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

[kunekune]

Best thing about Laine's skating is that he already has perfect skating position. He can keep his head up which gives him time to do his things on ice.

He doesn't have Ovies skating but he has other qualities that are better than Ovies. Laine has better vision, hands and is better passer. Also 18 year old Laine is miles ahead of 18 year old Ovie in defensive department.

Ovie in his prime was a bull in china shop hitting everything that moves. Laine doesn't hit so often but he gives HUGE hits couple times in every game. If people say that he is soft and avoids contacts then they don't watch him play and have zero credibility.

 

[Gabranth]

Best thing about Laine's skating is that he already has perfect skating position. He can keep his head up which gives him time to do his things on ice.

He doesn't have Ovies skating but he has other qualities that are better than Ovies. Laine has better vision, hands and is better passer. Also 18 year old Laine is miles ahead of 18 year old Ovie in defensive department.

Ovie in his prime was a bull in china shop hitting everything that moves. Laine doesn't hit so often but he gives HUGE hits couple times in every game. If people say that he is soft and avoids contacts then they don't watch him play and have zero credibility.

I'm leaving this thread before I get labelled as a troll by other Finnish posters.

 

[Whileee]

Big difference between being a decent to good skater (which Laine is) and a world class skater like Ovi, who in his prime probably had the 3 to 5 best first strides in the league.

That sort of acceleration and explosiveness can improve, especially with very tall young players. Scheifele's skating has improved dramatically since he was 18 and he's now an excellent skater with good quickness and tremendous speed.

 

[kunekune]

I'm leaving this thread before I get labelled as a troll by other Finnish posters.

Those really aren't qualities Ovie is known to be elite in.

And Im not comparing 28y old Ovie to 18y old Laine here.

 

[93LEAFS]

That sort of acceleration and explosiveness can improve, especially with very tall young players. Scheifele's skating has improved dramatically since he was 18 and he's now an excellent skater with good quickness and tremendous speed.

You aren't going from average/good, to having acceleration of a guy like Ovi. You can improve it, but for him to get in the Ovi range would take a miracle

 

[Snowsii]

You aren't going from average/good, to having acceleration of a guy like Ovi. You can improve it, but for him to get in the Ovi range would take a miracle

It took him one season after knee injury to go from bad/average scater to average/good..

 

[Whileee]

You aren't going from average/good, to having acceleration of a guy like Ovi. You can improve it, but for him to get in the Ovi range would take a miracle

He doesn't need to get to Ovie range. A bit more explosiveness is all he needs with his size and style of play.

 

[Ippenator]

It took him one season after knee injury to go from bad/average scater to average/good..

This exactly. Another thing to realize is that good acceleration has to do with how much a person has the so called fast muscle cells. The way how Laine shoots wristers with a rocket of a release hints that he should have a good amount of the fast cells. So I seriously think that his average acceleration has most to do with his injury problems and the lack of explosive power training to his legs. Most probably in one or two full seasons his acceleration will be drastically improved. At least if he can avoid nasty injuries.

 

[Ippenator]

He doesn't need to get to Ovie range. A bit more explosiveness is all he needs with his size and style of play.

Yes, it is good to remember that Laine is at least 2 inches taller than Ovechkin, in fact closer to 2,5 inches. That is a big difference after all. Ovechkin has his leg muscles developed so much more also, that comparing their skating is not even too fair at the moment. It's better to see after 2 years how the situation is then. Then I think the comparing of their skating is more reasonable.

Some people tend to forget that Laine is a really BIG guy. Ovechkin is very strong physically, but he is really not that big player otherwise. Lemieux, Sundin and Lindros were BIG. And Laine is in the exact size category with them. It means that there is still some adjusting to do with skating and strength training. Also development in many areas tends to take longer for this size caliber players.

 

[agent082]

It took him one season after knee injury to go from bad/average scater to average/good..

Was his skating last year average compared to who?

 

[Ippenator]

Was his skating last year average compared to who?

Ummmm? Average means average. If you use that term you usually don't compare to a spesific individual, but to what is average skating in general...

 

[JJTT]

Was his skating last year average compared to who?

