Laine has already 70% amount of assists than he had in the whole last season

[Plural]

Damn. Didn't know all you had to do was average 36 goals/season to be in the top 5 of the most important category in hockey... Thanks.

Well, if one thinks goal-scoring is the most important category, averaging 36 a year probably gets you close to top-5.

 

[Samcanadian]

Laine had 9 hits last night. I was in the building, and I've never seen him skate around with such bad intentions. He's a big boy and he's only going to get heavier. He is a power forward in the making.

 

[GoJetsGo55]

Well with that logic, Nylander is tier below based on last season.

Got em!

 

[Plural]

This is really cool to see

I think out of all the young talent in the league today, Laine was the hardest to get a read on. You know what guys like McDavid and even Matthews and such will give you, more or less.

I still feel as though Laine's ceiling is sky high - but his floor really really low. Such a big range. Would be nice to see him put together a good season. Not too long ago people were saying Laine ~ Matthews. I'd like to see Laine reach that level still.

He's the Jekyll/Hyde of hockey. I swear to you, when he's on he scores at will. I don't think I've ever seen goal-scoring look so easy. Sort of reminds me of Brett Hull but bit more flamboyant. If that makes sense.

But when he's off, it's like he's not even an NHL player. Okay, I might be going too strong, he still scored 30 while playing like dog shit most of the time. So I guess he's an NHL player. But it leaves so much to be desired for.

Laine is literally the only player I've ever watched who could score 20 goals or 60 goals a season and I wouldn't be surprised either way.

 

[GoJetsGo55]

Laine had 9 hits last night. I was in the building, and I've never seen him skate around with such bad intentions. He's a big boy and he's only going to get heavier. He is a power forward in the making.

Man when he got hit late there, I was worried. Turns out it just pissed him right the f*** off. It was one of the best games I've ever seen him play.

 

[Bond]

Good thing the Jets didn't trade him cheap.

 

[Plural]

Good thing the Jets didn't trade him cheap.

I doubt that was ever an option.

 

[Bond]

I doubt that was ever an option.

Yeah, probably just the media scouring for clicks

 

[Dache]

Damn. Didn't know all you had to do was average 36 goals/season to be in the top 5 of the most important category in hockey... Thanks.

I’ve been told Matthews is one of the top 2 and he averages 37 a year. So I guess it makes sense

 

[Matti_A]

It's far too early in the season to jump to any sort of conclusions but I will say through five games this probably is the most complete hockey I've seen from Laine in the NHL. Points or no points he looks engaged out there in every facet of the game.

A few random thoughts:

a) Whether you like it or not what the poster Chimp pointed out earlier in this thread is kind of true. Most of Laine's assist so far have been of the anonymous variety. Watching the play live at least 3 or 4 you had no idea he actually got an assist. Last night they also gave one of Neal Pionk's assists to Laine for some reason.

b) In the five games he's also set up glorious chances for teammates with beautiful passes but they haven't been able to capitalize on them. I believe he got robbed of an assist in Pittsburgh on an offside review. So even though I know it doesn't work that way you could say he's "earned" the 7 assists this season.

c) Laine has always been an underrated passer. Almost every game I marvel at 1 or 2 perfectly timed small passing plays that he is able to execute in traffic or situations where you think he has no room to make any play.

d) Laine still needs to prove he can do this consistently, again it's only five games. It would not shock me to see him back on the second line if he has a 4 game cold streak and maybe he reverts back to what we saw last season.

e) I hope he get's his goal scoring going, he's had a lot of missed chances on the powerplay.

f) I have never liked the injury excuse. I believe last season was him sulking plain and simple, because he didn't get the role he thought he should have had.

 

[RageQuit77]

Laine have had all apps, accessories and tools in his folder of system administration.

What's have been lacking, is the system stability i.e. continuously and timely made updates to his central processing unit and operating system.

With Patrik its always been a question of "max headroom". As @Plural fittingly noted above, practically nothing won't surprise anymore when it comes to Patrik.

