On Monday, August 19th, in the afternoon, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets were gaining traction on a Patrik Laine trade. 12 minutes later, the trade call was sent to the NHL offices and just three minutes after that, the trade details broke to the hockey world.
The Montreal Canadiens have acquired forward Patrik Laine and a 2026 second-round pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenseman Jordan Harris. There was no salary retention in the trade.
Laine entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in January citing the need to look after his mental health and was cleared from the program on July 26th. The 26-year-old Laine had made it clear long before he was cleared to return to the NHL from the program that he thought a change of scenery was best for him.
The former 2016 second-overall pick of the Winnipeg Jets has two more years left on his contract at $8.7 million along with a 10-team modified no-trade clause. His injury-ridden 2023-24 season limited him to just nine points (6G, 3A) in 18 games for Columbus. Laine’s NHL resume boasts 480 career NHL games with the Winnipeg Jets and the Columbus Blue Jackets. He’s scored 388 points (204G, 184A) with a plus-minus of minus-58 and 185 PIMs.
Jordan Harris joins an upcoming Blue Jackets roster. He is in the second year of a two-year contract worth $1.4 million annually. Harris was drafted in the third round (71st overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens. He spent four seasons with Northeastern University before joining the Montreal Canadiens near the end of the 2021-22 season.
Harris has played 131 career NHL games to date, all with the Canadiens. He’s scored 32 points (8G, 24A) since making his NHL debut just a few seasons ago. The 24-year-old defenseman has accumulated a plus-minus of minus-five and 56 PIMs to date.
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