TSN: Laine cleared to return from Player Assistance Program

[Mulletman]

Can you do more wrestling analogys ? Like who would chef and wheeler be in this scenario ?

Well the most fitting would probably be the Iron Sheik and Bob Backlund as they were the top guys when Hogan started to heat up. Backlund didn't want to put Hogan over and the Iron Sheik was offered 100 000 to break Hogan's leg. In the NHL version they actually broke Laine and he never took off like Hogan in the 80s. Laine's NHL career is like if Hogan only made it to Madison Square Garden in 1984 but never won the title and then became a career midcarder after that.

 

[Mulletman]

Columbus doesn't need to get rid of Laine. They are not exactly contending right now, they don't need the capspace. Laine has proven that he will not quit on a team, even if both parties are looking for a divorce.

If Wadell is just offered scraps by other teams, it makes sense to let Laine start the season with CBJ and build up his value.

Well the fact that Columbus doesn't need the cap space is why they can retain. Hell retain even up to 7+ million if you have to and I'm sure Wadell will get an offer even he would like. Keeping Laine in a place were he doesn't want to be with teammates that know he wants out will never work. Laine won't be able to play to his highest potential and you know that some of the guys won't want to help Laine either when they know he doesn't want to be part of the team. Trade him now so he can have full training camp with his new team!

 

[Mulletman]

And can you find me a setup guy for Laine in Columbus? Because Voráček and Gaudreau were the only ones. And Laine played worse with those guys than he did with Jenner, Nyquist or Chinakhov. Still, he had excellent overall stats. That's just on the topic of "How Laine needs a setup guys."

Well sometimes things don't work out. Hull and Gretzky wasn't any good and Thornton wasn't able to elevate Dany Heatly. The fact of the matter is that Scheifele and Wheeler have been by far the best setup guys Laine has played with. Aho in Carolina or Marner in Toronto would most likely be the best fit for Laine right now.

 

[cotopaxi]

I've seen all of them many times. I don't see that the shooting has gotten worse but he has not had many stretches of being healthy and in a stable line situation, or a winning team. The skill is there, just not been shown as much.

Those things other than health have nothing to do with shooting technique, for example how quick his release is/was. Linemates and team definitely factor in on how often you get to use your shot but again, these are two different things. If you've seen all of them and think his release for example is as quick and explosive as it was back in WPG, then you're either not looking at it very neutrally or need new glasses.

 

[Farmboy Patty]

I'm not saying he's not an excellent shooter or goal scorer, I'm just saying that his shot is not as good as it used to be.
Take a look at e.g. Laine's 17/18 goals. He's amazingly smooth with his shot, and he gets crazy power with deadly accuracy without having to put a lot of effort on it. His release is noticeably quicker compared to your 22/23 video.



Also what is noticeable is that he scores his goals a lot closer to the net than how he was able to score in 17/18, where he could just snipe the puck while basically standing still from way behind the circles. Now he has to get a lot closer to the net to score because he just can't shoot the puck anymore like he did before.

If you compare the one timers in both videos, the most recent one has most of them as a result of a really good pass, where there's basically an empty net to shoot at. 17/18 there's a whole bunch of them as well, but then there are some that were just a display of the best shot in hockey at that time, where his onetimer is just impossible to stop, for example this one at 4:15. He just doesn't get a shot like this off anymore.



If you still think his shot is as good as it used to be, I'm sorry to say but you are wrong.

I think that he plats with a stoffer flex than he dis when coming into the League, which is a trade off for stronger board play and stick battles.

I personally would prefer him to play with a whip pier stick like he used to and be more focused/utilized on shooting and scoring in the way that few players can.

Good coaching and line building with getting the best result on the scoreboard is all that matters. Specialist players can be game breakers and IMO that kind of players should be allowed to maximize their potential, be it offensive or defensive players. Just make the lines work/balanced and you get the most out the team.

 

[cotopaxi]

I think that he plats with a stoffer flex than he dis when coming into the League, which is a trade off for stronger board play and stick battles.

I personally would prefer him to play with a whip pier stick like he used to and be more focused/utilized on shooting and scoring in the way that few players can.

Good coaching and line building with getting the best result on the scoreboard is all that matters. Specialist players can be game breakers and IMO that kind of players should be allowed to maximize their potential, be it offensive or defensive players. Just make the lines work/balanced and you get the most out the team.

Good point, it does seem like it. 100% agree with the rest of your post as well.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Seems like the GM's who may be interested are not that desperate.... it's been a while since he was cleared from the assistance program.

Jackets will have to decide to take the best offer or to start him with the team and try trading him during the season. Will the value go up or down and will it become a distraction.... That's the Jackets dilemma to decide on.

