*Photo from Bleacher Report*
The Montreal Canadiens have acquired RW Patrik Laine and a 2026 second round draft pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenseman Jordan Harris, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. Both teams have confirmed the trade.
Laine had previously requested a trade from the Blue Jackets after a tumultuous year, and he gets his wish. The Blue Jackets aren't retaining any salary, so the Canadiens will pay him $8.7 million annually for the next two years, with his contract also containing a 10 team no trade list.
Blue Jackets president and GM Don Waddell said of the trade "We want players that 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 coming off a lost 2023-2024 season, his 3rd full year with the Blue Jackets. He potted 6 goals and added 3 assists for 9 points, notching a -10 rating in 18 games. He didn't play again after December 14 due to a broken clavicle and entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
One calling card of Laine's Blue Jackets tenure has been injuries, as he has never appeared in 60 games in a season with Columbus. He exceeded 20 goals twice with the Blue Jackets but hasn't hit the 30 goal mark in a season since 2018-2019 with the Winnipeg Jets.
The one piece in return the Blue Jackets get is Harris, who was a 3rd round pick of the Canadiens in the 2018 draft out of Northeastern University. The coming season will be his age 24 season. He is due $1.4 million this season in the final year of his current two year contract. He'll be an RFA at the end of the season.
Harris is coming off his 3rd year in the NHL, making his debut in 2021-2022. He potted 3 goals and dished out 11 assists for 14 points while averaging 17:28 of ice time per game, posting a -5 rating across 56 games for the Canadiens.
Following the trade, the Blue Jackets have approximately $15.9 million in cap space to work with. The Canadiens are currently over the cap ceiling, though they will have plenty of cap space when they place goalie Carey Price and his $10.5 million cap hit on LTIR before the season. Price won't play again due to injury.
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