Trade grades: Habs make savvy bet on Laine
Patrik Laine is getting the change of scenery he wanted.
The Columbus Blue Jackets traded the 26-year-old sniper to the Montreal Canadiens, along with a 2026 second-round pick, for defenseman Jordan Harris. The Habs are taking on all of Laine's contract, with an $8.7-million average annual value for the next two seasons. Below, we break down what the trade means for both sides and hand out grades.
Blue Jackets
Don Waddell was put in a tough spot to begin his tenure with the Blue Jackets. The team's president of hockey operations and general manager, just hired in May, immediately had a difficult decision to make with Laine.
The 2016 No. 2 pick had requested a trade. Coming off a season in which he managed just nine points in 18 games, dealt with injuries, and spent six months in the player assistance program to address his mental health, Laine's trade value was at an all-time low. Teams weren't lining up to take on his bloated contract, either.
Waddell could've played hardball and held on to Laine to begin the season, hoping his trade value increased if he stayed healthy and his scoring touch returned. But instead, Waddell opted to do right by the player and get him a fresh start. While it's a classy move by the veteran executive, the end result is a disappointing trade return.
Though getting Laine's money off the books is helpful, Columbus wasn't exactly cap-strapped. The Jackets now have $18 million in cap space, but there aren't many ways to spend it at this point in the offseason. Maybe if Waddell has a move up his sleeve to use this cap space, we'll think differently about the trade.
Harris is an OK addition. The 24-year-old defenseman has posted decent underlying numbers over the last two seasons. While he's steady, a 5-foot-11 blue-liner lacking offensive ability has a pretty limited ceiling. He'll likely play on Columbus' third pairing this season, and that may ultimately be the ideal role for him in his career moving forward.
Grade: D
Canadiens
The Canadiens' front office under executive vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton and GM Kent Hughes has excelled at buying low on young-ish, highly touted forwards. Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook have both showed promise in a Habs uniform after their prior teams gave up on them. Montreal was also able to rebuild Sean Monahan's value and trade him for first- and third-rounders at the 2024 deadline.
Laine represents the next reclamation project. This deal carries ample upside for the Canadiens but very little risk with the two-year term.
While his Blue Jackets tenure certainly didn't go as planned, Laine still showed flashes of an elite offensive contributor. In the prior two seasons before 2023-24, he tallied 108 points in 111 games.
If Laine is in the right place mentally, there's no reason why he can't regain his old form. After all, this is a player who averaged 37 goals per 82 games in his first four NHL seasons with the Winnipeg Jets. Yes, he has some defensive deficiencies, but he's still only 26 and possesses one of the sport's most lethal shots.
Laine won't have to be a top-line player in Montreal, which could help him thrive. A second line of Laine, Newhook, and Dach has some potential. An offensive-minded, player's coach like Martin St. Louis could be a good fit for Laine, too.
If the fit is right, there's a chance Laine could be part of Montreal's long-term future. Even if it's not quite perfect but Laine stays somewhat healthy and scores 25-to-30 goals, the Canadiens could likely retain some salary and trade him for a nice haul at one of the next two trade deadlines - just like they did with Monahan.
For a rebuilding team like the Canadiens, this is a wise use of cap space. The Blue Jackets' 2026 second-round pick - which could be very high based on Columbus' recent history - is a great asset to receive for taking on the contract.
Losing Harris isn't a big deal, either. While Harris is a fine player, the Habs are loaded with young defensemen and his upside is somewhat limited.
Grade: A