Montreal Canadiens trade buzz: Patrik Laine for Rasmus Ristolainen is suddenly on the table
|
Bruce Raymond
Mar 6, 2026 (1:11 PM)
|
|
Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Patrik Laine trade chatter just hit Montreal, and the Montreal Canadiens can't pretend it's noise anymore.
A report out of Quebec says the Philadelphia Flyers would listen on Laine, and the fit comes with real stakes for Kent Hughes.
Laine's season has been rough. He has one assist and no goals, and the $8.7 million cap hit looks heavier every quiet night.
He's 27, drafted in 2016, Round 1 by the Winnipeg Jets, and the talent is still obvious. The production just hasn't shown up.
The rumor's hook is simple: Laine for Rasmus Ristolainen, with Montreal adding sweeteners.
Ristolainen is 31, drafted in 2013, Round 1 by the Buffalo Sabres, and he's the kind of right-shot defender teams chase at the deadline.
He's 6-foot-4, plays mean, and he can chew minutes on a team that wants to be harder to play against.
This year he has 1-5-6 in 24 games, and his deal sits at a $5.1 million cap hit through 2026-27.
Patrik Laine decision shapes Montreal Canadiens blue line
Honestly, I get why fans flinch, because it feels like paying to admit a mistake, but the right side still screams for help.
The Canadiens are 33-18-9 and sitting in the Atlantic mix. That's not a «wait until next year» spot.
A defender like Ristolainen changes the texture of a series. He clears the crease, wins ugly battles, and lets the puck movers breathe.
But Philadelphia won't donate him. The noise around the league is a first-round pick plus a prospect to even start the conversation.
If Montreal is moving Laine, salary retention probably has to be part of it. Half retained drops his hit to $4.35 million and makes it workable.
That's the gamble: lose a high-end shot, fix a roster need, and keep the room focused for the next game and the deadline push.
Also read on Puck Reporter :
Heartbreaking confession from Alex Ovechkin comes with a trade announcement out of Washington
Heartbreaking confession from Alex Ovechkin comes with a trade announcement out of Washington