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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