Blue Jackets trade F Patrik Laine to Canadiens

Field Level Media|published: 08/19/2024, 4:57pm EDT

Nov 29, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Patrik Laine skates during warmups before a game against the Montreal Canadiens at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

The Montreal Canadiens acquired forward Patrik Laine and a 2026 second-round draft pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday in exchange for defenseman Jordan Harris.

The trade moves Laine, 26, to a Montreal team positioning itself for a playoff push after their loss in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final was followed by three straight last-place finishes in the Atlantic Division.

Laine, a native of Finland, played in just 18 games in the 2023-24 season due to a clavicle fracture and a stint in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. He had six goals and three assists in his final season with Columbus.

The Blue Jackets acquired him from the Winnipeg Jets early in the 2020-21 season. Laine was a rising star in his tenure in Winnipeg, his best season coming in 2017-18, when he played in all 82 games and put up a career-best 44 goals and 26 assists for a career-high 70 points.

Laine has recorded 388 points (204 goals, 184 assists) in 480 games between Winnipeg and Columbus.

Harris, 24, has played parts of three seasons with the Canadiens and put up 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists) in 131 appearances.

--Field Level Media