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"What a steal": Canadiens fans are pumped about Patrik Laine trade

Al Sciola
Al Sciola
|
Aug 20 2024, 5:48 pm
"What a steal": Canadiens fans are pumped about Patrik Laine trade
Aaron Doster/USA TODAY Sports

You would be hard-pressed to find a Montreal Canadiens fan who isn’t excited right now.

With the rebuild already going swimmingly, many thought the club drafting highly-touted forward prospect Ivan Demidov would be the highlight of the offseason.

But that all changed on Monday when the Canadiens acquired Patrik Laine and a second-round pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenceman Jordan Harris.

With minimal reports linking the Finnish sniper to the Canadiens, the trade came as a shock to most of the fandom. As a result, there’s been a ton of online reactions, ranging from shock to delight.

And once the Habs made the deal official on social media, many of the team’s followers shared memes featuring GM Kent Hughes, who has established a reputation for making lucrative trades.

Some even accused him of “stealing” from the Blue Jackets given the one-sided nature of the deal.

Then, as Montreal’s social media team began sharing clips from Laine’s first press conference, some fans felt it was appropriate to share their ambitious predictions for the 26-year-old’s upcoming Habs tenure.

One user foresees a Rocket Richard Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s leading goal scorer, in the player’s future.

Meanwhile, others see him flourishing under the guidance of Habs head coach Martin St. Louis, who has a knack for getting the best out of his players.

There’s even chatter about Laine’s move to the Atlantic Division reigniting a rivalry with Toronto Maple Leafs captain and fellow 2016 draft pick Auston Matthews.

Nevertheless, not everybody is fully sold on Laine being successful with the Canadiens, as a handful of doubters see the player cracking under the media pressure in Montreal.

With the Canadiens’ 2024-25 season officially kicking off on October 9, we’ll soon find out if he’s worth the hype.

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