Upon acquiring Patrik Laine in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, the Montreal Canadiens have added a major weapon to their forward group.
While time will tell if a change of scenery can get the 26-year-old to return to his high-scoring ways, as it appears on paper, the Habs’ top-six has gone from slightly underwhelming to highly promising.
Here’s how the Canadiens’ lineup (or Laineup) looks with the Finnish sniper in the mix.
Montreal Canadiens forward lines
Line 1:Â Juraj Slafkovsky – Nick Suzuki – Cole CaufieldÂ
The Slafkovsky-Suzuki-Caufield line took off like a rocket in the second half of the 2023-24 season, finding instant success. In their first 13 games together, Montreal’s top trio combined for an impressive 29 points, with each player logging a GF% greater than 65%.
With all three members signing long-term extensions, it’s unlikely that Habs head coach Martin St. Louis will split up this line anytime soon, barring a significant drop in production or chemistry.
Line 2: Patrik Laine – Alex Newhook – Kirby Dach
We predict Laine making his Habs debut on a line with Alex Newhook at centre and Kirby Dach on the wing.
With Dach missing most of the 2023-24 season due to injury, this setup allows him to slide into a familiar right-wing role, something he’s done successfully since joining Montreal.
Placing Laine, a right shot, on his off-side allows him to unleash his lethal one-timer, while the left-handed Newhook provides balance and playmaking from the centre position.
Line 3: Josh Anderson – Christian Dvorak – Brendan Gallagher
Montreal’s surplus of right-handed shooters becomes more evident when trying to balance out the bottom six.
Nevertheless, an experienced trio of Anderson, Dvorak, and Gallagher is not a bad consolation, considering they all have experience playing top-six minutes.
Line 4: Michael Pezzetta – Jake Evans – Joel Armia
A fourth line of Pezzetta, Evans, and Armia brings a mix of grit, defensive reliability, and some offensive upside. Pezzetta adds energy and physicality, while Evans provides solid two-way play and strong faceoff abilities. Finally, Armia, known for his size and puck protection skills, can chip in offensively when needed.
Extras: Alex Barré-Boulet, Rafael Harvey-Pinard (IR), J. Roy
BarrĂ©-Boulet and Roy add solid depth, offering playmaking options if injuries arise. Meanwhile, Harvey-Pinard, currently on the injured list, should be ready to jump back into his bottom-six role and make an impact once he’s cleared to return.
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