NHL trade trees are a funny thing. Just when you think a transaction’s story has reached its end, something unexpected can come into play. The Montreal Canadiens’ recent acquisition of Patrik Laine is a prime example of this.
This trade tree spans 14 years and multiple (seemingly mundane) moves, ultimately bringing one of the NHL’s most talented snipers to Montreal.
Let’s dive into the details.
On June 17, 2010, the Canadiens shipped off fan-favourite goaltender Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues. In return, they brought in forwards Lars Eller and Ian Schultz. While Schultz didn’t exactly light it up with Montreal’s AHL affiliate, Eller became a solid presence in the Habs’ lineup for the next six seasons. Fast forward to 2016, and the Danish centre was sent packing to the Washington Capitals in exchange for two second-round picks in 2017 and 2018.
These picks turned into Joni Ikonen in 2017 and Olivier Rodrigue in 2018, both of whom are no longer in the NHL.
However, the Canadiens traded their 2018 second-round pick to the Edmonton Oilers ahead of the draft, which the Oilers used to select Rodrigue. In return, Montreal received a third-round pick, which became Jordan Harris, and a fifth-round pick (used to select Samuel Houde).
As many of us know, Harris emerged as a valuable asset on Montreal’s blue line but risked losing his spot due to the Canadiens’ surplus of young defencemen.
And so, on Monday, the Canadiens sent the 23-year-old to the Columbus Blue Jackets, acquiring Patrik Laine and a 2026 second-round pick in return.
With all that said, this trade tree has the potential to keep evolving if the Habs ever make a deal involving Laine somewhere down the line.
In the meantime, just about everyone is hoping that the Finnish sniper finds his groove in Montreal. Laine’s offensive prowess is known around the league. But after a few inconsistent seasons, the change of scenery could be exactly what the 26-year-old needs to reignite the flame.