LW Patrik Laine - Tappara, Liiga (2016 Draft) IX

[Leafs87]

"His attitude really rubs me the wrong way."

The Toronto Maple Leafs select Patrik Laine.

"I love his confidence!"

I will not be a happy fan if Toronto takes him.

Also lol eichel and other prospects may have some one thing or another. But he says he's think he can be ovechkin in 5 years, he thinks he can be the best in the world and he says some prospects (Matthews) have some skills and are good at some things but he's amazing at one thing. Also his draft lottery interview was cringe worthy.

I sure hope for his sake his game is speaks as loudly as his mouth

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Cockiness becomes an issue for those who haven't shown improvement or are heavily reliant on their talent from an early age.

I don't think Laine is like that.

He's improved every year since he was 15. The work ethic is there. Once that is established, I think a bit of cockiness might help his cause and push him harder to back it up.

 

[Halberdier]

It makes me wonder if he really does not want to go to play in Winnipeg? Has he looked at what happened to a lot of the No. 1 OA picks in recent years? Things have not gone so well for most of them. Being no. 2 have the luxury of less pressure even if he thrives on it, the less pressure works better for all young athletes. Winnipeg also have a very good team for him to play on, so I am not sure why Toronto is such a big deal, especially if he come from place with similar climate and environment? Is there a personal thing he has against Matthews that he can't stand if he is taken behind him? Being No. 1 OA does not mean a thing. You can be highly recognized for having a very successful career as No. 2 OA - see Seguin and Hedman.

I am sure Matthews does not feel the same way towards Laine.

Why you think that he has something against Matthews? He hasn't. They are just competiting for the same spots, 1OA and 2OA. There is absolutely nothing wrong to wish to be picked 1OA. That's mostly symbolic and Laine would be then the first Finn ever to be 1OA.

Also according to his comments he has absolutely nothing against playing in Winnipeg either. He is kind a prepared for that. Winnipeg also loves him, and there won't be that backfire what he gets from Toronto fans if he gets selected 1OA. I'm not surprised if he even preferred Winnipeg more than Toronto, but then he would be the 2OA.

I see Laine as a better prospect, since even as much younger, he still had a better season IMO. Both are terrific, and you can't go wrong either way.

 

[MardyBum]

I will not be a happy fan if Toronto takes him.

Also lol eichel and other prospects may have some one thing or another. But he says he's think he can be ovechkin in 5 years, he thinks he can be the best in the world and he says some prospects (Matthews) have some skills and are good at some things but he's amazing at one thing. Also his draft lottery interview was cringe worthy.

I sure hope for his sake his game is speaks as loudly as his mouth

He thinks he can be as good as Ovechkin, a top, but not THE top player in 5 years

Eichel thinks he's better than McDavid. The greatest prospect since Crosby, and longer depending on opinion.

He also said Matthews is good at some things, he is good at others.

Just exit the thread. Clearly you're flustered over Laine's confidence and are lashing out .

 

[Hokinaittii]

It makes me wonder if he really does not want to go to play in Winnipeg? Has he looked at what happened to a lot of the No. 1 OA picks in recent years? Things have not gone so well for most of them. Being no. 2 have the luxury of less pressure even if he thrives on it, the less pressure works better for all young athletes. Winnipeg also have a very good team for him to play on, so I am not sure why Toronto is such a big deal, especially if he come from place with similar climate and environment? Is there a personal thing he has against Matthews that he can't stand if he is taken behind him? Being No. 1 OA does not mean a thing. You can be highly recognized for having a very successful career as No. 2 OA - see Seguin and Hedman.

I am sure Matthews does not feel the same way towards Laine.

Yeah... Is it just me or does it look like someone is overanalyzing a bit too much here?

Just because Laine says he wants to be the best player from his draft, doesn't mean he has something against Matthews. I bet Matthews wants as much to be the best player from his draft but just doesn't say it out loud like Laine does.

Not to mention Laine has multiple times said he has chatted with Matthews a few times over the years and thinks he is a cool guy, great player etc.

 

[Romang67]

I will not be a happy fan if Toronto takes him.

