BB88
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Laine 11th career hatty vs BUF
- Thread starter amnesiac
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So you’d re sign one of the most injury prone players in the league in his late 20s for say $9Mx 7 years?
This on a team whos early in their rebuild who probably won’t contend for the Cup for at least another 5-6 years. Brilliant.
You must’ve loved Bergevin and what he did for Gallagher.
And kemme guess, you’re one of those who thought the Habs would be a playoff team this season, and be Cup contenders by 2026?
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BB88
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Laine is 26y and with his last season he’s not going to get anywhere close to the superstar money.
A team could sign him for 6-8M less per season than what superstars are going to be signing for so yes Montreal can and should re-sign Laine if he doesn’t get another major injury this season
Montreal isn’t early in their rebuild, they are getting to a part where they need to start challenging for WC spot and learn to win games
Their 1C is 1 year younger than Laine, they already have Caufield& Slaf playing in the NHL, Caufield is getting close to hitting his prime. Demidov is coming up next season?
& the biggest reason why they should keep him is that Montreal fans have been screaming for 20+ years for them to find someone like Laine, who brings fans out of their seats and creates that special feeling. That city (the fans) have adopted Laine and if you now turn around and trade him that’s the biggest FU you could make to those fans
& yes Laine is 26y damm he’s old!!!! How is he going to look in 8 years time…..
If Laine played like this on the powerplay for my Leafs, we would sign him to 8x11 without thinking twice!
yeah I figured you were one of those who thought the Habs were soon to be contenders. Part of the impatient fanbase that think it only takes a few years of top picks to build a true Cup contender….. They didn’t get a Crosby and Malkin in back to back years unfortunately. Here’s a reality check, it usually takes a decade from when you started drafting high. See FLA, COL, TB, WSH, EDM and when they started, and how many high picks (homrun picks and busts) it took them before finally piecing together a winner.
Habs pretty much started this rebuild 2 seasons ago with Slafkovsky after Bergevin made his idiotic moves after the 2021 run… Kotkaniemi pick obviously doesn’t count, it’s a lost/bust pick. Caufield and Hutson are homerun picks, very fortunate, but they’re not your Makar and MacKinnon elite pieces. Hopefully Demidov is one. I’m not counting on Slafkovsky or Reinbacher to be another unfortunately. They need to land one of those elite pieces next summer, ideally a centre.
And btw, Laine is a UFA at 28, not this summer. He won’t go for a discount unless he gets injured again, and if he does youd have to be really dumb to re sign him. Let alone re signing a guy because we need to “please the fans”??? That’s how you screw up a rebuild and end out being exactly where they were for the past 30 years.
elmaco
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Good take but, you don't consider the improvement Laine could make in those 2 years.
I don't want to criticize but I do not believe getting 4 opportunities 5 on 3 in the last 6 games is a rate that is going to continue
Even if hes a PPG player for a year and half, scores 40 next season, and doesnt get injured, his history shows that he will get injured later on, and often. I dont wish it, Im just being real. The guy has played 136 games since the 21-22 season out of a possible 277. Hes missed more games than hes played.
Then in summer 2026 youre talking about a sought after UFA. ie. the absolute WORST time to sign a guy UNLESS youre contender for the Cup. We're talking $11M+ per by then as the cap increases. THe Habs have enough rich contracts at the moment with Suz, CC, Slaf, and soon to be Hutson and Demidov in 3 years. Assuming they get a good pick next summer, thats another (probable) big contract in 4 years time. Guhle and Suzuki will be approaching UFA status in 2030 and 31 respectively, 2 more HUGE contracts. If you sign an expensive UFA now, theyll have to give someone up to make it all fit, and chances are Laine will have the worst contract.
I 100% guarantee everyone and their mothers, the Habs wont be Cup contenders in 26-27 or 27-28. Hopefully on the upswing by then, but then youre banking on Laine being great at age 32 or 33 when are acutal hopeful Cup contenders come 2030 or later. He could be great at that age, but Its too high risk with him. Wait to sign your big name UFAs when the time comes. Not now, and not in 2 years either.
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His choice of profession is a much better predictor of future injuries, than his injury history. He does have two concussions but that is not rare among hockey players. Other than that his injuries have been random other things that happen in a contact sport. He has had a lot of them, but that is not an indicator of future events.