If he score 65, oh, that was expected. If he blunders with 45 points season, ah ok, black tides in mind this year. I wouldn't be even surprised if someday witnessing aggressive powerforward enforcer penalty-king in his shape.

In essence, he is all-around baggage , but different facets of it doesn't usually show same time, and if they do, that haven't been long lasting. Hopefully that change.

 

[Psych0dad]

Consistency comes with playing in a line with a good center. He has been consistently good with anyone not named Little and bad with Little.

So just don't put him in with Little and the consistency issues are over. If they had a coach worth his salt, he would have NEVER tried that line or abandoned it after 5 games when it was clear they are totally different players and can't figure each other out.

That's the only thing Laine really needed for success, the level has been there the whole time. Physically he has been improving all the time. The reason why he doesn't have 50 goal seasons and a calder, is entirely Maurice.

And from now on, he will highlight that fact.

 

[MrThomas]

Laine should always go to Switzerland for training camp!

I also think he was just trolling last year. November is his real level.

 

[MrThomas]

We're in year 4 and Auston is still on a higher level than Laine. I would say Laine is in the Marner tier, but after his horrid season I'd put him in the Nylander/Ehlers category until he shows improvement over a full season.

First of all Marner is at least as good or even better than Mathews.

Second of all Laine wasn't himself last year eccept the november. You don't know what he was going through. Now you can see his real level and im not even surprised if he is going to be better than Mathews.

 

[Tage2Tuch]

I don’t have understand all the “he’s finally with good players” stuff.

He scores most of his goals (best to focus on that then assist considering thread title though it’s an impressive star) he scores most of his goals consistently
On the powerplay which is always with Scheifele and wheeler so he’s always being set up by wheeler, Scheifele two PPG players when he was inconsistent. (Still could be as it’s only like 5 games) it’s a good start but I saw how the guy dominates and then stops too many times to read into it anything more. Not throwing shade because that is true, he scored 18 goals in a month last year for crying out loud, the jets have always had an impressive offense.

It’s good to see he’s improved his all around game.

I think when people see him do good things they jump out At you more due to the big
Picture comments about how he’s a liability, etc. These weren’t hot takes, or shade throwing these were all facts backed up by numbers and eye test last year.

I’ve been fooled by him too many times to say he’s now going back to 70 Pts, etc.

But I think the truth about Laine always say in the middle of what the bad things said about him were and the great things said about him were.

 

[kylbaz]

First of all Marner is at least as good or even better than Mathews.

Second of all Laine wasn't himself last year eccept the november. You don't know what he was going through. Now you can see his real level and im not even surprised if he is going to be better than Mathews.

I hate Matthews but he's an amazing player. This board is a joke. Before the season everyone was saying trade Laine or that he's garbage, now five good games in he's a generational player again. If he goals scoreless in his next five we'll be hearing about how lazy and terrible he is again. We saw his 'real level' when he went on a tear last year as well, then he also disappeared at times.

I said this before though, Laine had a great playoff last year but didn't get much credit for it since St Louis eliminated us. He was probably our most physical player, created great scoring chances and was skating out there. For some reason everyone seems to forget how well he played.

 

[Lempo]

I hate Matthews but he's an amazing player. This board is a joke. Before the season everyone was saying trade Laine or that he's garbage, now five good games in he's a generational player again. If he goals scoreless in his next five we'll be hearing about how lazy and terrible he is again. We saw his 'real level' when he went on a tear last year as well, then he also disappeared at times.

I said this before though, Laine had a great playoff last year but didn't get much credit for it since St Louis eliminated us. He was probably our most physical player, created great scoring chances and was skating out there. For some reason everyone seems to forget how well he played.

He's such a boom-bust prospect.

 

[kylbaz]

He's such a boom-bust prospect.

He is and I think that's why agreeing on a contract was so hard. He sees himself as the best of the best but hasn't been consistent with it to earn that type of contract.
The good is at his worst he's a 30 goal/year scorer, but also a defensive and team liability. At his best, I think it's safe to say he's a 50 goal/year scorer.

