In terms of ceiling Laine is right up there with any U23 player not named McDavid. I mentioned this in WPG board as well, but I think Laine will eventually be #1 winger in NHL. It will take time, since Benn/Kane are in the midst of their prime (also Ovie will be around for years), but in 6-7 years Laine will top the list. Maybe even earlier. Predicting 20-30 goals next season, and around 50 points.
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Plural
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If he plays in the NHL the whole season, that would be the logical assumption. If he's injury free that is. Prospect as young as 18 usually develop a lot during one season. If he would regress I would consider it as a weird curve.
Plural
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It's really hard to say, since we don't yet know what kind of prospect will come in the next few years. Maybe 2019 draft sees another generational winger?
But Laine has as high ceiling as anyone not named McDavid. I agree on that.
That so? While I don't think that you are wrong, rookies starting strong and then fizzling out towards the end of the season isn't that uncommon. I guess it being the other way around is more common, but I'm expecting that to be even more amplified for Laine.
It's really hard to say, since we don't yet know what kind of prospect will come in the next few years. Maybe 2019 draft sees another generational winger?
Actually, the upcoming prospects are pretty well documented already. Generational prospects would generally have already been scouted.
I guess we might as well wait and see how Leevi Aaltonen's next season goes, the u-16 season is usually the first very relevant indicator.
bob27
Grzelcyk is a top pairing defenceman
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Realistically, I'm expecting below 20 goals. Seguin, Kessel and Stamkos had similar goalscoring expectations and they didn't exactly come storming out of the gates. Add to that the settling period Laine has through going from European hockey culture to North American. If Jets have any playoff aspirations, they won't let Laine play big 5vs5 minutes he needs to score 30+ goals.
teravaineSAROS
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Agreed, I think Laine will score 18~ goals, people will call him a bust, then in a year or two he'll make noise
Oh, they expected Kessel to score in a similar way when he had 1+1=2 in 7 gp at WHCs as u-19 when Laine had 7+5=12 in 10 gp at WHCs as u-18?
I expect Laine to score better than Kessel, though.
I expect Laine to score better than Kessel, though.
I agree with this. I think 20 goals is certainly within reach if Laine gets good PP time and spends most of the season with top 6 linemates like Scheifele or Little. Ehlers had 15 goals last season despite a fairly long stretch of low offensive production while playing with 3rd liners and missing 10 games with an injury.
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Now that I think of it, I don't actually know how it usually goes.
I just assumed that as season goes by, young rookies get better. But maybe the physical toll and tightening playing style towards the playoffs makes the young players "regress"? But I do expect Laine to improve, since he was seemingly on a crazy development curve when the season ended and he's been training hard in the summer and fixing his health. Maybe it takes a bit for him to get used to living in North-America and the NHL in general. But when he gets comfortable, I think we might see a surprisingly fast development.
I'm not trying to start any kind of debate here again, but many highly drafted players have been physically more ready than Laine was. Eichel, Matthews, McDavid, etc. etc. were all pretty significantly ahead in terms of how physically developed they were. And Laine was still able to give Matthews a good run for his money, while being clearly behind in physical development.
Will be interesting to see how things turn out. But the more I think about it, the more confident I get that Laine will be a great player.
BB88
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I don't agree with that on +1 year prospect, McDavid, Eichel, Pasta.
None of them played their best hockey at the start of season, for McDavid it took few games to get going, Eichel found another gear in December as well as Pasta.
Cotton
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I don't think it would be unreasonable to expect him, if given ample PP opportunity, to hit 25+ next year. I have a feeling he's going to score something like 27.
I doubt he'll be called a bust beyond the odd soul looking to ruffle some jimmies.
It varies, but I think the perception that rookies start off hotter is slightly skewed by factors we may not always be aware of. A rookie who starts cold (outside a top 2 pick) is very likely to be sent back down (and in CHL cases for the rest of the year). Because of this, it seems a lot of rookies start hot and then cool down. For example, a rookie who gets something like 2 points in their first 9 games is sent back down, may be capable of having a hot streak like a fringe rookie who stays up like McCann, but don't get that opportunity to display it. I really don't think there is actual proven data that shows where the strongest distribution of young rookies points come from.
For every rookie who starts insanely hot like Dylan Larkin (which was fueled by unsustainable puck luck), there is another young player who gets almost as much luck in the 2nd half.
CaptainChef
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No way Laine makes the top 3 immediately. Ehlers-Scheif-Wheeler will remain top line. Laine-Little-Armia/Stafford is what I see for second line. Several options for center & wings on third line -- Connor & Dano both solid wing options but being waiver exempt could doom both to a start in the AHL.
CaptainChef
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With the departure of Ladd from an already inept PP, can't see how Laine doesn't get more than his share of #1 pp time, and how he doesn't score 20+ goals for the season.
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I will be disappointed if our coaching staff can't scheme to utilize Laine's shot on the PP. There are always unknowns with guys entering the NHL but one thing I am certain of is that we have not had a forward with his one timer weapon.
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I actually think Benn is not a bad "ceiling" comparison, for impact as a winger more than style of play. I think Laine brings a lot more than pure goal scoring. He'll make other players better, rack up plenty of assists, be a physical force, and tilt the ice for his team. He has a lot of attributes beyond a top end shot.
teravaineSAROS
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Definitely, if he was one-dimensional there's no way Marjamäki would've picked him to be in the World Cup
Kamiccolo
Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.
Kessel was a nearly 40 goal PPG player practically by himself for years and people are scoffing at Laine being compared to him.
The hype is going to kill him.
TMLife*
Auston Matthews
dude, go download pokemon go
Kessel was “The American Crosby†the year before his draft and some were even arguing whether they’d take him over Crosby himself! HAHA
BB88
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kelsier
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It's kind of odd thinking that there's an 18 year old kid playing in the Finnish World Cup squad. Not that the country has ever managed to produce a lineup that'd be anywhere as good as lets say Canada, but still they've reached to some medals anyway. Such a fun way to start the hockey season!
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