When Montreal Canadiens General Manager Kent Hughes pulled the trigger on the blockbuster trade that brought sniper Patrik Laine to Montreal from the Columbus Blue Jackets last offseason, he knew it would come at a cost. That cost was promising young defenseman Jordan Harris — not a player the Canadiens were eager to part with, but one who became expendable due to the team’s deep stable of young defensemen.

Harris, 23, had established himself as a smart, mobile, and responsible blueliner with the Canadiens. A former Northeastern University standout, Harris showed poise beyond his years and versatility in the NHL, capable of playing both sides and contributing in all situations. In another organization, he might have been seen as a long-term fixture on the second pairing. But Montreal’s situation is unique.

Over the past few seasons, the Canadiens have quietly built one of the most impressive collections of young defensemen in the NHL. With Kaiden Guhle, Arber Xhekaj, Justin Barron, Logan Mailloux, and David Reinbacher all pushing for NHL minutes, the team faced a logjam on the blue line. That depth gave Hughes the flexibility to move a promising piece like Harris in pursuit of offensive firepower — something the Habs have sorely lacked.

Enter Patrik Laine. The Finnish winger brings a goal-scoring pedigree that Montreal hasn’t seen in years. Despite battling injuries and inconsistency in recent seasons, Laine still boasts one of the NHL’s most lethal shots. The Canadiens hope that a fresh start in a new environment — particularly one where he’ll likely play a top-line role and receive first-unit power-play minutes — will help him rediscover his 40-goal form.

From a strategic standpoint, the trade addressed two organizational needs. For Columbus, Harris provided a much-needed boost to their young defense corps and fits well with their rebuild timeline. For Montreal, Laine injects high-end offensive talent into a lineup that has often struggled to finish scoring chances.

While parting with a player like Harris is never easy, especially given his character and steady development, the Canadiens were dealing from a position of strength. In doing so, Kent Hughes showed a willingness to make bold moves to reshape the team and accelerate its path back to contention. Only time will tell how the deal plays out, but both teams seem to have addressed key needs in a calculated and mutually beneficial swap.