 

[MrThomas]

I hate Matthews but he's an amazing player. This board is a joke. Before the season everyone was saying trade Laine or that he's garbage, now five good games in he's a generational player again. If he goals scoreless in his next five we'll be hearing about how lazy and terrible he is again. We saw his 'real level' when he went on a tear last year as well, then he also disappeared at times.

I said this before though, Laine had a great playoff last year but didn't get much credit for it since St Louis eliminated us. He was probably our most physical player, created great scoring chances and was skating out there. For some reason everyone seems to forget how well he played.

Yeah true but I really need to say one thing. Last november we didn't even see his real level. Even he scored like 18 goals he was still playing not that good. Crazy, huh? The potential is huge. Now he is playing much better than last november.

He is now 21, more mature and now he can use his body much better than before. Before last season he was just gaining muscles and thats why he was very slow. It was like investment, now the muscles are there and you can also train the speed and other things. If he is just playing the same way than he has been played the last 5 games, he will be scoring crazy. He hasn't even get power play goals yet.

 

[NotCommitted]

If he plays with this usage and effort, he'll rack up lucky points even when cold and tear it up like before and better when hot. I just hope he stays healthy, a full bounceback season would be nice.

I doubt he'll keep pacing for 160 points or whatever, but anything between 70 and 120 wouldn't surprise me. 82 games is a long time to keep up that intensity level no matter how hard you try. I'm sure being "the guy", or one of, in a succesful team would help and being in contention for some personal hardware shouldn't hurt either.

 

[Psych0dad]

I don’t have understand all the “he’s finally with good players” stuff.

He scores most of his goals (best to focus on that then assist considering thread title though it’s an impressive star) he scores most of his goals consistently
On the powerplay which is always with Scheifele and wheeler so he’s always being set up by wheeler, Scheifele two PPG players when he was inconsistent. (Still could be as it’s only like 5 games) it’s a good start but I saw how the guy dominates and then stops too many times to read into it anything more. Not throwing shade because that is true, he scored 18 goals in a month last year for crying out loud, the jets have always had an impressive offense.

It’s good to see he’s improved his all around game.

I think when people see him do good things they jump out At you more due to the big
Picture comments about how he’s a liability, etc. These weren’t hot takes, or shade throwing these were all facts backed up by numbers and eye test last year.

I’ve been fooled by him too many times to say he’s now going back to 70 Pts, etc.

But I think the truth about Laine always say in the middle of what the bad things said about him were and the great things said about him were.

He had major issues trying to score 5 on 5 WITH LITTLE. He has had no problem scoring 5 on 5 with other centers. So even if you "don't get" the argument, it's real one.

When Laine is utilized with a proper center, he will score on even strength and PP. When he is with Little, he mainly only scores on PP because there is no chemistry between them and when Laine plays with Little he is forced into a defensive role, not an offensive one. With Stastny and Scheifele he played a different role with entirely different results.

Laines real level is what he did with Scheifele in 16-17 and what he did with Stastny in 17-18. And now again doing with Scheifele.

 

[Nosferatu]

Couple of nice goals and a few good nice assists but that doesnt make a super star

 

[Psych0dad]

Couple of nice goals and a few good nice assists but that doesnt make a super star

Leads the league in points, assists and +/-. If those don't make a superstar then there are zero superstars in the league currently.

On top of 4 points he had 8 hits last night. How many did your superstar have?

 

[Ossific]

Couple of nice goals and a few good nice assists but that doesnt make a super star

I think scoring 113 goals in 242 makes you a superstar.

 

[RageQuit77]

This is not particularly thread-relevant comment but I must hastily and pre-emptively block the future potential comments about Laine as PP-specialist as that isn't true, especially production-wise. People can check stats themselves, and note that his PP/G production was relatively highest in his career last season: 15 out of 30, career trend going 'worse' every season (worse meaning more PPGs relative to total or even strength goal scoring).

Mentioning this persistent misconception about Laine because it won't likely take too long people accuse him being bad in PP if his recent trend continues much further.

If anything, career-wise we can justly accuse him not being enough good PP-specialist relative to his tools, PP-lineups, and given opportunities.

/Prophylatics