Also lol eichel and other prospects may have some one thing or another. But he says he's think he can be ovechkin in 5 years, he thinks he can be the best in the world and he says some prospects (Matthews) have some skills and are good at some things but he's amazing at one thing. Also his draft lottery interview was cringe worthy.

I sure hope for his sake his game is speaks as loudly as his mouth

Interesting how you're trying to minimize what Eichel said. Eichel straight up said that he'll be better than McDavid, who was generally seen as a generational prospect at that point. Laine didn't say that he's better than Matthews.

Based on how you're trying to make it seem like Laine is much more cocky than Eichel, I can only assume that you didn't condemn Eichel last season for what he said?

 

[BB88]

I will not be a happy fan if Toronto takes him.

Also lol eichel and other prospects may have some one thing or another. But he says he's think he can be ovechkin in 5 years, he thinks he can be the best in the world and he says some prospects (Matthews) have some skills and are good at some things but he's amazing at one thing. Also his draft lottery interview was cringe worthy.

I sure hope for his sake his game is speaks as loudly as his mouth

He doesn't say he'll be this Ovy.

And he said Matthews is good/great at everything, but like Toews is he best at anything.
He believes he has a skill that can make him stand out like Ovy has, his scoring ability, and he thinks he has the chance to be the best goal scorer in the league in 5 years, when Ovy is past his prime.

He also said he and Matthews are friends, and they like that they are pushing the other forward, he said he doesn't think he can say one is better than the other, feels they are quite equal and Toronto will have a tough job, probably Toronto guys saying that to him made it easier for him to say that in interview.

But in this crazy land he has huge attitude problems.

You should understand he's 18y Finn speaking English, that's damm impressive how well he has been able to speak, it's not that easy.

 

[dlawong]

I will not be a happy fan if Toronto takes him.

Also lol eichel and other prospects may have some one thing or another. But he says he's think he can be ovechkin in 5 years, he thinks he can be the best in the world and he says some prospects (Matthews) have some skills and are good at some things but he's amazing at one thing. Also his draft lottery interview was cringe worthy.

I sure hope for his sake his game is speaks as loudly as his mouth

He is very talented but he needs to not let others especially his opponents be able to read his mind. If all he cares about is doing that one thing better than anyone else, then yes he may but he is also telling the D and the opposing checker and the goalies that he will always choose to shoot first and not passing that much. This will be a huge disadvantage for him. Do not announce to the world what is on your mind, just go do what you feels right at the moment.

Besides that put him a high risk high reward category because opposition will target to slash him more often and in order to have a longer career, he need to round out his games not just in one area. One bad shoulder or hand injury, then your career will go down hill. If he is willing to improve in all area of his games equally, with his talent and drive he will have a long successful career.

 

[Hokinaittii]

he says some prospects (Matthews) have some skills and are good at some things but he's amazing at one thing.

So what's the area where Matthews is amazingly better than anyone else from the draft like Laine is in shooting?

 

[Skiffer55]

So excited for Laine as a (hopefully) future member of the Winnipeg Jets. God-damn

 

[Skiffer55]

He is very talented but he needs to not let others especially his opponents be able to read his mind. If all he cares about is doing that one thing better than anyone else, then yes he may but he is also telling the D and the opposing checker and the goalies that he will always choose to shoot first and not passing that much. This will be a huge disadvantage for him. Do not announce to the world what is on your mind, just go do what you feels right at the moment.

Besides that put him a high risk high reward category because opposition will target to slash him more often and in order to have a longer career, he need to round out his games not just in one area. One bad shoulder or hand injury, then your career will go down hill. If he is willing to improve in all area of his games equally, with his talent and drive he will have a long successful career.

Dunno if you watched the World Championships but he had some wicked passes. A couple nice backhand saucer passes, he showed a ton of hockey IQ. And I haven't seen any of his pro team games but I'm sure he demonstrated skills other than just sniping there as well.

 

[dlawong]

Yeah... Is it just me or does it look like someone is overanalyzing a bit too much here?

Just because Laine says he wants to be the best player from his draft, doesn't mean he has something against Matthews. I bet Matthews wants as much to be the best player from his draft but just doesn't say it out loud like Laine does.

