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.
Who else would have a Patrik Laine jersey ready to go š pic.twitter.com/o8c1VB2UFZ
— HFTV (@HFTVSports) August 19, 2024
WHAT A STEAL WENT WUGHES HOLY SHIT
ā GuhleW (@GuhleSzn) August 19, 2024
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.
Hughes cooking right now pic.twitter.com/LgaDNaSYJ6
— Vincef (@fortier_vincent) August 19, 2024
Kent Hughes you glorious son of a bitch!
Patrick. F**king. Laine! pic.twitter.com/sHxmiEVbow
— HABSGIFSĀ® (@HabsGifs) August 19, 2024
Kent Hughes, after trading for Laine #GoHabsGo
— Vince Filice (@VinceFilice) August 19, 2024
Some even accused him of “stealing” from the Blue Jackets given the one-sided nature of the deal.
WANTED Kent Hughes
This GM is responsible for stealing
If you see this man, HUG HIM! pic.twitter.com/WOdfpZz56hā JeSuisCHšBleuBlancRouge (@HabsHappy) August 19, 2024
The FBI is currently looking to arrest Kent Hughes for a highway robbery committed on August 19th 2024.
If you have any information, please keep them to yourself. pic.twitter.com/s9G9umCcpB
— Alex Jodoin (@colegoalfield) August 19, 2024
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.
Suzuki will make sure he wins a rocket richard, calling it first. #gohabsgo
— ME Productionsšš· (@MEPr0ducti0ns) August 19, 2024
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.
Under St Louis, Laine will flourish! Mark my words. Great trade! Go Habs Go
ā Jackie (@JackieL13867873) August 19, 2024
Mtl deals from a position of strength with young D & brings in a scoring punch they need. If thereās a person that can revive Laineās career, no better person than Marty St Louis to do it. https://t.co/kI2rHF7iyx
— Carlo Colaiacovo (@CarloColaiacovo) August 19, 2024
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.
Montreal fans restarting the 2016 Laine vs Matthews debates pic.twitter.com/UgjQ9GnT6G https://t.co/i582uZGQ6T
— MajorMoose š« (@MajorMoose_) August 19, 2024
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.
On paper, it looks great, but everyone knows Laine won’t handle the media pressure in Montreal.
He’ll demand a trade by Christmas….if he isn’t injured by then.
Still, they got a pick as well and didn’t give up a lot.
So it’s a win, but not as huge a win as people may think.ā Damir (@Damir_2112) August 19, 2024
With the Canadiens’ 2024-25 season officially kicking off on October 9, we’ll soon find out if he’s worth the hype.