Maple Leafs' biggest rival upgrades roster by acquiring former 2nd overall pick

Laine, who has been wanting out of Columbus for some time was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman Jordan Harris. Montreal also got a 2026 2nd Round pick as well in the transaction; one that sent the hockey world abuzz.

Drafted #2 overall by Winnipeg in 2016; one spot behind Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, Laine enjoyed a successful 5-year stint with Winnipeg amassing 138 goals and 109 assists in 306 games with the Jets before being shipped to Columbus in 2021. He didn't find the same level of success with the Blue Jackets, only having 64 goals and 74 assists over 174 games, missing many contests due to injuries and personal issues.

Laine recently completed his program in the NHLPA Player Assistance Program, in order to focus on his mental health, dealing with shoulder surgery and recovery, as well as refocus himself altogether.

Laine joins a young and hungry Canadiens lineup who are trying to prove critics wrong this season. He'll play alongside the likes of Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach, and Kaiden Guhle as Montreal looks to slide into a playoff spot and surprising the league.

One thing is for certain, this makes this rivalry even more personal given the connection to Matthews and the 2016 Draft; in another timeline it's Laine captaining Toronto against Matthews but when these two meet it'll be just like old times.

Source: HockeyDB
Patrik Laine Statistics

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Montreal Canadiens Roster