The Montreal Canadiens might be feeling the absence of defenseman Jordan Harris, particularly given their defense has struggled in the early part of the 2024-25 season. However, they shouldn’t regret trading him to acquire Patrik Laine and a second-round draft pick.
It’s clear that the Canadiens could have benefited from Harris’s reliable defense during their 6-3 defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 14 and throughout this season, as they have been outperformed for extended periods. The fact that Laine is currently sidelined for about two months due to injury means the trade hasn’t worked out in their favor so far.
In an ideal scenario, the Canadiens would prefer to have Harris, especially considering Laine’s injury. Nonetheless, the Habs have chosen to keep prospect Lane Hutson, another left-handed defenseman, in the NHL instead of sending him to the minors, limiting the possibility of fitting Harris into their lineup. With both Arber Xhekaj and Justin Barron on one-way contracts, there isn’t room for Harris, highlighting the competition among younger defensemen in the Canadiens’ system. This makes the second-round pick acquired in the trade valuable in its own right, regardless of how Laine performs once he returns.
Some may argue that Harris deserved more than the 17:28 minutes of ice time he received last season and might have made a significant impact against the Penguins, especially since Hutson finished the game with a minus-4 rating and no points. However, this perspective may stem from Hutson’s initial success, having scored six points in his first six games.
The Canadiens are fully committed to Hutson’s development, playing him over 21 minutes a game, despite some controversy about bypassing a stint in the AHL. General manager Kent Hughes previously stated that they wouldn’t keep Hutson up just for power play opportunities, yet they’ve done just that, demonstrating their investment in his growth and that of the team. While Hutson clearly needs to improve defensively, playing alongside a reliable defenseman like Kaiden Guhle has led to positive outcomes.
Hutson isn’t the problem, and Harris alone wouldn’t solve current issues. In the long term, Hutson is likely to contribute more positively. The Canadiens, currently 2-2, are still in a rebuilding phase, so it’s premature to label their challenges as stemming from one player’s absence.
Meanwhile, Jayden Struble, who showed promise in the preseason and could also have a positive impact like Harris, is currently sidelined with an injury. Once he returns and the team adjusts, a reassessment may be beneficial.
It’s important to understand that, while gradual improvement in the standings is anticipated, the Canadiens are unlikely to make the playoffs this season. Whether they will or not remains uncertain, and it’s too soon to overreact to a single disappointing game in what is expected to be a season focused on development and learning from mistakes. One thing is clear: the Laine trade was significant off the ice.
