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

[paragon]

Why would he give year old information without clarification.

Because it's the latest source. And he's not going to update on in unless someone ask. It's pretty irrelevant information anyway and it's not like reporters don't have any better or more relevant questions to ask currently. You know like the WHC or the draft. Not that those questions are interesting either, but it's what they are supposed to ask him all things considering.

It is very hard to increase your strength levels during the season. Players go to gym during the season but it's more of keeping your current strength levels than adding strength.

Maybe if he was already at at a peak physical condition, but he's still young and growing so he's pretty much going to be stronger just from overall training, even if he's not lifting.

 

[LWC07*]

When you get picked 2nd overall.

https://twitter.com/myregularface/status/729728674333757440

 

[Gstank]

Laine is more dynamic than Matthews by quiet a bit. I'm not sure that Matthews is the clear cut #1 anymore, sure he plays centre but when you have a player who can drive the play like Laine it's awfully hard to pass up on his skill set.

 

[Male75FromFinland]

Ability to slow game tempo when you have puck is rare skill, Patrik has it!!!

 

[JJTT]

He looks bad on RW, LW in the future for sure.

 

[armyjoe]

#freepatriklaine
Wtf is nokka doing

 

[Mad Brills*]

A bigger stronger phil kessel?

 

[haulinbass]

Fins opted to bench Laine for the last 6 minutes or so of the game as they defended a 1 goal lead. Haven't got to see a ton of Laine does he have a lot of work to do defensively?

 

[YARR123]

Fins opted to bench Laine for the last 6 minutes or so of the game as they defended a 1 goal lead. Haven't got to see a ton of Laine does he have a lot of work to do defensively?

Lets just say we have better defensive options to defending the lead for the intense last five minutes. He still has quite a lot of work to do defensively. Then again he's a good back checker and strong along the boards but not at his best positionally. And it looks like some defensive plays don't quite come as intuitively as offense, but that's to be expected from a young winger.

 

[kelsier]

Can't fully grasp KJ's strategy here. Laine getting shifts here and there starting from the first period. Really really hard to get into the game. Would make more sense to start with higher TOI and reduce if it he was playing bad but the coach for whatever reason barely played the whole line until the very end when Laine was benched. Not the easiest team to crack especially when you're not even being given a fair chance. Starting to think this is how it's going to go from here on out, sadly.

 

[Male75FromFinland]

Fins opted to bench Laine for the last 6 minutes or so of the game as they defended a 1 goal lead. Haven't got to see a ton of Laine does he have a lot of work to do defensively?

Laine is clearly having trouble playing RW, there has been many face-offs when Jokinen has remained Laine that he is on right side. Also Laine tends to find himself from left side where he has used to play.

He is not a liability in d zone but certainly weakest forward from this team.

Can make easy dump out with the puck and will take hit to make a play.

Last 6 minutes Finland played with 3 lines: Laine, Pulkkinen & Sallinen did not play.

 

[NiL8r87]

A bigger stronger phil kessel?

Not at all.

Not just bigger and stronger. He thrives on the rush like Kessel but he's used more like Ovie/Stamkos on the power play, he has a wrist shot maybe slightly worse than Kessel's but Kessel can't one-time to save his life. He showed today that he has the potential to play down low and protect the puck which Kessel will never be able to do. He can also hit.

 

[vaiski]

A bigger stronger phil kessel?

Aside from the wrister they are nothing alike. More like a bigger Tarasenko for me.

 

[Male75FromFinland]

How about Jets with Wheeler & Laine

Very similar players

 

[Jukka]

Fins opted to bench Laine for the last 6 minutes or so of the game as they defended a 1 goal lead. Haven't got to see a ton of Laine does he have a lot of work to do defensively?

Well he was the worst player on the finnish team for the two first periods at least. Horrible turnover that led to goal and a stupid penalty in the second made me wishing for his benching then already. Had trouble with the pace of the game.

 

[Hokinaittii]

Last 6 minutes Finland played with 3 lines: Laine, Pulkkinen & Sallinen did not play.

Pretty sure Aho wasn't there either for the last couple of minutes. I think Komarov took his place.

People seem to think the only reason Laine got benched was because of the turnover but I don't think so.

I mean, Laine got benched in Tappara's regular season Liiga games also when there was one goal lead to cover. It's no surprise he lacks in the defensive play and he just doesn't have the extra muscle in his body to win those last minute's board battles that are important.

Even if Laine had 3+2 tonight but the game was still 5-4 for Finland with a few minutes remaining in the clock, Laine would still get benched.

 

[Male75FromFinland]

Pretty sure Aho wasn't there either for the last couple of minutes. I think Komarov took his place.

