Ducks Nation*
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You don't seem to realize that I don't see Ovechkin as a very good player. Yes, he is a very good goal scorer, but he damages his team with his onesidedness. He is selfish, lazy with his defending (it is BS that he has made his defensive play better, hasn't definitely happened), doesn't pass much at all, is a bad locker room player and he chokes at the most important moments. Honestly, I could name about 100 better players for their teams than Ovechkin. So I have a lot of faith in Laine becoming better than Ovechkin. Not necessarily a better goal scorer, but a clearly better player still.
Oh, and it wasn't me claiming that Laine will become the best player in the world. I just pointed out that he has himself said that it is his goal. I don't claim it for sure, but I don't see it completely impossible either. And I do claim that he is one of the best and most talented U18 players that the world has seen. So his potential is undeniable. But nothing is sure until it happens.
But still, Ovechkin, only a selfish goalscorer and the most overrated player I have ever seen, in addition to his countrymate Kovalchuk. Ovechkin winning Hart was a joke for me. It just showed how shallow the hockey world can be. Completely blinded by regular season goals and points. Even when the player is clearly the type that can't carry his team and doesn't know anything about good team play.
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Gsus
MVP
McDavid is certainly McDavid and that might be too tall of an order to reach.
However, my slow-mo skills say that many people will be surprised next season.
Haven't for instance seen a single Ovechkin deke that comes even close to what Laine can already do.
TheKrebsCycle
Throwing Confetti for Perfetti
Divine
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You're going to be really, really, really disappointed by Laine. He's basically like Ovechkin, except worse at everything (shot is worse, skating is significantly worse, physical play is not even close, defensive ability is worse), etc. This is me comparing him to draft day Ovechkin, not current Ovechkin.
I'm also seeing why Toronto was his hardest interview. I can't see Lou/Babcock/Hunter standing for the sense of entitlement that Laine seems to have.
TMLife*
Auston Matthews
You're going to be really, really, really disappointed by Laine. He's basically like Ovechkin, except worse at everything (shot is worse, skating is significantly worse, physical play is not even close, defensive ability is worse), etc. This is me comparing him to draft day Ovechkin, not current Ovechkin.
I'm also seeing why Toronto was his hardest interview. I can't see Lou/Babcock/Hunter standing for the sense of entitlement that Laine seems to have.
BOOM!
I agree for the most part. Maybe not about defensive play, I’ve seen Laine try on the back check, Ovechkin is just a sad joke in that regard.
Divine
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BOOM!
I agree for the most part. Maybe not about defensive play, I’ve seen Laine try on the back check, Ovechkin is just a sad joke in that regard.
Laine is not a good enough skater to be solid defensively (while providing offence). His skating is very weak, unlike Ovechkin, he doesn't really have the ability to go end to end. It's not necessarily by lack of effort, but if Laine loses the puck in the offensive zone, 90% of players he won't catch.
Draft season ovechkin wasn't anywhere near Laine's level. Stats and eye test show a huge gap in favor of Laine. I have seen both a lot in their pre draft season. Laine is a lot better. Doesn't mean he will for sure become better or equal but his pre draft season is the best ever from outside NA. Can't compare NA seasons.
Divine
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We're talking about the 17 year old that was third on his KHL team in points and led his team in goals, right?
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And you are dead wrong. I followed prospects very intensively already then. Ovechkin definitely had nothing else better than Laine then than his skating. That for sure was better, but even that was not as much better, as I'm sure you want to think. His defensive play was just piss poor, like it has always been. Laine is much better defensively, although I don't claim that he is a great defensive player. But he has pretty ok defensive play still. He at least makes a clear effort with it, unlike Ovechkin.
And by the way Ovechkin's slapper is at the moment about 4 mph harder than Laine's. I can assure you that when Ovechkin was U18, his shot was definitely not as hard and deadly as Laine's is now. Ovechkin gained huge amount of strength year by year afterwards, but when he was Laine's age he definitely was not then as strong as Laine is. Laine has so strong winning attitude that with that combined with everything else better than U18 Ovechkin, Laine for sure is better as a player now than Ovechkin was then. And oh my God how much better passer Laine is than Ovechkin ever was...
Divine
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I can't see how anyone could think Laine is a better prospect than Ovechkin and still not be rated first overall.
It just shows how you are one of the many whom are blinded with Ovechkin's goals and points. You just simply overrate him like so many others.
And no draft years are exactly the same and comparable...
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
That's been my question all along. If he's as good as his legion of supporters claim that why isn't he a slam dunk for the #1 pick? Is Matthews that good? Can't just be the positions they play....
Divine
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That's ironic, considering if you take both Ovechkin with no goals and points, and Laine with no goals and points, 95% of posters still take Ovechkin due to other attributes.
Compare their international and league points. It's not difficult. Has been done in these threads. Laine easily surpassed ovys pre draft season. It's ridiculous this needs to be debated when it's not close. I watched them both in EHT, WJC and WHC in draft years. Ovechkin was much less effective and less complete.
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
So, you think Laine will be a seven time First Team All-Star, three time Hart Trophy winner, etc? Do you think he will eclipse those accomplishments? That seems to be the pedestal you are putting Laine on.
You are makingclaims you can't back up and are irrelevant anyway. No it's certainly not 95% and no it doesn't matter what public opinion is. Public can be very uneducated and ignorant on certain topics.
Ducks Nation*
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Divine
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It's solid reasoning, let's say both Laine/Ovechkin are in a slump where they both contribute no points for x amount of games. Who's more valuable to the team? The guy that can skate, play physical, block shots and play a grinding role, or the guy that can...what can Laine do better than Ovechkin again?
Sorry, but those regular season trophies (Hart, Norris, Vezina... whatever), are not really worth much in my books. For me it all is about winning Stanley Cups, exceling in the playoffs and carrying your team there, and being a winner and an efficient player at the top international tournaments. Everything else is pretty trivial and meaningless compared to these essential things in hockey. Regular season is more like preparing for the real show.
You're going to be really, really, really disappointed by Laine. He's basically like Ovechkin, except worse at everything (shot is worse, skating is significantly worse, physical play is not even close, defensive ability is worse), etc. This is me comparing him to draft day Ovechkin, not current Ovechkin.
I'm also seeing why Toronto was his hardest interview. I can't see Lou/Babcock/Hunter standing for the sense of entitlement that Laine seems to have.
I guess you know more than Babcock, and scouts from most teams that think that Laine is a fantastic prospect. I'm thinking that this board will be a whole new level of hilarious if the Leafs take Laine first.
I have question, if people say that Matthews is a Teows and Laine is an Ovechkin why aren't isn't Laine the undisputed 1st overall pick as I would always take Ovi regardless of position? Is Matthews being underated here, or what is it?
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