Not to mention Laine has multiple times said he has chatted with Matthews a few times over the years and thinks he is a cool guy, great player etc.

Good that you clear this up, because he just tries a bit too hard to sell himself as the No. 1 OA, more than any other recent top draft eligible player ever did. I hope the best for him, Matthews and Jesse puljujärvi, all of them have exceptional talents and passion for the game.

 

[93LEAFS]

So what's the area where Matthews is amazingly better than anyone else from the draft like Laine is in shooting?

Puck control/hands/smart play maintaining possession. Its not as obvious as Laine's insane shot, but Matthews ability to keep possession of the puck and either use quick skill to get around defenders or power to hold them off is unmatched by any prospect, no players in the draft have that combination. Same with his ability to quickly re-adjust his hands to get a quick shot off.

 

[JA]

"Yeah, I'm Patrick Lion."

 

[BB88]

Dunno if you watched the World Championships but he had some wicked passes. A couple nice backhand saucer passes, he showed a ton of hockey IQ. And I haven't seen any of his pro team games but I'm sure he demonstrated skills other than just sniping there as well.

Yep, he has a high IQ/strong passing game.
He loves to shoot, but he's not a desperate shooter.

He's a versatile forward, in some games he plays more of a playmaker and in some games he's a volume shooter, and that should make him a dangerous player for opponents/goalies.
If you take his shot away he can still make you pay, if you leave him space he will make you pay with his shot.

Good that you clear this up, because he just tries a bit too hard to sell himself as the No. 1 OA, more than any other recent top draft eligible player ever did. I hope the best for him, Matthews and Jesse puljujärvi, all of them have exceptional talents and passion for the game.

I don't know about that, he gets asked about it and he gives his answer to it.
It's not like he's running around and screaming he's the top pick.

Again if we go to see what he says about the 2 he says he feels they are equal, Matthes is better at some things, and he better than Matthews in some areas and Toronto will have a tough choice.

 

[dlawong]

Dunno if you watched the World Championships but he had some wicked passes. A couple nice backhand saucer passes, he showed a ton of hockey IQ. And I haven't seen any of his pro team games but I'm sure he demonstrated skills other than just sniping there as well.

I saw that but he needs to continue to improve in all areas even with the skill he already possess. Even Crosby Tavares works very hard to improve in all area of their games. They never stopped. That is what make them exceptional, especially Crosby.

 

[dlawong]

Yep, he has a high IQ/strong passing game.
He loves to shoot, but he's not a desperate shooter.

He's a versatile forward, in some games he plays more of a playmaker and in some games he's a volume shooter, and that should make him a dangerous player for opponents/goalies.
If you take his shot away he can still make you pay, if you leave him space he will make you pay with his shot.



I don't know about that, he gets asked about it and he gives his answer to it.
It's not like he's running around and screaming he's the top pick.

Again if we go to see what he says about the 2 he says he feels they are equal, Matthes is better at some things, and he better than Matthews in some areas and Toronto will have a tough choice.

If he possess both skills then he should just consistently using them equally well and aim at more points vs more goals and do not put that kind of pressure on himself. This way he not only can be the best player but also helps his team to be the best. He needs to think less of OV and more of Crosby, even if OV was his idol growing up.

 

[BB88]

If he possess both skills then he should just aimed using them equally and aim at more points vs more goals and do not put that kind of pressure on himself. This way he not can be the best player but also helps his team to win more. He needs to think less of OV and more of Crosby.

He's no Ovy, he has moments where he reminds Ovy, like when he is shooting, or at times challenging from the Lw side, but they have lot of differences.

He plays a better team game, he uses his linemates and doesn't do just desperate solo attemps, he's more willing to play defense and doesn't stop skating when he loses the puck, so far the bigger the game has been the better he has been without the puck.
The problem in Liiga was that often his linemates just couldn't score from his passes, he only played 3 games on the 1st line.

There's nothing wrong with setting up a hope for one day scoring 50 goals, that doesn't take anything away from his passing game.

