Slafkovsky on Laine acquisition: ‘I was so happy’
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The Montreal Canadiens made a splash on Monday afternoon, acquiring sniper Patrik Laine and a second-round pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenceman Jordan Harris.
As much as fans are excited about having the 2016 No. 2 overall pick in the lineup, Laine already has a big fan on the Canadiens roster, as well.
On the NHL European Player Media Tour, Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky expressed his excitement at the addition of Laine.
“I’m excited about the season, especially with the Patrik Laine trade,” Slafkovsky told NHL.com on Wednesday. “It’s funny, during the summer you wonder how things are going to be throughout the year and who you’re going to play with and what your role is going to be, and I pretty much can’t wait to be there already and play.
“I wish we would could skip training camp and just start the season, because I’m excited to play games that mean something.”
Slafkovsky is entering his third NHL campaign and signed an eight-year, $60.8 million extension this summer after scoring 20 goals with 50 points in 82 games last season.
The 20-year-old recalls being a fan of Laine as a teenager and watching the 2016 draft unfold.
“I just landed in Prague and it popped up on my phone and I was so happy,” Slafkovsky said. “In 2016, I was probably 13 or 14 at that time, and I was a big fan of his, waiting to see whether he or [Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston] Matthews would go first (in the NHL Draft), so I was a fan of his back in the day.”
Canadiens forward group on the rise
Laine joins a Canadiens forward unit that boasts Slafkovsky, captain Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield as its top line while No. 2 centre Kirby Dach looks to bounce back after missing most of last season with an ACL injury.
It's not yet clear where Laine fit in the lineup with his new team. He appeared in just 18 games last season due to injury and a stint in the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program that began on Jan. 28 before being cleared to return on July 26. He expressed a desire to move on from the Blue Jackets this off-season, looking for a fresh start. The 26-year-old has appeared in 480 career NHL games split between the Jets and Blue Jackets, scoring 204 goals with 388 points. He scored a career-high 44 goals as a sophomore in 2017-18.
The Canadiens have missed the playoffs three years in a row but are looking to take tangible steps forward in the rebuild and are looking for Laine, who has two years remaining with a $8.7 million cap hit on his contract, to help them take another step this season.
“It’s good to see him join our team and hopefully he’s excited too,” Slafkovsky said. “I’m sure he wants to come and restart his career, and I feel like Montreal is a great place for him to do that.”