Walrus26
Wearing a Habs Toque in England.
You might need to look up the exact level of 5 v 3 suck we've endured in MTL in recent years.
That's what you get from Laine though, go look at his history or go ask CBJ or Winnipeg fans.
Laine gets going and looks good...gets hurt. Misses a bit of time, takes some time to get going, starts to look good only to get hurt again. He's dominant on the PP, meh 5v5 and can't stay on the ice long enough to truly be an impact player that a team can rely on.
Hopefully he finds success in Montreal and can't stay healthy, but I wouldn't hold my breath that you'll get close to a full season of this type of production, he's a very streaky player.
I disagree, hes been injured every year for 6 straight years now, and hes in his prime. Thats not a coincidence, thats an indication of a fragile body that cant endure the physicality of being an NHL player year after year. Just looking at the injury last Sept, he himself said he was partially responsible having come in wide legged between 2 defenders. Why take that risk now when theyre bad, when they could sign another big name UFA down the road?
Bottom line, you just cant take a chance on these players longterm unless its like a deadline deal going into the playoffs as contenders. Great example, Marian Gaborik. The guy was injured every year, and LA took a chance on him at the TDL in 2014 when they were contenders, and it worked.
I agree, check my last few posts here about his longterm health and investment.... but Im not ready to say hes a trainwreck 5 on 5 based on what hes shown through 7 games here after not playing for 11.5 months.
Given the conversations over the past couple of pages, does anyone here also give out lottery numbers, or is it just the future of hockey players/teams? Asking for a friend.
Gillings
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BB88
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Where did I say soon to be contenders?
You look at the ages of their core and you’ll understand they aren’t where Chicago or Sharks are. Their core group is older than that and you want to start teaching them winning games and not end up as another Buffalo
So their next step should be aim to be in the WC race next season, that should be a realistic goal for them with Suzuki in the middle of his prime and Caufield/Slaf being closer to hitting their prime and adding a full season of Demidov and Laine at F
So then you look at that Laine is 26y right now and fits Montreals timeline really well. They are going to need quality players from different age groups to not allow them to become another tire fire of a franchise with their forever rebuilds and just believe in potential
You are worried about how Laine is basically going to look in 7-9 years time and that’s idiotic. He’s not going to be paid like a superstar, not even close to it when you’d have a legit stance for your argument.
They have just drafted a potential superstar forward who’s going to jump in and they’ll be still drafting high this offseason and have plenty of assets. They aren’t where you think they are
John Mandalorian
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You’re making a lot of good points but it’s interesting you mention the Avs. And you’re not wrong, it was about 10 years if you consider the 2009 draft (Duchene) the beginning of the rebuild. It seems like the Avs are talked about as though they were always bad (picking top 10 bad). But the reality is they yo-yoed a lot. They were bad in odd numbered years. In even numbered years they won more and made the playoffs sometimes. This is partly why their rebuild was elongated. Plus when it lasts that long, you might lose a couple of guys and do a re-set rebuild. This Montreal grebuild is a little different in that it’s a slog of several seasons in a row of picking top 10. So maybe they don’t lose an OReilly or Duchene for this reason? It’s interesting to see how it goes. They really need that high level C for it to be worth it though. It’s possible to win without it but it’s more difficult. And if you look at Carolina, they do a great job with that no elite/high level 1C but around playoff time, they always seem to max out like they’re a high floor low ceiling team.
One thing worth keeping in mind is that Anderson and Gallagher won’t be with the team forever. So that might facilitate keeping a Laine if it makes sense for them. But if they don’t get the type of high end players, they could end up being a high floor low ceiling team like Carolina. If I’m a Montreal fan, that’s my fear.
Such atrophy would likely be detected by all those really expensive doctors and equipment that these people get to use because they are rich, and an investment for other rich people.
BB79
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Yeah, they don't have to worry about their shitty insurance denying everything either
Like many fans in this city, youre being way too optimistic on this team this soon. That fact that Dach and Slaf are already slumping is just how rebuilds go. Dach may be bust in the end. It happens.
Then youre talking about a D core thats being rebuilt from scratch. Right now, the Habs D is possibly the worst in the league, an absolute trainwreck. Hence they are VERY early in the rebuild. And Dmen development take a lonnnnnng time, some dont hit their peaks until their late 20s or even 30. Good news so far is Guhle and Hutson I think are absolute homeruns, to say they got them 16th and 64th is insane. Then again, Guhle may be an often injured dman as hes already shown.
