Player Discussion: Patrik Laine IVever: a new hope? (Laine out of PAP, trade request still stands)

[thebus88]

Imagine what it must feel like for Jets fans if PLD does well in LA and Laine solidifies himself as a 1/2 C here…

And we ignore Vilardi exists….

 

[Farmboy Patty]

And we ignore Vilardi exists….

No shade on Vilardi, he’s really good. That wasn’t my point though.

 

[MissADD]

Here are the numbers. I think Laine will play center.

Post Buffalo Laine at center stat update

 

[ThirdPeriodTurtle]

Before we get too carried away, let's remember that Laine hasn't really faced top tier opposition yet, and there's been multiple dangerous attempts against the CBJ while he's been on the ice (in the second game I think somebody rang a shot off the post after Laine himself turned the puck over). So while goals 5-0 and shot attempts 34-20 is great, we shouldn't expect those kind of numbers in the regular season.

Regardless, excited to see how it goes once the season starts!

[...] They could not comprehend that Laine was (in their opinion) wasting his talents and/or getting things too easily.

What if Laine focused in hockey 100.00%? Maybe he would have been a lesser player. He needed that gaming.

So you're saying Laine is... the hockey version of Formula 1's Kimi Räikkönen? Works for me.

Featuring... Sidney Crosby as Fernando Alonso (perfect fit), Connor McDavid as Lewis Hamilton, Connor Bedard as Max Verstappen (Tkachuk?)...

 

[cbjthrowaway]

Before we get too carried away, let's remember that Laine hasn't really faced top tier opposition yet,

fwiw the first game he played at center last year was against the eventual stanley cup champions. he had two assists and was +1.

the jackets lost that game 7-2.

 

[VT]

Before we get too carried away, let's remember that Laine hasn't really faced top tier opposition yet, and there's been multiple dangerous attempts against the CBJ while he's been on the ice (in the second game I think somebody rang a shot off the post after Laine himself turned the puck over). So while goals 5-0 and shot attempts 34-20 is great, we shouldn't expect those kind of numbers in the regular season.

Regardless, excited to see how it goes once the season starts!


So you're saying Laine is... the hockey version of Formula 1's Kimi Räikkönen? Works for me.

Featuring... Sidney Crosby as Fernando Alonso (perfect fit), Connor McDavid as Lewis Hamilton, Connor Bedard as Max Verstappen (Tkachuk?)...

That is right. But it was only 5th game Laine as center and he can be only better. Also he (and not only him) doesn't have ideal stick skill, skating, this is a reason many mistakes). Now it is important to learn to play on this position.

 

[VT]

I think Google translate isn't ideal.

Ruotsista kajahti hirmuarvio Patrik Laineesta

Adam Boqvist povaa Patrik Laineelta tykkikautta.

www.is.fi

 

[Halberdier]

I think Google translate isn't ideal.

Ruotsista kajahti hirmuarvio Patrik Laineesta

Adam Boqvist povaa Patrik Laineelta tykkikautta.

www.is.fi

Yeah, I guess so there is a lot of Finnish hockey jargon on that article and Google Translate is notoriously bad with Finnish anyway.

But ChatGPT4 is pretty awesome, and while this translation is not 100%, it's still pretty good:

"

---

NHL A Bold Prediction About Patrik Laine from Sweden Adam Boqvist expects a blockbuster season from Patrik Laine.
Adam Boqvist trusts Patrik Laine's powerful shot. Photo by: BEN JACKSON/GETTY
By Tommi Koivunen, 3rd October, 9:51, STOCKHOLM
PATRIK LAINE will win the NHL's goal-scoring title.
This is the prediction of Laine's teammate, Swedish defenseman Adam Boqvist.
However, Boqvist seems biased in his NHL media day predictions: he forecasts Zach Werenski winning the Norris Trophy, the award for the best defenseman. He expects Adam Fantilli to win the Calder Trophy for the best rookie.
He also mentions Laine's name in a manner that he knows will captivate the audience of Finnish journalists interviewing him, the Finnish hockey fans.
Boqvist, 23, seems to genuinely believe that we'll hear a lot from the sharpshooter from Tesoma this upcoming season.
Patrik Laine is starting his fourth season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Photo by: JUSSI NUKARI / LEHTIKUVA
"When I came to Columbus, I had heard various stories about what he was like when he was younger in the national team and such. However, he's a great and humble guy who cares about everyone," Boqvist explains.
"He's had tough times, but now he seems really happy. He has a new girlfriend, and he seems to be enjoying life. It's great to see him back on track and hopefully stronger than ever," says Boqvist.
Boqvist states that Laine can score goals like Auston Matthews, who scored over 60 goals two seasons ago and exactly 40 last season.
"Johnny (Gaudreau) will hopefully find him with his passes, and they'll produce good results for us. It would also help us climb in the league standings," plans Boqvist.
Perhaps the offensively skilled Swedish defenseman will also get to assist on some of the Finnish star's goals.
"I wouldn't turn that down. It would be fun."
Patrik Laine photographed a year ago during NHL games in Tampere. Photo by: EMMI KORHONEN / LEHTIKUVA
Boqvist believes that Laine's best position continues to be as a winger.
Even though Laine is mostly known for his shooting, his playmaking abilities and passes are underrated.
The Swedish defenseman agrees.
"You can see it even in practice, for instance during two-on-two drills. He has such silky hands that every now and then a defenseman is almost eating a hotdog in the stands."
COLUMBUS's last season was dismal.
Injuries, including one to Boqvist, also played a part.
"My leg broke a couple of days before the team flew to Finland. I sat in Columbus doing nothing. My family was coming to Finland. It was mentally tough."
When a team performs as poorly as Columbus did last season, everyday life becomes much harder.
"When you lose that much, it follows you home and doesn't stay at the arena. Even my girlfriend suffered. Hopefully, we've learned something and can create something good. Last season was hard for everyone, especially with so many injuries."
Jackets' top defenseman, Werenski, managed to play only 13 games before being sidelined for the rest of the season.
This gave Boqvist a spot on the first power play unit - when he was fit.
Boqvist recorded 5 goals and 19 assists in 46 games. Nine of those assists came on the power play.
"I got to be on the first power play unit. It was a big deal for me. It was fun to play big minutes at the end of the season, but it wasn't that great since we lost so much."
"However, I proved to myself that I can play big minutes and help the team."
"

