The Montreal Canadiens made the playoffs and made a big move to acquire Patrik Laine, but it hasn’t worked out.
The website PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Canadiens trading Patrik Laine to the Seattle Kraken in the offseason.
Canadiens acquire:
Kraken acquire:
- Patrik Laine
- 2026 second-round pick (Columbus)
The proposed deal would be an intriguing one as Montreal would give up on Laine after just one season, along with a second-round pick for an NHL forward.
The Canadiens would acquire Tolvanen, who has one year left on his two-year, $6.95 million deal. Tolvanen would be a middle-six forward for the Canadiens and help replace the scoring of Laine. With the Kraken this season, Tolvanen recorded 23 goals and 12 assists for 35 points in 81 games this season.
In return, Montreal would trade a second-round pick and Laine. Laine is a former second overall pick who would now be on his fourth team. In his first year with the Canadiens, Laine recorded 20 goals and 13 assists for 33 points in 52 games. He has one year left on his four-year, $34.8 million deal and would add some much-needed offense to the Kraken roster.
Canadiens Benched Laine in Playoffs
Montreal made the playoffs as the Canadiens snuck in as the eighth seed in the East.
However, in Game 2, Laine didn’t play at all in the third period as he struggled to produce.
“They’re decisions you make as a coach,” Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis said of his decision. “I shortened my bench by a lot in the third. Honestly, I went with the nine or 10 [forwards] who I thought could help the cause.”
Laine finished the game with 10:10 of ice time, after playing 13:14 but finished as a minus-2 in Game 2. Laine ended up being a scratch in Game 3 due to an injury, which likely has impacted his play.
“We have some guys battling things, so we’ll see what we start with tonight,” St. Louis said earlier Friday. “Obviously, in a series, during games, you make adjustments. That’s part of a best-of-seven.”
Laine is a one-time NHL All-Star.
Laine Was Eager to be Traded to Canadiens
Montreal made the bold move to acquire Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets in August.
It was a surprising move by Montreal as Laine’s effort had been put into question. But, he said he was excited to play in Montreal.
“When you’re not enjoying whatever you do, you’re probably not going to be able to perform, and that’s where I’ve been at,” said Laine after the trade. “I haven’t been enjoying myself for a while, but now I’m happier than ever, off the ice, obviously. I’ve done a lot of work on myself to to get me back to this point where I’m actually super excited about playing, in a new place, with new teammates, in a new city.”
Ultimately, Laine’s first year in Montreal was a mixed bag. He dealt with injuries, while at times he was dominant, but other times he struggled and was benched.
So, perhaps Montreal does look to move him again this offseason.
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