Blue Jackets trade F Patrik Laine to the Canadiens
November 29, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Patrik Laine skates during warm-ups before a game against the Montreal Canadiens at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Photo Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports The Montreal Canadiens on Monday signed forward Patrik Laine and a 2026 second-round draft pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenseman Jordan Harris.
The transfer sees 26-year-old Laine join a Montreal team that is positioning itself for the playoffs after losing the 2021 Stanley Cup Final and finishing last in the Atlantic Division for three consecutive times.
Laine, a native of Finland, played in only 18 games in the 2023-24 season due to a broken collarbone and participation in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. In his final season with Columbus, he scored six goals and three assists.
The Blue Jackets acquired him from the Winnipeg Jets at the start of the 2020-21 season. Laine has been a rising star during his tenure in Winnipeg. His best season was 2017-18, when he played in all 82 games and scored a career-high 70 points with 44 goals and 26 assists.
Laine has scored 388 points (204 goals, 184 assists) in 480 games between Winnipeg and Columbus.
The 24-year-old Harris played parts of three seasons for the Canadiens and scored 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists) in 131 appearances.
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