 

[tunnelvision]

Offensively the center role does really seem to fit him. He is a great passer and he has also great vision and very good hockey IQ, which are all very important qualities for a center to do well offensively. As a center he can much better control the game and have the puck more, which seems to be important for him to get well into the game. But he can also pass the puck quickly when needed, and as a center he will have more often both directions open for the passing lanes which should make him do even more of the well timed passing that he at best is capable of doing.

I hope you're correct about center role having a positive effect on his passing habits. Being a quick and well-timed passer, and having the potential to become one are still two different things. I think Laine currently is more the latter than the former. He doesn't have the quickest mitts but they're good enough to execute right plays at right times -- in most offensive plays. I don't question his vision, he sees the ice well, but he still tends to hold pucks for too long and look for ambitious plays that are risky and/or unlikely to succeed.


1:08:24 - pulls puck from backhand to the net front too late
1:57:20 - could have passed to JG on the weak side to get an easier and controlled zone entry
2:17:00 - cool idea to feed streaking Jenner in the middle but since the defending player on the way is facing Laine and anticipating a pass attempt, it's a low-percentage play

Don't get me wrong, I'm aware Laine's puck management has improved and he does lots of right and smart passes, but I wouldn't call him a quick and well-timed passer just yet.

 

[Ippenator]

I hope you're correct about center role having a positive effect on his passing habits. Being a quick and well-timed passer, and having the potential to become one are still two different things. I think Laine currently is more the latter than the former. He doesn't have the quickest mitts but they're good enough to execute right plays at right times -- in most offensive plays. I don't question his vision, he sees the ice well, but he still tends to hold pucks for too long and look for ambitious plays that are risky and/or unlikely to succeed.


1:08:24 - pulls puck from backhand to the net front too late
1:57:20 - could have passed to JG on the weak side to get an easier and controlled zone entry
2:17:00 - cool idea to feed streaking Jenner in the middle but since the defending player on the way is facing Laine and anticipating a pass attempt, it's a low-percentage play

Don't get me wrong, I'm aware Laine's puck management has improved and he does lots of right and smart passes, but I wouldn't call him a quick and well-timed passer just yet.

I’m not claiming that he is a perfect passer, as no one is like that anyway. Players who are excellent passers and get a lot of assists do get also intercepted fairly often. It is still about the right kind of courage and to take that kind of risks that most likely will not lead into dangerous counterattacks and even goals. But if you are not willing to take any kind of more controlled risks with the passes, then you will not usually have the kind of offensive game that is harder to defend against.

This is something that Laine probably needs to balance better, but I think he does have a good basis there how to pass some passes that can really surprise the opponent and break defences at best. Just needs to still better avoid doing those at the riskiest situations. I don’t think he does it very risky often, but when he does it can be really bad. I think in the last pre-season game that happened against Washington.

Honestly the examples you pointed out weren’t really very convincing on your points though. The 1st situation I don’t see Laine passing at all late, but the problem was really that the pass was inaccurate, as he passed from a pretty difficult position and with his backhand, which isn’t really that great with his passing anyway. Especially when he needs to pass quicker or longer passes. But on the forehand his passes are really quick and accurate most of the time.

The second example, again the problem was that he had the puck so that to give the puck to Gaudreau he would have needed to make a quite quick and hard backhand pass, which would have been in fact quite risky, if it would have been inaccurate. I think this is really why he chose to take the puck to the zone himself, and in fact even managed to do it eventually, so I think that situation went in fact really well compared to what could at worst happen by trying to make a backhand pass to Johnny.

In the third example the risk was exactly the right kind in my opinion. Sure it wasn’t the best pass, but it was probably worth the try, as it didn’t lead into a dangerous counterattack from where it was intercepted.

The only problem I do kind of see with Laine’s passing is that he isn’t really that great with his backhand passes. Especially when they need to be quick or long distance. Hopefully he can still improve with it, as I think he will need that skill as a center more than he would need it as a winger.

