Blue Jackets Jordan Harris Says He's Ready for More – Hockey Writers – Columbus Blue Jackets

Patrik Laine being traded to the Montreal Canadiens generated all the headlines when the deal went down. The Columbus Blue Jackets were able to bring back a player who can help them both now and in the future.

Defenseman Jordan Harris came to the Blue Jackets in a deal that also saw the Canadiens acquire a 2026 second-round pick. Laine and his $8.7 million on the books over the next two seasons stand out as one of the biggest pieces of the trade from the Blue Jackets' perspective.

But don't forget about Harris. You are ready to show everyone that you have a lot to offer.

On Tuesday afternoon, Harris spoke to the Columbus media for the first time since the trade. He admitted to being surprised by the trade. What was he doing when the trade was made?

“I was on my way to HomeGoods to pick up the table we bought yesterday from my mom's SUV,” said Harris. “And I got a call on the way back from Kent (Hughes) and we talked for about 5-10 minutes about almost everything. He then said that a commercial call would come in. He said he wouldn't know about commercial calls. Sometimes they fall but he said that the program will be sold to Columbus in the Laine agreement. That's where I got that and I went in and got a table and it came out and Don (Waddell) called me so I had a little chat with him. So it was a busy day. I was on the phone for a long time after that all day. But yeah, it wasn't what I expected going into Home Goods. “

Harris has been in constant competition for playing time with the Canadiens. Appeared in 56 games in 2023-24 averaging over 17 minutes per game.

But with the abundance of young talent in Montreal, Harris was traded out of plenty. At this point in his career, he feels he has a better understanding of what is required and is willing to demonstrate it.

“I think now I have a better feel and understanding of how things are going and I have games under my belt.” Harris said. “I feel like the next step in what I want to do is show what I'm working on in the summer and what I can do as a player. I think as a defender, I'm not a great defender, but there are a lot of tools that I can use to defend hard and join the run. I think there are offensive things that I want to continue to add to my game while not taking away my strengths as a defender. So there's a lot of good and I feel like I have a lot to offer and I'm excited to show it and I've been working on it.”

“I always think it's a lot. I always think I can give more as a player and as a person, but I think I have more to give as a player. I know the strength of my game. I know my abilities. I feel like I have a lot to offer and I feel like that connects well with the team.”

Where will Harris fit in?

For the Canadiens, Harris played primarily in the bottom four. The Blue Jackets entering 2024-25 will have competition for that portion of the roster.

Fighting for spots on the blueline will be David Jiricek, Denton Mateychuk, Jack Johnson and Jake Christiansen. Although left-handed, Harris can play both sides and is comfortable on the right when the opportunity arises.

You May Love It Again

Harris admitted that he has looked at the Blue Jackets' depth chart and knows he will have to fight for his spot on the roster. But it's more about where he is with his game than looking at it as a competition.

“I was familiar with the team before the game but I'm looking to see how the team looks in depth yesterday. And I'm happy,” said Harris. “There are many beautiful pieces. There is a lot of really exciting talent. Seems like a hungry team. There are many young guys, but there are also many veterans who have played and are there.”

“So in terms of the competition aspect, I find that competition is healthy, right? And you get to this level and there will always be competition no matter where you play especially as you go through college and work. So I'm happy about that. I don't really see that we will fight for spots. I will be fighting this guy. More than I can do to play my game and play with my skills. And that's all you can really control at the end of the day and show what you can do. That's where my head was going instead of thinking about the possibility of competition.”

Harris Looked To David Savard

Former Blue Jacket David Savard got the chance to go home to play for the Canadiens. Harris and others looked up to Savard as a father figure in many ways.

Harris couldn't stop beaming when talking about the impact Savard had on his career with the Canadiens. He even saw how crazy Savard is.

“I could talk about this guy all day,” Harris said. “I read that he's good at blocking shots, that's true. I think everyone in the building could see that. Boy, it's honestly a skill. How can he block that many shots? But how to carry yourself. You keep it light every day, but you show up to work in an amazing way. (He's) a guy that any team in the NHL would be lucky to have in the locker room.

“I would say the main thing I took away is how you can do things and work hard, but also enjoy doing them at the same time. That's Savy and I think that's his definition. He brings great light and joy and happiness wherever he is. But he is the ultimate competitor. He shot a few times in Montreal and we're all like oh, Savy is going full dad mode now. And he'll be distracting the refs and stuff. He has that competitive spirit about him, but he's light-hearted and an exceptional team player. So I'm very happy that I was able to play with him.”

The Laine story is officially over. He and the blue jackets each got a clean break. The team now has a player in Harris who is willing to show everyone that he is ready for more. If he plays like himself, he could have a long NHL career ahead of him for now.