Trade Grades: Patrik Laine To Montreal

Trade Grades: Patrik Laine To Montreal

Patrik Laine has been traded to the Montreal Canadiens. I already did the fantasy hockey angle. Now we’re handing out trade grades. I’m just going to get right into the mud here because there is a clear winner in this trade no question about it.

Columbus Blue Jackets receive Jordan Harris: Grade F

I understand that Columbus had limited leverage here but WTF was this? Is this really the best they could do? Getting off of the money is cool, I guess, but the Blue Jackets aren’t competing this year or next year anyway. Why wouldn’t they retain on this? Instead, they’re giving up draft picks just to get rid of a premium goal scorer.

Totally brain dead…

It should be viewed as a sin to give up a second round pick when you’re a rebuilding team. Especially if it’s used to dump a veteran player. How else does anybody interpret this? If this is how new GM Don Wadell is going to operate, nothing has changed and Columbus remains screwed.

Jordan Harris has a chance to be a capable third pair defenseman. If that’s all you’re getting here while giving up a second rounder, they got totally fleeced. End of story.

Again, freeing up $8.7 million in cap space is cool… before you realize they’re basically in Sharks territory and nobody wants to play for them, minus Johnny Gaudreau who is just straight up dumb.

Columbus should have retained 50% and gotten a real asset. That was the move. Instead, they move on to overpay for a third pair defenseman. Way to go!

Montreal Canadiens receive Patrik Laine and a 2026 second round pick via Columbus: Grade A+

I hate the landing spot for Laine but how can you blame the team for this trade? This is a no brainer. If Laine gets back to being himself, they totally stole the player. Yes, he’s making a lot of money but Carey Price continues to stay on LTIR so they have the money. It’s also a team that needs another punch. Cole Caufield can’t score every goal by himself. This could become a nice tag team duo on the wing.

Getting a second round pick just to try out Laine is a risk every GM should be willing to take that has cap space to burn. Job well done, Montreal.

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