On Monday, August 19, it was announced that the Columbus Blue Jackets traded forward Patrik Laine and a 2026 second-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman Jordan Harris.
A Farewell to Patrik Laine
Starting his NHL career, Laine was drafted second overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the Winnipeg Jets. That was the same year that Auston Matthews was drafted first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Blue Jackets acquired Pierre-Luc Dubois as the third pick. Hopes were high and Laine delivered in his first season with 36 goals and 64 points in 73 games.
Patrik has generally maintained his performance throughout his career despite missing games due to injuries and other reasons. His best year was the 2017-18 season when he put up 44 goals and 70 points in a full 82 games.
Laine was traded to the Blue Jackets along with Jack Roslovic during the shortened 2020-21 season for Pierre-Luc Dubois. Laine and Dubois had been unhappy with their teams so a fresh start for each was granted. Dubois played three seasons for Winnipeg before moving on to the LA Kings and will be playing with the Washington Capitals for the 2024-25 season.
Laine completed the shortened season with 12 goals and 24 points in 45 games. Throughout the next two seasons, he was plagued with injury. When he was healthy his performance kept up with his previous seasons as a point-per-game player. In 2021-22 he only played 56 games but put up 26 goals and 30 assists. In the 2022-21 season, he had 22 goals and 30 assists in 55 games.
This past season, he only played 18 games due to injury and entered the NHLPA Player’s Assistance Program in January. At one point in the season, he was made a healthy scratch by former head coach Pascal Vincent for the first time in Laine’s career. A move Patrik called “the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to me.” At the time it wasn’t known but it was later revealed that Laine had requested a trade before entering the program.
The exact reason why he requested a trade is unknown. In a recent article, I discussed some possibilities after GM Don Waddell said, “There was a lot of things that went on in the locker room and he just doesn’t want it.” in an interview. Whatever the reason, Patrik Laine has found the fresh start he wanted. Hopefully, this move will help him in his physical and mental health journey.
In an interview with the Montreal media Laine said,
“Most importantly, it’s been just about Patty as a person more than Patty the hockey player. One thing I’ve noticed is that when you’re not enjoying whatever you do, you’re probably not going to be able to perform.”
Welcoming In Jordan Harris
Defenseman Jordan Harris, 24, has played two full seasons in the NHL. The Massachusetts native was drafted 71st overall in the third round of the 2018 NHL Draft by the Montreal Canadiens. Before being drafted Harris served as the captain for his college team the Northeastern University Huskies. Before his captaincy, he helped the team win the NCAA Hockey East Championship in the 2018-19 season.
In the 131 games of Harris’ young NHL career, he has scored 8 goals and has 24 assists. He’s made 195 blocks and has 89 hits.
Last season, Harris only played 56 games due to either being a healthy scratch or injured. He had 3 goals, 11 assists, 86 blocks, and 26 hits. He had an average time-on-ice of 17:58.
The Blue Jackets have gained $7.3M in cap space. Laine is leaving with a cap hit of $8.7M and Harris is coming in with a $1.4M cap hit. Harris will be a restricted free agent after this season. The Blue Jackets expanded their defensive depth this off-season with the signing of Jack Johnson. Adding Harris to the mix will give them even more options depending on who makes the cut for next season’s team.
Even though The Blue Jackets already have other defensemen, they can rely on or borrow from the Cleveland Monsters, adding Harris could help in a few ways. Besides the cap space, the one already mentioned was depth. The Blue Jackets have dealt with key players being injured for the past few seasons. Having more options can always help.
Another more subtle reason is adding another defenseman means more players will be competing for playing time and to make the team out of training camp. Healthy competition for positions can help get players to try harder and help the team get the best player available.
Who Won The Trade?
The Montreal Canadiens are getting a highly talented player in Patrik Laine. Combined with the 2026 second-round draft pick, the Canadiens got a great deal by only giving up a defenseman who will probably slot into the third pairing for the Blue Jackets. The biggest worry for the Canadiens is Laine being able to stay healthy.
The Blue Jackets have given up one of the most talented players to have ever played for the organization but have not had to retain any salary. They have players who can fit into the open first-line spot, but few have put up the consistent numbers Laine has when he is healthy. The defensive depth is a nice-to-have, and who knows, with the extra cap space, the Jackets could be on the hunt for another top player.
Ultimately, the winner here is Patrik Laine. As he mentioned in his interview, “When you’re not enjoying whatever you do, you’re probably not going to be able to perform.” If you have ever worked in an uncomfortable environment, you know it’s hard to be your best every day. Combine that with the stress, pressures, and physical demands of hockey, and you have a recipe for burnout. Moving on from the Blue Jackets could help further his career and get the mental peace he deserves.
