Habs Analysis: Patrik Laine Trade Uses Strength To Solve Weakness

It finally happened, as Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes pulled the trigger on the ‘big splash’ he had discussed on several occasions heading into the 2024 off season, with the acquisition of forward Patrik Laine and a second-round pick. Defenceman Jordan Harris was the price paid by the Canadiens.

With this trade, Hughes has added an interesting player with a long history of scoring goals, exactly what the doctor ordered for an offence-starved team like the Canadiens.  We won’t suggest Harris is a bad player. He’s actually one of the most underrated defencemen in the NHL. If he was right-handed, he would have surely remained on the team. Harris represents a good, smart, young player with a future in leadership both on and off the ice, the Habs could afford to take from their strength, defensive depth, to improve their greatest weakness, offensive creativity.

What Patrik Laine Brings To The Table

Laine is no longer the dominant player he once was. Expecting another 40-goal year right off the bat would be unreasonable, but the rumours of his demise have been greatly exaggerated. He has produced 117 points in the last 129 games while dealing with personal issues that made it rather difficult to focus on hockey. Now that he has been released from the NHL and NHLPA’s Player Assistance Program, it will take him some time to get back up to speed, especially given that he has not played since 2023, but logic dictates that once he removes the rust, he will have an easier time getting back to doing what he loves, and what he does best: frustrating opposing goalies.

There are still two years left on Laine’s contract, which carries an annual average value of $8.7 million. This gives the Canadiens plenty of time to evaluate whether he can rekindle some of his past glory before entering into contract extension negotiations. Seeing as the Canadiens were unlikely to fill the cap space available once Carey Price’s contract is placed on the LTIR with a deal that would improve their team, adding someone like Laine rather than a salary cap dump, is a wise strategy.

We can’t forget that players like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield are thirsting for a modicum of success, a rather predictable effect of being on a losing team for several years. Head coach Martin St-Louis, among others in the organization, also wants to return to his winning ways. While accepting another team’s bad contract could have netted them a mid-range pick, it’s not what the team needed to take the next step in the rebuild.

Of course, there’s some risk involved in the deal, as there is in most professional sports trades, however, Hughes and Co. had a chance to meet with Laine prior to making the trade, which mitigates some concerns about his motivation. Newly appointed Laval Rocket head coach Pascal Vincent also had Laine on his roster for a brief time, therefore he could also provide some insight as to the newest member of the Montreal Canadiens. Hockey players are prideful, and they know opportunities aren’t endless. I’d be surprised if Laine does not make an honest effort in front of a rabid fan base that is ready to accept him as a long-term member of the team if he puts his best foot forward every shift.

#Habs GM Kent Hughes says #CBJ GM Don Waddell allowed him, Jeff Gorton and Martin St-Louis the opportunity to speak to Laine directly over the weekend to have the conversations they felt they needed to have to be comfortable moving forward with the trade.

— Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) August 19, 2024

Patrik Laine Brass Tacks

At the very worst, Laine can provide secondary scoring, as he has in the last three seasons, for an elevated price tag. But the upside of this situation would lead to the Canadiens putting a significant piece in place that may allow them to take the next step in their rebuild. That next step may not happen as early as next season, as chemistry is always difficult to project.

But there’s no doubt St-Louis will enjoy having a better option in his top nine, especially since he’s had to deal with a laundry list of underperforming veterans who were acquired by the former general manager. Rather than just having one line that can perform, there’s a possibility he could run two, even three relatively potent trios. On top of making life easier for his coach, Hughes’ slight gamble will make things easier for Suzuki, Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and maybe even second-line centre Kirby Dach.

There’s also the matter of acquiring a ‘star’, something the Canadiens have rarely, if ever, managed to do on the trade market. Patrik Laine won’t solve all the team’s problems, but if he does find his rhythm, he will certainly become one of the most interesting adds in recent team history.