Blue Jackets give Patrik Laine his wish; traded to Montreal for defenseman Jordan Harris

By Joe Coopersmith

Jordan Harris with the Montreal Canadiens in December 2022. By Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0, https commons.wikimedia.org

AUGUST 19, 2024

 

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired defenseman Jordan Harris from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Patrik Laine and a 2026 second-round selection, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today.
“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,” said Waddell. “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.”
Harris, 24, has recorded eight goals and 24 assists for 32 points with 56 penalty minutes in 131 career NHL games since being selected by Montreal in the third-round, 71st overall, at the 2018 NHL Draft. He posted 3-11-14 with 22 penalty minutes, 86 blocked shots and 43 shots on goal, while averaging 17:28 of ice time in 56 appearances with the Canadiens in 2023-24.
A native of Haverhill, Massachusetts, Harris recorded career highs in 2022-23, finishing with 4-13-17, 26 PIM, 98 blocked shots and 70 shots on goal, while averaging 18:39 of ice time in 65 contests with Montreal. He ranked second among all NHL rookies in blocked shots and seventh among rookie blueliners in assists and points. He made his NHL debut in 2021-22, collecting 1-0-1 and eight PIM in 10 games.
The 5-11, 190-pound blueliner posted 15-58-73 in 130 career games over four seasons at Northeastern University from 2018-22. Serving as team captain in his senior year in 2021-22, he was named to the NCAA Second All-American Team after finishing with 5-15-20 in 39 contests. He skated for the United States at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championships.
 
Laine, 26, has notched 204-184-388 with 185 PIM and 1,390 shots on goal, while averaging 17:52 of ice time in 480 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets since being drafted by the Jets second overall at the 2016 NHL Draft. A native of Tampere, Finland, he totaled 64-74-138 and 67 penalty minutes in 174 career games with Columbus after being acquired in a trade from Winnipeg on Jan. 23, 2021. The 6-5, 215-pound forward collected 6-3-9 in 18 games with the Blue Jackets in 2023-24.
‐ CBJ ‐
 
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COURTESY BLUE JACKETS COMMUNICATIONS
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