The Canadiens are looking to boost their goal-scoring capabilities and have now added a player who has proven his ability to do so in the past. On Monday afternoon, General Manager Kent Hughes announced the acquisition of Patrik Laine and a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenseman Jordan Harris.
However, there are concerns about Laine’s recent performance. He played only 18 games last season for the Blue Jackets, recording 6 goals, 3 assists, and 9 points.
Laine, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound winger, has not played since suffering a broken left clavicle in mid-December. He also entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in January and has been open about his struggles with mental health over his eight-year NHL career.
Laine addressed his situation on Instagram, stating, “After careful consideration and discussion with my support network and the team, I have recognized the importance of prioritizing my mental health and well-being. Hockey has been my passion and my life, but I have come to realize that in order to perform at my best, I need to take this time to focus on myself.”
The Finnish forward has two years left on his contract, with an annual cap hit of $8.7 million, making him the highest-paid player on the Canadiens, surpassing captain Nick Suzuki’s $7.857 million cap hit.
During a video conference following the trade, Hughes downplayed concerns about Laine’s contract. “It’s not a contract that we negotiated,” Hughes said. “It’s a two-year contract.”
Columbus GM Don Waddell allowed Hughes to speak directly with Laine before finalizing the trade. Laine had requested a trade to find a new opportunity, and Waddell, who joined the Blue Jackets in May, granted his request.
Waddell revealed that other teams interested in Laine wanted the Blue Jackets to retain part of his salary, but the Canadiens agreed to take on the full contract in hopes of bolstering their offense, which was ranked 26th in the NHL for scoring last season, averaging 2.83 goals per game.
Laine, who scored 36 goals as a rookie in 2016-17 and a career-high 44 goals the following season, has not reached the 30-goal mark since. Hughes addressed concerns about Laine’s recent issues, emphasizing that Laine expressed confidence in his hockey skills and a strong desire to be part of a winning team. “We’re looking for people that want to be part of something and part of what we’re trying to do,” Hughes added.
The Canadiens now hold two first-round picks and two second-round picks for the 2025 NHL Draft, along with one first-round pick and two second-round picks for 2026.
Jordan Harris, who had 3 goals and 11 assists in 56 games last season, was selected by the Canadiens in the third round of the 2018 NHL Draft. He has one year left on his contract with a cap hit of $1.4 million before he becomes a restricted free agent.
Merci, Jordan, pour ton travail tant sur la glace que dans la communauté. Bonne continuation à Columbus!
Thank you Jordan for your work both on the ice and in the community. Best of luck in Columbus! pic.twitter.com/9rYRZms3ct
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) August 19, 2024
Waddell expressed his support for Laine’s move, saying, “We want players who want to be Blue Jackets, and Patrik made it clear that he thought a change of scenery was best for him. We were able to acquire a good young player in Jordan Harris while maintaining financial flexibility in this deal, which was very important to us. We wish Patrik all the best.”
Laine is expected to join the Canadiens’ second line next season, alongside Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook, with the first line featuring Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky. Laine should also enhance the Canadiens’ power play, which struggled last season, ranking 27th with a 17.5% success rate. Notably, 70 of Laine’s 204 career goals have come on the power play.
Laine was previously traded from the Jets to the Blue Jackets on January 23, 2021, in a deal for Pierre-Luc Dubois and a 2022 third-round pick. Reflecting on his time in Columbus, Laine said, “It just wasn’t a great fit for me. I feel like the team and myself needed to move on, and me as a person needed a fresh start somewhere else. Now I’m just more focused on what’s ahead of me instead of what’s in the rear-view mirror.”
Laine expressed enthusiasm about joining Montreal, stating he is “super-excited” about the move. Over four seasons with Columbus, Laine scored 64 goals in 174 games. In 480 career NHL games, he has totaled 204 goals, 184 assists, and 388 points, with a career plus/minus of minus-58.
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