Presser with Patty.
Wish someone would have asked about the Florida practice jersey for shits and giggles
To be fair, he was driving a car (you can hear signal lights going on and off at times), so maybe better to have only audio in that case.It's pity Zoom, Skype etc don't work in Finland.
That's like a $1.3 million discount.
Maybe I'm jumping the gun but I'm so sold on the idea of Gaudreau and Laine as a duo that it's washed away all concerns I have about just how good Laine is. I know it isn't reasonable to trust a pairing that hasn't even met eachother in person yet, let alone practiced together but I just can't see it failing. Gaudreau is just that good and he's made players far worse than Laine look good. To me the biggest worry with the forwards is what the next lines look like without the stability Bjorkstrand brings.Wasn't sure which thread this should go in because I'm sorting through my thoughts around all of what's happened personnel-wise this offseason. But I think this is the most appropriate spot because I think Laine is the crux of the matter. Also, I think I've got some clarity the more I hear local media recap everything.
That recap focuses on the idea that Gaudreau and Laine (and maybe, someday soon, KJ, plus a guy like Voracek) give the Jackets elite scoring, which is an important aspect on building a roster that can compete for whatever. That may well prove out, but I think my hesitancy to embrace the elation over this new "elite"-ness is my feeling about Patrik.
I know there's data to show one thing or another, and I am not concerned about him as a human being. I just haven't been convinced with my eyes and brain that he's a dominant, game-breaking talent. I just feel like his (on-ice) reputation outweighs what I actually see him bring/contribute.
I'm happy to be wrong. I'm prepared to embrace him as a talent and a personality. But he just fallen short for me thus far.
And so, I wonder about his contract, which seems like a near-elite kind of scenario and I'm not feeling it. And I wonder about Bjorkstrand, about who I feel confident in what I'm getting (especially for the cost) and in whom I was vested as a fan on a couple levels.
That's where I'm at.
I get this but…Maybe I'm jumping the gun but I'm so sold on the idea of Gaudreau and Laine as a duo that it's washed away all concerns I have about just how good Laine is. I know it isn't reasonable to trust a pairing that hasn't even met eachother in person yet, let alone practiced together but I just can't see it failing. Gaudreau is just that good and he's made players far worse than Laine look good. To me the biggest worry with the forwards is what the next lines look like without the stability Bjorkstrand brings.
Wasn't sure which thread this should go in because I'm sorting through my thoughts around all of what's happened personnel-wise this offseason. But I think this is the most appropriate spot because I think Laine is the crux of the matter. Also, I think I've got some clarity the more I hear local media recap everything.
That recap focuses on the idea that Gaudreau and Laine (and maybe, someday soon, KJ, plus a guy like Voracvek) give the Jackets elite scoring, which is an important aspect on building a roster that can compete for whatever. That may well prove out, but I think my hesitancy to embrace the elation over this new "elite"-ness is my feeling about Patrik.
I know there's data to chow one thing or another, and I am not concerned about him as a human being. I just haven't quote been convinced with me eyes and brain that he's a dominant, game-breaking talent. I just feel like his (on-ice) reputation outweighs what I actually see him bring/contribute.
I'm happy to be wrong. I'm prepared to embrace him as a talent and a personality. But he just fallen short for me thus far.
And so, I wonder about his contract, which seems like a near-elite kind of scenario and I'm not feeling it. And I wonder about Bjorkstrand, about who I feel confident in what I'm getting (especially for the cost) and in whom I was vested as a fan on a couple levels.
That's where I'm at.
I get this but…
Why is Laine a guy who Gaudreau will make look good? Why can’t he just look good all on his own? If Laine has made worse players than Laine look good, couldn’t we just play him with a guy who’s worse than Laine and makes less money?
I can appreciate all of this. Thanks for your thoughtful post.This is completely understandable. I don't know how much you have seen him throughout his career but if the first CBJ year was your first exposure, that would leave a man doubting for a long while.
Good thing here is that he has the opportunity to show it to you now. I think he was good last season, especially considering the injuries and personal loss. He made a difference on the ice for the positive, unfortunately he only player under 60 games. It was a broken season and the ending was flat because team was out of playoffs and Laine had injuries to end the season too. It is a real concern how healthy he will be over his career.
Some of us have seen him play with another great player on the line, so we have expectations that it will go very well because that's how it has played out before. Just not very often has he had the opportunity but he has used it when it has been there. With Aho and with Scheifele, some games with Barkov. The special talent that he can bring can shine better when he's not the only focus of the defense. And this is what Gaudreau will bring. He'll enable Laine to use his best asset more and this combination of talent should prove very potent as in one of the best duos in the league.
@Double-Shift Lasse Not all elite scorers are best as line drivers. Doesn’t mean they couldn’t/shouldn’t be paid the premium.
Laine can drive a line. But I think if you want to get the best out of the situation overall you have him play with other elite player/s. I think it’s better for the Leafs as well to have Matthews play with the elite playmaker Marner and not just two semi-good players.
I understand your concern as you got to used to abysmal 20-21 CBJ Laine (omitting that 1 fantastic game as a Jet before an injury). As that was the baseline, I can also get that the stellar 21-22 performance (1.00PPG difference maker on a team with the next best having only 0.78PPG) was not enough to convince you he really is the elite talent he was projected to be since 16-17, regardless some seasons crippled with injuries.Wasn't sure which thread this should go in because I'm sorting through my thoughts around all of what's happened personnel-wise this offseason. But I think this is the most appropriate spot because I think Laine is the crux of the matter. Also, I think I've got some clarity the more I hear local media recap everything.
That recap focuses on the idea that Gaudreau and Laine (and maybe, someday soon, KJ, plus a guy like Voracek) give the Jackets elite scoring, which is an important aspect on building a roster that can compete for whatever. That may well prove out, but I think my hesitancy to embrace the elation over this new "elite"-ness is my feeling about Patrik.
I know there's data to show one thing or another, and I am not concerned about him as a human being. I just haven't been convinced with my eyes and brain that he's a dominant, game-breaking talent. I just feel like his (on-ice) reputation outweighs what I actually see him bring/contribute.
I'm happy to be wrong. I'm prepared to embrace him as a talent and a personality. But he just fallen short for me thus far.
And so, I wonder about his contract, which seems like a near-elite kind of scenario and I'm not feeling it. And I wonder about Bjorkstrand, about who I feel confident in what I'm getting (especially for the cost) and in whom I was vested as a fan on a couple levels.
That's where I'm at.