Laine 11th career hatty vs BUF

[Voight]

6 goals in 6.5 games

The habs got paid to take him...

Six games..... let's see where he's at in a couple months before coming in with the mission accomplished banner.

 

[NotCommitted]

In the two 2017-2019 regular seasons, Laine scored 26 goals assisted by Wheeler. So about a third of his goals, despite how they didn't play on the same line 5v5. So yeah, maybe the reason why Jets fans said that Laine fans who thought Wheeler ignored Laine were hallucinating was because the evidence directly contradicts their hallucinating nonsense.

That was never up for debate, their whole PP setup in 2017-18 was based on Wheeler doing a cross-ice pass for a Laine one-timer. If someone now is claiming otherwise, they weren't watching the games or their memory is playing tricks on them. They were feasting on that PP for a year, but then all teams started taking away the Wheeler to Laine pass and the PP got a lot worse.

My biggest gripe with PPs so far Laine's whole career has been teams not utilizinbg the simple pass from point to Laine... barely never saw that Winnipeg and it was pretty rare in CBJ as well. They've done that a ton in Montreal and Laine is scoring, he has a good enough shot, he doesn't need a practically empty goal, it's enough to create a little bit of movement for the goalie and let Laine handle the rest.

 

[Marioesque]

My biggest gripe with PPs so far Laine's whole career has been teams not utilizinbg the simple pass from point to Laine... barely never saw that Winnipeg and it was pretty rare in CBJ as well. They've done that a ton in Montreal and Laine is scoring, he has a good enough shot, he doesn't need a practically empty goal, it's enough to create a little bit of movement for the goalie and let Laine handle the rest.

After Buff in Winnipeg it was a rare sight. In Columbus the PP is what Werenski makes of it and he likes to shoot a lot so Laine was really under utilized. And then they got JG who was used to running PP from Laine's office so they moved Laine to RD on the PP. Completely removing the onetimer option.

Habs seem to understand the assignment much better. The PP moves the puck well and forces openings, while Laine is a massive threat.

 

[VT]

Finally Laine has found a team where they realize he's a mostly just a PP cannon, and that's completely fine. Use his strengths and enjoy the goals.

See statistics. Despite injuries, he had more or the same number of 5v5 goals as Reinhart in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons. He played with Jenner and Roslovic as centers, with Peeke on defense in both seasons + Gudbranson and Bernie still on defense in 2022/23 (Werenski got injured after 13 games). Still, he had 1PPG and 0,945 PPG. How many would Matthews have had in those conditions?

He was making his teammates better.

I'm not counting the 2023/24 season, he only played 18 games, 14 of them after his concussion, although he gradually picked up his form, unfortunately he got injured again and then the NHLPA program.

We'll see when he starts skating normally, improves his stick work, etc. Right now, Buffalo is for him like a Stanley Cup winner for a health player. If I understand right, his 5v5 play was enough bad.

 

[VT]

He’s playing with the worst 2C in the league

& no that’s not just saying because it’s Laine both Dach and Slaf have been anchors this season

Laine isn’t an elite 5on5 player by no means but at 5on5 he’s being dragged down by his linemates and of course doesn’t help that he missed a full year of playing and the pre season

Are you saying this after seasons in Columbus? Who was this player? Jenner? Roslovic? Nyquist? Or Gaudreau, who made his stats worse while he made Johnny's better (JG has great chemistry with players like Tkachuk, played good with Marchenko too because he loved to pass to the net)? Maybe a great offensive defense led by Peeke because Werenski was often injured?

 

[Romang67]

He’s playing with the worst 2C in the league

& no that’s not just saying because it’s Laine both Dach and Slaf have been anchors this season

Laine isn’t an elite 5on5 player by no means but at 5on5 he’s being dragged down by his linemates and of course doesn’t help that he missed a full year of playing and the pre season

In 100 minutes of 5v5 play this season, Dach+Slafkovsky without Laine have an xGF% of almost 56%.

Hot take: the player that has managed to stay above 43% xGF% once in his past 6 seasons is the culprit, not the other two players on his line.

 

[elmaco]

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.

What if he scores 30 this year and 60 the next, do you still let him walk?

 

[Marioesque]

In 100 minutes of 5v5 play this season, Dach+Slafkovsky without Laine have an xGF% of almost 56%.

Hot take: the player that has managed to stay above 43% xGF% once in his past 6 seasons is the culprit, not the other two players on his line.

Hot take, watch the games. So you can see who loses the puck and causes goals against. You get a better idea that way.

 

[Legion34]

There were many hab fans on the boards poo poo the trade. You got blasted if you said it was a good idea

I mean they still kind of suck so isn’t that title correct?

 

[Romang67]

Hot take, watch the games. So you can see who loses the puck and causes goals against. You get a better idea that way.

I've had the displeasure of watching Laine try to play 5v5 hockey. And that was back when the results were less bad than they have been since he left Winnipeg.

People blamed his linemates back then too. In fact, some of the same people. The more things change, the more they stay the same, eh?

 

[Marioesque]

I've had the displeasure of watching Laine try to play 5v5 hockey. And that was back when the results were less bad than they have been since he left Winnipeg.

People blamed his linemates back then too. In fact, some of the same people. The more things change, the more they stay the same, eh?

In other words, you've seen Laine play years ago and that gives you enough insight to determine that Laine has been the problem in his current line in Montreal.

Don't be offended if I choose to trust my own eyes over your rather inspired analysis.

 

[Romang67]

In other words, you've seen Laine play years ago and that gives you enough insight to determine that Laine has been the problem in his current line in Montreal.

Don't be offended if I choose to trust my own eyes over your rather inspired analysis.

Oh, I'm not offended. People have trusted their eyes about Laine over those pesky stats for almost a decade now.