No, Patrik Laine can’t just “fly under the radar” in Montreal

Will the Canadiens go after Patrik Laine?

The more time passes, the more we realize that the Montreal team’s GM will have to work hard to get him, but that he has the mass (and the club) to do so.

The fact that Laine is out of the assistance program will make things easier… but we don’t know if the Habs are 100% interested. Will Pascal Vincent, who knows him well, recommend him to his bosses?

Anyway. All this to say that the subject continues to be talked about once in a while. The Blue Jackets are open to trading the player, and Montreal’s name keeps coming up in discussions.

Frankie Corrado spoke to TSN about this recently. In his opinion, the fact that the Habs have Martin St-Louis as their coach could really make a difference in helping the talented forward.

Add to that the fact that the club doesn’t have the Stanley Cup in its sights for 2025, and it could take some of the pressure off him.

But when Corrado said that Laine could, because of the club’s expectations, fly under the radar, that’s when, like HabsOnReddit, I think that’s too far-fetched a statement.

No offense to Frankie Corrado who’s great on TSN but we gotta disagree with his statement that Patrik Laine can just “kinda slide under the radar” with the Habs.

It’s the Montreal Canadiens & it’s always the biggest show in town. https://t.co/MhkTq78OR3

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) August 1, 2024

After all, even if the Blue Jackets were to withhold salary by sending Laine to Montreal, he’d be watched. A talent like that coming to town would be the talk of the town.

To say otherwise would be to misunderstand the Montreal market.

That’s not to say that all the pressure would be on his shoulders, of course. But it’s clear that his performance would be under the microscope, given his track record and the contract he’s signed.

He has two years left on his contract at $8.7 million.

Overtime

– Miguël Tourigny returns to Europe.

Miguël Tourigny is returning back to Tipos Extraliga after spending the last season playing in ECHL. The 2022 draft pick of Montreal Canadiens will be joining Vlci Žilina after previously playing for HK Dukla Trenčín in 2022/2023. pic.twitter.com/20llt4oRkw

– Timeout (@projekttimeout) August 1, 2024

– Brian Wilde defends Jeff Marek, who is under investigation.

I bet all of my peers feel the same but can’t say anything strong because they have families to feed.

I got nothing to lose at my age and position.

Pronman told the entire Twitter world every damn pick 2 minutes in advance.

Feel bad for Marek. He has not earned this.

– Brian Wilde (@BWildeMTL) August 1, 2024

– Nice photo.