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3 reasons why Montreal Canadiens should not have traded for Patrik Laine
The Montreal Canadiens turned more than a few heads on Monday by landing Patrik Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
While the overall deal is a win for the Montreal Canadiens, the potential downside to the trade could lead the Habs to regret pulling the trigger.
With that in mind, here are three reasons why the Montreal Canadiens should not have dealt for Patrik Laine.
3 reasons why Montreal Canadiens should not have traded for Patrik Laine
#3: Laine’s cap hit
Laine came with an $8.7 million cap hit. While he has only two years left on his current deal, the cap hit took Montreal from a cap surplus to a cap deficit. According to PuckPedia, the Montreal Canadiens are now slightly over $2 million past the cap ceiling.
That situation means the Habs will need to clear some cap space before the start of the season. The biggest concern here will be if Laine underperforms. In that scenario, the Montreal Canadiens can’t simply put Laine on LTIR unless he is truly injured.
Ultimately, the risk here is having to buy out the final year of Laine’s contract, potentially impacting the Canadiens’ ability to sign other players next season.
#2: Laine's best playing days might be behind him
As mentioned earlier, there’s a tangible risk that Laine simply does not return to form. If that’s the case, the Habs will be stuck with a highly expensive player who cannot live up to expectations. While waiving him could be a possibility, the fact is that Laine could become a burden on the team if he fails to perform.
Of course, the Habs will need to be patient. Laine is coming off a major injury. Thus, he may need some extra time to fully recover and become an effective player once again. However, there is no telling how patient Montreal will be, especially considering the number of young players vying for roster spots.
#1: Laine's injury issues
Laine missed the entire season last year with a shoulder injury and a stint on the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program for mental health relate-issues.
While Laine seems to have put his mental and physical issues behind him, there’s a chance that he might make few appearances for the Habs. For one, risks of smaller injuries cannot be ruled out, and lingering effects of Laine's season-ending shoulder surgery might persist.
Also, as the Habs learned from Carey Price's case, mental health issues are real, and they'll hope their new signing is in the best frame, both physically and mentally, to kick on after a lengthy layoff.
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