Then I guess that's your own perception that's at fault here, because his focus is at Laine being good and he doesn't even hint towards anything stylistic.
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Then I guess that's your own perception that's at fault here, because his focus is at Laine being good and he doesn't even hint towards anything stylistic.
Gsus
MVP
"He's like young Mario Lemieux" makes a strong case for the comparison at least partly being stylistic.
The Winter Soldier
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- Apr 4, 2011
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Good of you to note this. He did this once earlier in the year when a teammate was hit. By flattening the player with a clean body check
You need playerss like this to win championships. Team > individual.
I don't think it is a coincidence why winning follows him around. He also has produced at key moments in games that he almost singlehandedly won. The Leafs game comes to mind.
The simple truth is you look to draft players like this to win championships. He already has a proven pedigree for this with the Kurri award from Liiga.
Everybody knows that becoming as good as Lemieux is near impossible and we probably never see a pure talent like him never again in the game.
But it is not a coincidence that so many people bring up Lemieux when talking about Laine.
Plural
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It's definitely not a coincidence. It's a stylist comparison. Which you tried to twist to mean Laine=Lemieux. That's superbly lame. Laine doesn't need overtly zealous fanboys making up stuff about him. He's good enough to prove his game by himself.
My 2 cents on Laine/Lemieux comparison...
It's not bad. How many players have the vision, scoring ability, and motivation to be the best all wrapped up in a huge frame? From what I've seen he's the closest comparable to Lemieux since Jagr.
That said he has a long way to go before anyone takes this comparison seriously. Although his shot and ability to lay huge bodychecks is already ahead of Lemieux, every other skillset is significantly less. So we'll need to wait and see how he grows his game.
It's not bad. How many players have the vision, scoring ability, and motivation to be the best all wrapped up in a huge frame? From what I've seen he's the closest comparable to Lemieux since Jagr.
That said he has a long way to go before anyone takes this comparison seriously. Although his shot and ability to lay huge bodychecks is already ahead of Lemieux, every other skillset is significantly less. So we'll need to wait and see how he grows his game.
ItchyScratchy77
Registered User
He likely will not score even close to Teemu's 76 as a few of us had joked about before the season started (although obv. not impossible). But I will say in 4 years from now, when Laine is the same age as Selanne was his rookie season, 76 is quite feasible.
My expectations were quite substantial for Laine this rookie season and I am shocked and delighted to say he has exceeded those expectations.
My expectations were quite substantial for Laine this rookie season and I am shocked and delighted to say he has exceeded those expectations.
Plural
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I don't know. Scoring needs to go way up for Laine to hit those marks. Only Ovechkin is capable of scoring 50 these days. Laine has high ceiling, but it's not Ovechkin+25 goals high.
Artaud
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Come on... In this era, very few players get 76 points in a season, let alone 76 goals.
The only reason that is the case is because of the preception that "no one would compare him to Lemieux in skill because of how good Lemieux was".
Just going by the quote in a vacuum, the focus is on how good Laine is, not the style. He mentions how good Laine is before and after the "like Lemieux" part.
BondraTime
Registered User
76 is never quite feasible.
I mean, it's been done by a total of 6 players, 7 times, in the NHL's 100+ year history. At a time where 130 points was not out of the norm.
ItchyScratchy77
Registered User
That's your opinion and I'm respectful to it. Saying that, Ovi was 20 for his entire rookie season. Someone eventually will come out of the wood works who is capable of putting up superior numbers to Ovi. Could that player be Laine? Yup. 76 goals in today's hockey sounds admittedly crazy. But hockey is evolving. Smaller pads and faster play will increase goal production. I would love an era where there are multiple 50 goal scorer and multiple 100 point scorers once again.
Plural
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It's just personal interpretation and can be viewed both ways. I read it as stylistic comparison more than Laine being equal in terms of talent.
Nevertheless, it doesn't matter one bit. We should stop talking about Lemieux (and other comparisons) and let Laine make his own legacy. Not mimic some other player.
Plural
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I'd love that too. Laine has the potential to be the best goal-scorer in the league. Right now it means 50-55 (maybe 60 in a massive career year) goals in a season. But seeing how he scores on so many different ways, I wouldn't be shocked to see Laine reaching Ovechkin's highest number, 65ish. That's probably going to need bit of increase in scoring too, but nothing too massive.
But this is all getting ahead of time. Let's just enjoy his rookie season.
It can be. Normal expectations and limitations do not necessarily apply to generational talents like this.
We just have to wait and see.
WTF are you talking about
You can start by watching Viasat weekly show where they said that they believe Laine becomes as good as Lemieux. Don't call me on bs when you really have no idea what you are talking about.
Anyways aren't the stylistic comparisons made to project where the player ends up. Laine really doesn't even play the same style as Lemieux did. There are a lot player whose style (especially in juniors as 'nobody' can mimic Lemieux style in NHL ) resembles more of Lemieux than Laines playstyle but you don't hear Lemieux name brought up as their comparison.
Gsus
MVP
The 65 goal Ovy or 50 goal Ovy? It would mean 75 and 90 goals as the ceiling. So the 90 goals would be almost double Ovy scores in todays game. You do realize that?
I'm okay with the 65 as his absolute ceiling. It's a whole lot of goals.
Btw sometimes I feel like ijuka and kunekune are the same person
Never seen them quote each other yet.
ItchyScratchy77
Registered User
I'd love that too. Laine has the potential to be the best goal-scorer in the league. Right now it means 50-55 (maybe 60 in a massive career year) goals in a season. But seeing how he scores on so many different ways, I wouldn't be shocked to see Laine reaching Ovechkin's highest number, 65ish. That's probably going to need bit of increase in scoring too, but nothing too massive.
But this is all getting ahead of time. Let's just enjoy his rookie season.
Oh I am! I usually sell my mon, tues, wed games. I'm sure glad I decided to not sell last nights game. I've watched both his hatty's in person. The excitement in the MTSC escalates quickly when he has the puck. Really reminds me of the beginning to Selanne's rookie season. Great for hockey in my opinion. The Laine's, Matthew's and McDavid's of the league are going to make for years of incredible hockey. And they're all on Canadian teams!
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Plural
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Well, most call Ovechkin a generational goal-scorer. But I agree, let's wait and see. Laine has proved me wrong every single time I've tried to hamper my expectations. So if I say he's not going to score 76 goals or more in his best season, that's probably the exact thing he's going to do.
Plural
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Sounds awesome. And I agree, great rookies. I think it's about time for me to freshen up my live NHL experience. Last time was Selanne's last regular season game against the Avs. Maybe a nice trip to Florida when you guys play Panthers and Lightning. Would love to get to see the Jets and Laine in action. And plane tickets to Florida are pretty cheap now.
Well, most call Ovechkin a generational goal-scorer. But I agree, let's wait and see. Laine has proved me wrong every single time I've tried to hamper my expectations. So if I say he's not going to score 76 goals or more in his best season, that's probably the exact thing he's going to do.
Please.. i dare to you say it.. Please. Please
Laine will likely have to score somewhere around 4 goals every 5 games to eclipse 60 for sure. It's going to be fun to cheer him on. He's got the talent.
ItchyScratchy77
Registered User
I would go to the Winnipeg Arena expecting to see Selanne score. It's becoming the same with Laine. "How many goals will Laine score tonight?" is usually thrown out there on the way to the games. I'm a 40 year old man and I'm close to putting up Laine posters in my room like I'm 13 years old. The wife said no lol.
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