Laine 'in good spirits' with Canadiens, Suzuki says

LAS VEGAS -- It hasn’t taken long for Patrik Laine to make a good impression on Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki.

Laine was acquired by the Canadiens in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Aug. 19 after requesting a trade. Columbus, which also sent a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to Montreal, received defenseman Jordan Harris in return for the 26-year-old forward.

“I’ve had the chance to skate with him over the last week and he’s in good spirits,” Suzuki said Monday at the NHL North American Player Media Tour. “He seems to be in a good mindset which is great.

“I think he’s really excited to get it going with us.”

Laine is looking for a fresh start after dealing with a ton of adversity last season.

On Dec. 14, he broke his clavicle when he was tripped by Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman William Lagesson during the second period of a 6-5 overtime win. It would be his final game with the Blue Jackets.

Less than two months later, on Jan. 28, Laine began receiving care from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, which he was cleared from almost six months later on July 26.

Before he was cleared, though, Laine approached new Columbus general manager Don Waddell asking to be moved.

Now, Laine has landed in the hockey hotbed of Montreal, where the spotlight is always on the Canadiens. Suzuki said Laine seems to be adapting well, both physically and mentally.

“I don’t think he’s skated too much over the last six, seven months, so I think he’s really enjoyed being back out there with the guys and getting to work,” Suzuki said. “It’s been fun to get to know him a little bit.”

General manager Kent Hughes said in July that the Canadiens were being methodical in their rebuild, which is why they didn’t pursue high-priced free agents over the summer. That’s also why the acquisition of Laine was a bit surprising, especially considering he has two seasons remaining on a four-year, $34.8 million contract ($8.7 million average annual value) he signed with Columbus on July 22, 2022.

Either way, count Suzuki among those who were really stoked after learning about the deal.

“I was excited,” he said. “I think guys on the team were excited to add a piece like that.

“He obviously has a big name that comes with him. He’s had a couple of rough years. Hopefully we can spark something in him and turn him around, getting him back to where he was playing earlier in his career because he’s a really good player and we’re excited to have him.”

To Suzuki’s point, Laine was indeed a marquee scorer early in his NHL career. Selected by the Winnipeg Jets with the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, he scored at least 28 goals in his each of his first four seasons, including a career-high 44 in 2017-18. He has 388 points (204 goals, 184 assists) in 480 regular-season games with the Jets and Blue Jackets, and 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 24 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

If he can return to that earlier form, it will only improve Montreal's top six, which includes the 25-year-old Suzuki (33 goals last season), the 23-year-old Cole Caufield (28 goals last season) and the 20-year-old Juraj Slafkovsky (20 goals last season).

“I think it shows we’re on the right path,” Suzuki said of the Canadiens, who have not qualified for the playoffs since 2021, when they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in the Cup Final. “I think we have a lot of young defensemen and a lot of young forwards that are really good up-and-coming talented players.

“I just think continuing to grow together is the biggest thing for me.”