It is no secret that the Boston Bruins play against some of the NHL's best players in the tough Atlantic Division. Now, they will need to deal with another big-name star more often.
On Monday, the Columbus Blue Jackets traded Patrik Laine and a 2026 second-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defenseman Jordan Harris. With this move, one of the Bruins' biggest rivals, the Canadiens, have notably improved their forward group.
Patrik Laine
© Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports
While the rebuilding Canadiens are expected to remain behind the Bruins in 2024-25, there is no question that bringing in a star like Laine is another nice step in the right direction for them. He is expected to be a crucial part of the Canadiens' top six from here and should be among their top scorers if he stays healthy.
While many expect the Canadiens to miss the playoffs again next season, they have some very interesting pieces that could make them more competitive in the near future. Some of their notable players include Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson, Arber Xhekaj, and now Laine.
It will now be fascinating to see how the Canadiens perform next season with the addition of Laine. They are a club that the Bruins cannot take too lightly.
