Patrik Laine has been dealt to Montreal.
Forward Patrik Laine is heading back to Canada.
No, Jets fans. He isn't coming to Winnipeg, but rather Montreal - the team to which Laine was shipped.
Laine, 26, was moved alongside a 2026 second round pick to the Canadiens in exchange for 24-year-old defenceman Jordan Harris.
Despite Laine's sizeable cap hit, there was no salary retained in the deal, bringing down the return value for Columbus GM Don Waddell.
"We want players that want to be Blue Jackets and Patrik made it clear that he thought a change of scenery was best for him," Waddell sad.
"We were able to acquire a good young player in Jordan Harris while maintaining financial flexibility in this deal which was very important to us. We wish Patrik all the best.”
Laine, who was selected 2nd overall by Winnipeg in the 2016 NHL Draft behind just Auston Matthews, went on to play parts of five seasons with the Jets, while scoring a career-high 44 goals and 70 points in 2017-18.
Differing opinions and voices within the Jets' room led Laine down a pathway he didn't like. A trade request was placed and GM Kevin Cheveldayoff shipped him to Columbus in exchange for fellow disgruntled forward and the No. 3 selection in that same 2016 NHL Draft, Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Dubois remained in Winnipeg just a couple years, to which he also grew salty. He was traded from Winnipeg to Los Angeles last season, to which he signed a massive extension as part of the deal. Dubois has since been dumped in a trade between Los Angeles and Washington, to which he will now suit up alongside Alex Ovechkin on the Capitals.
Laine, on the other hand, has struggled both on and off the ice since arriving in Ohio.
He has recently been cleared to return to his NHL club following a lengthy stay in the NHL's Player Assistance Program. Laine has since launched a mental health initiative to which he and his fiancé Jordan are encouraging those struggling with their mental health to open up and share moments to which they overcame personal battles.
A trade to Montreal will surely provide some relief to Laine, who is now due $8.7 million from the Canadiens this season.