You mean after the injury? It was beer league level, can't really compare it to any pro player.

 

[PhilJets]

Big difference between being a decent to good skater (which Laine is) and a world class skater like Ovi, who in his prime probably had the 3 to 5 best first strides in the league.

uhmmmm

What's with the comparison with Ovie? Never was comparing him.

People are saying he was slow, base on the videos I've seen, he is not slow. He is actually pretty good for his size and weight. Big people tend to take longer to accelerate. See Dustin Byfuglien, but when he gets going he is fast. same with Laine.

Not ovie fast, that dude is one of the tops at accelerating.
Oh he is not as fast as Matthews also , so I will conceide that also.

If Jets pick him, I hope he works out with Scheifele, Connor, wheeler and Ehlers.
He will need to catch up with those guys, when they come flying

 

[kunekune]

uhmmmm

What's with the comparison with Ovie? Never was comparing him.

People are saying he was slow, base on the videos I've seen, he is not slow. He is actually pretty good for his size and weight. Big people tend to take longer to accelerate. See Dustin Byfuglien, but when he gets going he is fast. same with Laine.

Not ovie fast, that dude is one of the tops at accelerating.
Oh he is not as fast as Matthews also , so I will conceide that also.

If Jets pick him, I hope he works out with Scheifele, Connor, wheeler and Ehlers.
He will need to catch up with those guys, when they come flying

I am positive that Laine topspeed > Matthews topspeed.

 

[agent082]

Ummmm? Average means average. If you use that term you usually don't compare to a spesific individual, but to what is average skating in general...

You mean after the injury? It was beer league level, can't really compare it to any pro player.

So average skating means beer league level skating. I guess that makes sense because most hockey players are juniors or amateurs playing for fun.

I always thought you compare player to players he is playing against or his peer. In Laine's case could have meant FEL, Mestis, Junior A or u-18 world championships. That is why I asked "compared to who".

 

[kelsier]

2nd shift and 3rd goal for Laine, and again the first scorer in the game.

 

[Ippenator]

So average skating means beer league level skating. I guess that makes sense because most hockey players are juniors or amateurs playing for fun.

I always thought you compare player to players he is playing against or his peer. In Laine's case could have meant FEL, Mestis, Junior A or u-18 world championships. That is why I asked "compared to who".

You can compare players to individuals or to general standards at the level that they play at. But if you compare to individuals you don't use terms like average, you just compare if he has that ability as better, worse or equal to the other individual.

 

[QnebO]

And line gives hard cross box pass leads to goal 1+1 already. Tied jagrs record in 2 games now.

 

[Le Golie]

And line gives hard cross box pass leads to goal 1+1 already. Tied jagrs record in 2 games now.

3.5 periods. Crazy.

 

[Tiger24]

 

[NYRFANMANI]

Yeah imo Toronto should pick him. Ideally they trade for another top 3 pick, but that's unlikely.

 

[Keeptdos]

Toronto is picking 1C no matter what.

 

[Plural]

I'm leaving this thread before I get labelled as a troll by other Finnish posters.

kunekune has proved a long time a go that he has absolutely no idea about what kind of player Laine nor Ovechkin is. Absolutely 0 clue.

 

[Plural]

Those really aren't qualities Ovie is known to be elite in.

And Im not comparing 28y old Ovie to 18y old Laine here.

Young Ovechkin was miles ahead of Laine in all those qualities. You just simply are clueless about Ovechkin. Today and historically.

Ovechkin's scouting reports actually praised his defensive play. It's so weird to see a guy who has absolutely no idea what he talks about making claims left and right. By the laws of average one would think you get few right every now and then, but no. It's about 99% wrong.

 

[SCP Guy]

You aren't going from average/good, to having acceleration of a guy like Ovi. You can improve it, but for him to get in the Ovi range would take a miracle

He doesn't have to be an elite skater like ovi....he can become a very good skater and still be a great player....I don't like the ovi comparisons.... Scheif could barley stay on his skates as an 18 year old....look at him now night and day

People are acting like if he doesn't become ovi or Mathews doesn't become malkin they are busts...I have news for you...chances are neither of them ever plays to the level of those stars