People seem to think the only reason Laine got benched was because of the turnover but I don't think so.

I mean, Laine got benched in Tappara's regular season Liiga games also when there was one goal lead to cover. It's no surprise he lacks in the defensive play and he just doesn't have the extra muscle in his body to win those last minute's board battles that are important.

Even if Laine had 3+2 tonight but the game was still 5-4 for Finland with a few minutes remaining in the clock, Laine would still get benched.

last couple of minutes only Barkov, Jokinen, Pihlström, Koivu, Pyörälä & Komarov played little earlier Granlund played his last shift.

 

[behemolari]

Pretty sure Aho wasn't there either for the last couple of minutes. I think Komarov took his place.

People seem to think the only reason Laine got benched was because of the turnover but I don't think so.

I mean, Laine got benched in Tappara's regular season Liiga games also when there was one goal lead to cover. It's no surprise he lacks in the defensive play and he just doesn't have the extra muscle in his body to win those last minute's board battles that are important.

Even if Laine had 3+2 tonight but the game was still 5-4 for Finland with a few minutes remaining in the clock, Laine would still get benched.

when defending lead mode you wont put sniper in, it's that simple. team US was really tough opponent an Finland got lucky, they knew that and had to kill a game for the win

 

[JA]

Patrik needs to become quicker. Currently, his lack of explosiveness keeps him from doing a lot of the things he is capable of -- stealing pucks, hounding the opposition, pursuing loose pucks, backchecking, and beating the opposition with sheer size and speed are all things that he wants to do, but he struggles with those tasks at the moment because he is quite often one step behind on the ice.

The mind wants to do these things, but his skating holds him back right now. Patrik needs to make this his top priority because quickness is something that can be improved. As we've discussed before, he should be working with his conditioning coach this summer. Hopefully we'll see some big results.

 

[agent082]

Because it's the latest source. And he's not going to update on in unless someone ask. It's pretty irrelevant information anyway and it's not like reporters don't have any better or more relevant questions to ask currently. You know like the WHC or the draft. Not that those questions are interesting either, but it's what they are supposed to ask him all things considering.

What are you talking about?

 

[BB88]

Patrik needs to become quicker. Currently, his lack of explosiveness keeps him from doing a lot of the things he is capable of -- stealing pucks, hounding the opposition, pursuing loose pucks, backchecking, and beating the opposition with sheer size and speed are all things that he wants to do, but he struggles with those tasks at the moment because he is quite often one step behind on the ice.

The mind wants to do these things, but his skating holds him back right now. Patrik needs to make this his top priority because quickness is something that can be improved. As we've discussed before, he should be working with his conditioning coach this summer. Hopefully we'll see some big results.

We already know that he is going to work on his skating.

His strenght coach works with NHL players and has said adding speed will be their priority and getting more power to those 1st few steps.
He said Laine is physically still very raw, sow he has ton of room to develop his game, and will make it even more interesting to see how good he can honestly develop into.
He also has a fantastic skating coach in Tampere.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Laine is more dynamic than Matthews by quiet a bit. I'm not sure that Matthews is the clear cut #1 anymore, sure he plays centre but when you have a player who can drive the play like Laine it's awfully hard to pass up on his skill set.

Matthews is clear cut for 1st overall he's been that (clear cut for 1st overall) since last summer ( 2015) when he missed NHL draft for 2 days.
I don't buy that Matthews vs Laine for 1st overall battle because there isn't any battle.
That what Finns and Canadians calls battle for 1st overall pick is only the illusion created by the international media nothing else.

Laine could score more points than Matthews in men's worlds.
But it won't change nothing. Matthews goes 1st and there's nothing what Laine can do.
Toronto must grab their franchise center ( Matthews) this June because there's no guarantees for that Toronto Maple Leafs will sign Steven Stamkos.

 

[Jetsetter]

Just hope he stops playing so well at the Worlds. He's going to be special. welcome to Winnipeg!!

 

[KingBogo]

How about Jets with Wheeler & Laine

Very similar players

From what I have seen and heard Wheeler and Puljujärvi are much closer comparables. The Jets don't really have a pure goal scorer like Laine. Their top goal scorer right now is Scheifele and he is a 2-way center. Maybe Ehlers and Connor one day but both are lightning fast and play a very different game, again both closer to Pulju. Laine seems to be on another level as a pure goal scorer, and really very different than any other Jet player.

 

[JetsFan815]

That said, Laine is one of those players who could, if all goes well, start scoring big time like 30 right away, even though he will still be raw in his first season.

Your expectations are too high. No Finnish 18 year old, not even Barkov has done something like this. A .5 PPG season from him would be amazing and exceeding what Barkov did. A 15 + 25 kinda season from him would be very good imo