Edit,
http://www.tsn.ca/towering-laine-possesses-a-powerful-confidence-1.500870


“I want to win everything, everything that’s possible,” said Laine. “Olympic gold, Stanley Cup, world championships. We were close at the worlds but now we have to try again. I want to be on a team that wins and I want to be a big part of it.”

Just have to love that atttitude.

 

[dlawong]

Puck control/hands/smart play maintaining possession. Its not as obvious as Laine's insane shot, but Matthews ability to keep possession of the puck and either use quick skill to get around defenders or power to hold them off is unmatched by any prospect, no players in the draft have that combination. Same with his ability to quickly re-adjust his hands to get a quick shot off.

He plays like a centre and centre is supposed to user everyone on the ice to set up plays, not just his line-mates. I think Matthews is quite good at that. He also cycles quite well.

 

[psycho_dad*]

Of course it's impossible because there are too many people like you who think that there should be some kind of concensus found. And the concensus should of course be based on your opinion. When people have very different opinions from your own and your preferred concensus opinion, your kind starts mocking how low class the discussion is, and how some people can't be taken seriously. Well, I for sure can't take seriously your concensus kind. Let there be opinions without bashing the top prospect in his own thread. And don't attack Laine or his fans who really believe much more in his talent than some others over here. Time will tell how good he will become - not you, not me or anyone else can define that now.

What I do know is that Laine's pre-draft season is second to none, and I'm almost sure that he will become an NHL star. How great he can become no one knows. I really hope people would stop defining so much what top prospects can become. I bet anyone who would have claimed during their pre-draft season's that Lidström, Zetterberg or Benn would have become the class of players they became, the claimer would have been called at these boards as an idiot and completely lost person.

Some of the people here are really so irritatingly inside so small boxes, I have never understood the need for this kind of thinking. But sure everyone has their right to be whatever they are, as long as they don't harm others,

Damn you really hit the nail on the head with that one. 100% agreed. I have a hard time with the herd mentality as well.

 

[Lempo]

Good that you clear this up, because he just tries a bit too hard to sell himself as the No. 1 OA, more than any other recent top draft eligible player ever did. I hope the best for him, Matthews and Jesse puljujärvi, all of them have exceptional talents and passion for the game.

The guy's been dreaming of being 1OA, I don't think he wants to be looking back after the draft thinking that he acquiesced too easily to the 2nd spot, himself giving the airs that Matthews (or more precisely anyone) should go before him. The Finnish press has for years been complaining about the Finns in general being lousy sellers, Patrik maybe doesn't want to fall short like that and then think about what ifs later on. And, as said, he's answering questions, it's not like he just goes around just blurting out the stuff.

Technically, the puck is in play until June 24th, and he's two, three goals behind. Now it's not time for circling. Obviously there is very little what anyone can show on ice anymore and it's a done deal really, but don't expect him owning that up until the ending horn.

In comparison, Matthews is protecting his lead nicely with the "I've shown on ice" quote.

 

[Gsus]

Where could I see the TSN "quiz" from tonight where they had the five prospects? Can someone download it to Youtube? I think TSN geoblock that video, didn't work for me at least.

 

[BayStreetBully]

I like Laine in the recent interviews. I think he's a good kid. I don't know if it's because I've paid less attention lately, but it seems like the silliness has died down here since the World Championships. Winnipeg and Finland should be thrilled with him. I wish him nothing but the best.

 

[Gsus]

I like Laine in the recent interviews. I think he's a good kid. I don't know if it's because I've paid less attention lately, but it seems like the silliness has died down here since the World Championships. Winnipeg and Finland should be thrilled with him. I wish him nothing but the best.

Wow all the other (not all but many) Leafs fans seem to dislike him because of his interviews.Great to see someone "from the other" side being objective here. Or at least not bashing him.

 

[Legion34]

At least you have a solid username to post-content ratio.

He hasn't had any incidents since that big one. Some might think that means he's learned his lesson and has matured, but that's krazy, isn't it?

Some people are also saying that the original incident was positive because he cares. Krazy right?

Im not saying it is or it isnt im saying its unfair to portray concerns about his attitude as jealousy or hating. He could drown puppies and people in this thread would love him