Montreal Canadiens acquire Patrik Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets

The trade will send Patrik Laine to the Canadiens in exchange for defenseman Jordan Harris and a 2nd round draft pick.

Patrik Laine reportedly requested a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets earlier this year, but those discussions were paused when the Finnish forward entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program on January 28. Laine, 26, has also been dealing with a shoulder injury.

After Laine entered the program, the Blue Jackets made significant changes, firing general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and head coach Pascal Vincent. They brought in Don Waddell as the new GM and Dean Evason as head coach.

Laine was cleared from the assistance program on July 26.

Last week, in an interview with The Hockey News, Waddell confirmed that he had given Laine's representatives permission to explore trade options with other teams.

Laine, a three-time 30-goal scorer, was limited to just 18 games last season. He has two years remaining on his contract, with an $8.7 million cap hit.

More to come...