Reinbacher and Mailloux, jury is still out. Unfortunately Reinbacher is back to square one, and that hurts the rebuild a lot! Mailloux great offesively in Laval, but needs to develop his defensive game tremendously if hes going to help this team in the longrun, as he did look awful defensively in his few games here. Hes going to take a while I think.
Just that alone, the amount of time this young D core will need, is what you should base your expectations on. You absolutely dont win the Cup with young Dmen in their early to mid 20s (unless youre Cale Makar). Its takes Dmen with a ton of experience, and hope the coach has a great defensive system going as well. Thats how the recent Cup winners like FLA, COL, and VGK won. Great coaching, a great defensive system, along with key elite pieces.
so you actually believe his 6 consecutive injuries were just a series of bad luck coincidences? as I mentioned, it could also be him constantly putting himself in vulnerable situations as he did last September. Also being 6'5 probably doesnt help either. Being big doesnt get easier into your 30s.
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BB88
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I’m not a Montreal fan just saying them trading Laine would be idiotic
Whether you like it or not those players in the locker room look up to Laine and trading Laine would send the wrong message. Sorry guys we aren’t here trying to win.
Suzuki will be 26y next season and that move would mean Suzuki, Montreals 1C would be closer to 30 when they could start thinking about doing something. So might as well trade Suzuki this summer as well?
& your Dach point is exactly why they shouldn’t trade for Laine. Let’s trade more proven players for even more magic beans! Hurray
Dach is the worst 2C in the league and that’s the biggest problem Montreal needs to figure out moving forward in the forward group and now that doesn’t require extra tanking
Slaf- Suzuki- Caufield
Demidov- x- Laine and they’ll have a legit top6 for the next 5-7 years right there and zero players would be making superstar money allowing them to spend elsewhere
Also Laine- Demidov- Suzuki- Hutson has potential to be an elite pp group for Montreal for a very long time
Trading away Laine would be a massive FU to the fans and to the players. They’ve been star struck with them adding someone like Laine and then you turn around and trade him away when they should start winning games
Well if you want to be the next Buffalo go ahead and always try to run with more magic beans
Superstars make 12-14M today, in few years time 14-16M per year. In 2-3 years time how many better forwards are you going to be able to sign for less than Laine at 8.xM?
Variance. Occupational hazard that has met him a bit more often than others. Could as well spend next 10 years without injuries but not very likely in that job.
I'm not saying luck has anything to do with, for example, Rasmus Andersson taking a run at Laine and elbowing him in the head with 1 second in the clock when losing has nothing to do with variance either.
but so why take that chance? Wouldnt you rather invest in another big name UFA who isnt often injured, and at the right time? Every year theres someone, sometimes two or three, in that UFA crop that are just as good but a lot healthier.
First, they have the same job so they have the same job hazards. They could be injured the next day after signing the contract and never play a game. Many thought Eichel was a lost cause because of a persistant injury but look at him now.
I don't know what you think Laine's level is, but there definitely are not two or three players as UFA every year who are just as good. Players of his level don't generally see free agency.
He just scored his 11th hat trick in the NHL. He has missed a TON of time and opportunity, yet he has scored 11 hat tricks.
When you put that in context, Mikko Rantanen has 10.
He has been in the league longer, plays with MacK and Makar and has not had constant injury troubles.
Matthews has 13, hasn't had the injury troubles of Laine. Better opportunity and linemates.
So what is Laine's level, really?
4th fastest in hockey history to a 100 goals, while battling injuries.
I don't know what you think Laine's level is, but there definitely are not two or three players as UFA every year who are just as good. Players of his level don't generally see free agency.
He just scored his 11th hat trick in the NHL. He has missed a TON of time and opportunity, yet he has scored 11 hat tricks.
When you put that in context, Mikko Rantanen has 10.
He has been in the league longer, plays with MacK and Makar and has not had constant injury troubles.
Matthews has 13, hasn't had the injury troubles of Laine. Better opportunity and linemates.
So what is Laine's level, really?
4th fastest in hockey history to a 100 goals, while battling injuries.
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