Pretty sure Hughes/Habs is interested but no idea what his trade angle is. You can clearly see the trend of teams protecting the cap space. Available cap space is very valuable

 

[SteelCityCannon]

Seems like the GM's who may be interested are not that desperate.... it's been a while since he was cleared from the assistance program.

Jackets will have to decide to take the best offer or to start him with the team and try trading him during the season. Will the value go up or down and will it become a distraction.... That's the Jackets dilemma to decide on.

Pretty sure Hughes/Habs is interested but no idea what his trade angle is. You can clearly see the trend of teams protecting the cap space. Available cap space is very valuable

Could be, this is also the quietest time in the league year in general. I'm hoping we roll the dice and hang onto him anyways so we'll see.

 

[VT]

Well sometimes things don't work out. Hull and Gretzky wasn't any good and Thornton wasn't able to elevate Dany Heatly. The fact of the matter is that Scheifele and Wheeler have been by far the best setup guys Laine has played with. Aho in Carolina or Marner in Toronto would most likely be the best fit for Laine right now.

Laine needs to be healthy. If he is, he'll get minimum of 1PPG even in the line with Sean Kuraly and Mathieu Olivier. And that's no joke. He played one period with Olivier last season and they had very good chemistry.

 

[tkb81]

Laine needs to be healthy. If he is, he'll get minimum of 1PPG even in the line with Sean Kuraly and Mathieu Olivier. And that's no joke. He played one period with Olivier last season and they had very good chemistry.

So he's going to become a player he never was? Ppg is a reach for sure

 

[Mulletman]

Laine needs to be healthy. If he is, he'll get minimum of 1PPG even in the line with Sean Kuraly and Mathieu Olivier. And that's no joke. He played one period with Olivier last season and they had very good chemistry.

Dude there have been exactly 2 times that a player has scored 82 points or more in Columbus Blue Jackets history, 2 times!! Nobody scores in Columbus. It's the worst team by far to be on if you want to score!

 

[CBJx614]

So he's going to become a player he never was? Ppg is a reach for sure

Dude there have been exactly 2 times that a player has scored 82 points or more in Columbus Blue Jackets history, 2 times!! Nobody scores in Columbus. It's the worst team by far to be on if you want to score!

You know you can score at a PPG pace and not score 82 points right? His last two healthiest seasons in Columbus he scored 56 points in 56 games (a literal PPG pace) and 52 in 55 (just under a PPG pace)

When you take out his two least healthy seasons when he couldn't even play half of a seasons worth of games because he was in and out of the lineup with injuries, he produces at something around a .80 PPG pace over his career.

 

[Marioesque]

With so many injuries, there's always that recovery time when coming back, when a player is not in full game readiness but still has to play to get that touch back. He's had a lot of those games in his game totals. Most of us noticed he was rushed back after last injury and for the first 4 or so games he looked not great. Many discussed he should sit until fully healthy. Then he started getting back towards normal and then of course sidelined with injury again like in the 6th game.

It's not as simple to keep a PPG pace in such scenario, as it would be if you played from the start to end of season without issues.

 

[TS Quint]

You know you can score at a PPG pace and not score 82 points right? His last two healthiest seasons in Columbus he scored 56 points in 56 games (a literal PPG pace) and 52 in 55 (just under a PPG pace)

When you take out his two least healthy seasons when he couldn't even play half of a seasons worth of games because he was in and out of the lineup with injuries, he produces at something around a .80 PPG pace over his career.

That's why the best ability is availABILITY. His poor conditioning won't allow him that.

PPG isn't real. Those points don't count. Being injured or not playing for any reason matters especially for guys like Laine where it's a constant issue. At the end of the day you contribute what you contribute. You don't get any points on IR.

 

[Marioesque]

That's why the best ability is availABILITY. His poor conditioning won't allow him that.

Ah, with better conditioning you will avoid concussions when someone jumps at you with an extended elbow? Tell me more doctor

Your "poor conditioning" argument is baseless. It's just a thing you repeat and hope to stick.

 

[TS Quint]

Ah, with better conditioning you will avoid concussions when someone jumps at you with an extended elbow? Tell me more doctor

Your "poor conditioning" argument is baseless. It's just a thing you repeat and hope to stick.

Yep. If you are faster, stronger you give yourself more time to adjust and more time to deal with the physical game. As well as just being better at hockey, ice awareness and skating with your head up.

It's not an accident that bad things keep happening when it keeps repeating. It's not just bad luck.

 

[Marioesque]

It's not an accident that bad things keep happening when it keeps repeating. It's not just bad luck.

There is no luck. It's variance.

If you're into magical thinking, I'm sure your analysis sounds legit. If I used the same "logic", I could argue that Laine has used up all his bad luck and it's going to be all smooth sailing from here on out because the odds are in his favor so much. Clearly faulty logic, but doesn't stop you does it?

