us into a stratosphere I never thought imaginable.

For the first time in a very long time we can start to dream big, and this looks like it's gonna last a long time. Amazing.

I think this is very likely to happen especially if Gary Unicorn plays on the 2nd line with Dach and Laine.

 

[calder candidate]

This feel like such a great trade that I’m kind of worried and scared for some of all first born…

 

[BergevinBurner]

I can easily see after his 2 years, to sign for 6 years and less money.

I think Hughes want to see him succeed right now and to play for many years to come with that core we have.

That's not a "Monahan type of trade".

Laine is only a 26 years old and can be a Habs for many years to come.

If he fits in here I think that's pretty likely too.

It sounds like he had issues with players on Columbus and Winnipeg, so if he meshes well with our group then I have a feeling he'll want to stick around.

 

[Walksss]

I think this is very likely to happen especially if Gary Unicorn plays on the 2nd line with Dach and Laine.

Who is Gary Unicorn?

 

[Kaiden Ghoul]

Man it feel good to be a Habs fan since Hugo took over, and its look like Laine is back on the track lately with a mariage and intense summer training

Watch him scores 40 in his final contract year, this year anything over 30 and im happy

 

[G0bias]

It's crazy when you think about it.

If Laine and Dach can remain healthy and Demidov translates, we could be looking at star players occupying all top-6 forward spots.

That amount of offensive talent up front would be unheard of in the MB days.

 

[calder candidate]

Interesting that two different reporters asked about what Pascal Vincent said about Laine before the trade assuming they asked him when doing their research, and Hughes refused to answer either of them, just saying that they did their homework and he didn't want to get into it.

Maybe Vincent didn't say good things?

He just doesn’t want to go into the detail, If he didn’t have anything good to say why would they acquire him or why would they have him as a coach… If you aren’t trusting is evaluation why would you have him coach your farm team…

 

[Stive Morgan]

50 pts from Laine and I'd be happy.

Whether it's in 55 or 82 games I don't care.

 

[Bobby Holik agent]

I think max value for Harris is a 2nd + a 3rd.
Like just a little less than Andrew Shaw.
So in my logic we got Laine for a 3rd picks.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Mixed feelings about this. If he is finally matured after all of these years, this experiment could surprise us. Here in Finland he was big junior star before NHL draft, entitled, every coaches nightmare. And last year there was some comment from Jets(?) ex- management employee that he wanted only play power plays in Winnipeg? Coming to Montreal is ultimate test for him. Hopefully everything goes right for him and Habs.

Take writings like this with a grain of salt. He had one incident in Finland when he was 16 or 17, there's nothing pointing to him having been "every coaches nightmare". He has a lot of Finnish haters who'll just make stuff like this up. 90% of the negative stuff you'll read is conjecture, these people's own headcanon or at the very least silly hyperboles.

"Wanting to only play powerplays in Winnipeg". - Come on guys, you cannot take this seriously. Childish bullshit.

Laine's issues of late have been unlucky injuries and getting into his own head too much. He needs an injury free season. I hope he can get back to PPG form which he was in Columbus when healthy.

 

[jonlin]

Perfect scenario:

Laine puts up 30g + 35a in his 1st season in Montreal. Season 2, he puts up 40g + 25a. He is 3rd on the team in points both yrs after Suzuki + Caufield/Slaf. He then resigns for 5yrs x 6M

Shittiest scenario:

Laine puts up 50p in 70gp the first year. The second year he plays only 20gp, where he puts up 10g + 5a before injury. He gets cleared before the trade deadline and is sent to a contender for a 1st.

Win/win scenario, as the Habs aint a serious contender for the next 2yrs

 

[26Mats]

Man it feel good to be a Habs fan since Hugo took over, and its look like Laine is back on the track lately with a mariage and intense summer training

Watch him scores 40 in his final contract year, this year anything over 30 and im happy

We even have the end of summer to look forward to. So far, every summer he's been at the helm he's made a nice deal at the end of the summer:

2022 - Monahan + 1st for Simon Bourque
2023 - 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th + 25% Retained on Petry + Pearson bad contract, for Hoffman bad contract, Pitlick.
2024 - Laine + 2nd for Harris

 

[Pickles]

This trade was a fleecing. Not only do we get a 30-40 goal scorer but a 2nd round pick on top of that. Another win for HuGo.

 

[Monsieur Miz]

How can it turn out like Drouin?

We have not paid prime assets for him and haven't bet on a long term contract.

Worse case scenario is we are limited in cap for two years in which we are not contending.

Best case scenario we have a long term fixture in our top6.

At the point our team is at, the downside is negligible, unlike what it was (and happened) for Drouin.

There's like a 0.001% this is a significant loss for the Habs.

I thought his contract was longer.