It's just based on your baseless feeling that Laine is not fit, and that lack of fitness is causing concussions and bone breaks or whatever. It's ridiculous on it's face but I do realize that a lot of people think this is proper logic.

"Eric Lindros was just bad at hockey and not physically fit". Sound about right?

The guy who has the most consecutive games in NHL history must be the most fit athlete of them all by this logic. Behold.

 

[CBJx614]

That's why the best ability is availABILITY. His poor conditioning won't allow him that.

PPG isn't real. Those points don't count. Being injured or not playing for any reason matters especially for guys like Laine where it's a constant issue. At the end of the day you contribute what you contribute. You don't get any points on IR.

Whatever you say bud.


Tell that to his agent and GMs around the league. For the millionth time, he didn't get paid 8.7M because Jarmo felt generous and wanted to splurge and pay him whatever he wanted, he got paid 8.7M because when he's healthy and on the ice he produces around a .8 PPG pace.

The general going rate in the NHL before the dap started rising was about 1M per 10 points scored (give or take considering other factors)

Players are only going to start getting paid more for producing less if the cap continues to rise.

 

[Baksfamous112]

Whatever you say bud.


Tell that to his agent and GMs around the league. For the millionth time, he didn't get paid 8.7M because Jarmo felt generous and wanted to splurge and pay him whatever he wanted, he got paid 8.7M because when he's healthy and on the ice he produces around a .8 PPG pace.

The general going rate in the NHL before the dap started rising was about 1M per 10 points scored (give or take considering other factors)

Players are only going to start getting paid more for producing less if the cap continues to rise.

Yeah and how is that working out right now his 8.7M contract? It's the sole reason he hasn't been traded yet.

 

[Marioesque]

Yeah and how is that working out right now his 8.7M contract? It's the sole reason he hasn't been traded yet.

I'm not sure but there's likely insurance that helps cover some of the missed time for CBJ.
When he's playing healthy he's worth the money.

 

[TS Quint]

There is no luck. It's variance.

If you're into magical thinking, I'm sure your analysis sounds legit. If I used the same "logic", I could argue that Laine has used up all his bad luck and it's going to be all smooth sailing from here on out because the odds are in his favor so much. Clearly faulty logic, but doesn't stop you does it?

It's just based on your baseless feeling that Laine is not fit, and that lack of fitness is causing concussions and bone breaks or whatever. It's ridiculous on it's face but I do realize that a lot of people think this is proper logic.

"Eric Lindros was just bad at hockey and not physically fit". Sound about right?

The guy who has the most consecutive games in NHL history must be the most fit athlete of them all by this logic. Behold.

You must be completely dumbfounded that this guy has zero value. Not even worth a phone call from 31 teams.

Whatever you say bud.


Tell that to his agent and GMs around the league. For the millionth time, he didn't get paid 8.7M because Jarmo felt generous and wanted to splurge and pay him whatever he wanted, he got paid 8.7M because when he's healthy and on the ice he produces around a .8 PPG pace.

The general going rate in the NHL before the dap started rising was about 1M per 10 points scored (give or take considering other factors)

Players are only going to start getting paid more for producing less if the cap continues to rise.

He's worthless. DW has been panhadling him in the media and 31 teams thought he wasn't worth a phone call. The NHL has spoken.

 

[Marioesque]

You must be completely dumbfounded that this guy has zero value. Not even worth a phone call from 31 teams.


He's worthless. DW has been panhadling him in the media and 31 teams thought he want worth a phone call. The NHL has spoken.

I don't have any insider information of what the discussions have been like and what the value is perceived as from either side. There's been lots of reported interest. That's all I know, that's publicly available information.

You don't seem to know even that, so why are you talking?

 

[TS Quint]

I don't have any insider information of what the discussions have been like and what the value is perceived as from either side. There's been lots of reported interest. That's all I know, that's publicly available information.

You don't seem to know even that, so why are you talking?

Link

I'll start:

https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-rumor-roundup-latest-on-patrik-laine-and-brock-nelson-

Just a tire kick from the Wild and a bunch of cold water for the click baiters here.

 

[Marioesque]

Link

https://x.com/i/web/status/1823743143180656994

 

[Baksfamous112]

I'm not sure but there's likely insurance that helps cover some of the missed time for CBJ.
When he's playing healthy he's worth the money.

A point can be made that even healthy he isn’t worth his 8.7M/year. He’s a very expensive complimentary piece - meaning he isn’t a line driver.

Any winger that isn’t a line driver shouldn’t sniff close to 9M/year even when healthy. Those contracts should be given to top pairing D, top pairing C’s and line driver wingers.