 

[tunnelvision]

The 1st situation I don’t see Laine passing at all late, but the problem was really that the pass was inaccurate, as he passed from a pretty difficult position and with his backhand, which isn’t really that great with his passing anyway. Especially when he needs to pass quicker or longer passes. But ok the forehand his passes are really quick and accurate most of the time.

Disagreed. If he made similar forehand-backhand move a little earlier, the goalie's stick would have been out of reach and Marchenko could have taken a shot at net. That or do the exact same pass at the same moment but quicker or more accurate. Laine did neither.

The second example, again the problems was that he had the puck so that give the puck to Gaudreau he would have needed to make a quite quick and hard backhand pass, which would have been in fact quite risky, if it would have been inaccurate. I think this is really why he chose to take the puck to the zone himself, and in fact even managed to do it eventually, so I think that situation went in fact really well compared to what could at worst happen by trying to make a backhand bass to Johnny.

There was plenty of space to pass it when Laine is at the defensive blueline, it didn't even need to be a super hard pass.

The only problem I do kind of see with Laine’s passing is that he isn’t really that great with his backhand passes. Especially when they need to be quick or long distance. Hopefully he can still improve with it, as I think he will need that skill as a center more than he would need as a winger.

This seems to be something we agree on.

 

[Halberdier]

Interesting. Apparently Laine broke one, maybe a bit obscure NHL record previously jointly held by him, Sundin, Sakic and Wayne Gretzky himself. That is, scoring at least 1 point on every season opener from the beginning of NHL career.

 

[Farmboy Patty]

View attachment 752363

Interesting. Apparently Laine broke one, maybe a bit obscure NHL record previously jointly held by him, Sundin, Sakic and Wayne Gretzky himself. That is, scoring at least 1 point on every season from the beginning of NHL career.

This is a good example of obscure stats that are tracked in the NHL that I find fun and interesting, no matter what player is involved

 

[traffic cone]

It’s an obscure stat. But that’s some good company to be in.

 

[MoeTheHobo]

It’s an obscure stat. But that’s some good company to be in.

Except he isn't anymore

 

[Cowumbus]

 

[tunnelvision]

I agree with the first two sentences, not sure about the scanning part.

That and many other plays from Laine in this game continue to support my observations that he's not a quick passer or decision-maker as I've argued with those preseason clips.

I hope you're correct about center role having a positive effect on his passing habits. Being a quick and well-timed passer, and having the potential to become one are still two different things. I think Laine currently is more the latter than the former. He doesn't have the quickest mitts but they're good enough to execute right plays at right times -- in most offensive plays. I don't question his vision, he sees the ice well, but he still tends to hold pucks for too long and look for ambitious plays that are risky and/or unlikely to succeed.


1:08:24 - pulls puck from backhand to the net front too late
1:57:20 - could have passed to JG on the weak side to get an easier and controlled zone entry
2:17:00 - cool idea to feed streaking Jenner in the middle but since the defending player on the way is facing Laine and anticipating a pass attempt, it's a low-percentage play

Don't get me wrong, I'm aware Laine's puck management has improved and he does lots of right and smart passes, but I wouldn't call him a quick and well-timed passer just yet.

The hit is suspendable, no doubt about that. I hope Laine is fine.

 

[VT]

I agree with the first two sentences, not sure about the scanning part.

That and many other plays from Laine in this game continue to support my observations that he's not a quick passer or decision-maker as I've argued with those preseason clips.



The hit is suspendable, no doubt about that. I hope Laine is fine.

I think he must get used to his new position, center isn't wing that's why not every his decision is ideal.

 

[Halberdier]

Any info if Laine is OK? Hits to the head are always scary.

 

[VT]

 

[Marioesque]

10 games would be reasonable so I bet they'll give Anderson 2 games.

 

[Byrral]

10 games would be reasonable so I bet they'll give Anderson 2 games.

First time offenders 2 games would be sufficient. Repeat offenders would be looked at differently,

 

[Napoli]

First time offenders 2 games would be sufficient. Repeat offenders would be looked at differently,

It was against a Columbus player so I expect a fine

 

[Farmboy Patty]

A 20+ game suspension would be reasonable. Even if the meatheads committing such actions don’t change their attitude against such plays, losing a quarter+ of their paycheck and position in the line up might be a detriment for them to that behavior.

If the league is serious about getting head shots out of the game, they must deal out heavy punishment for reckless behavior like the Andersson hit. The end result of such plays can not only be career ending, but also debilitating for the rest of the lives for the players at the receiving end of such hits.

 

[Marioesque]

A 20+ game suspension would be reasonable. Even if the meatheads committing such actions don’t change their attitude against such plays, losing a quarter+ of their paycheck and position in the line up might be a detriment for them to that behavior.

If the league is serious about getting head shots out of the game, they must deal out heavy punishment for reckless behavior like the Andersson hit. The end result of such plays can not only be career ending, but also debilitating for the rest of the lives for the players at the receiving end of such hits.

On top of that it's really bad business to allow employees hurting eachother on purpose when it serves no other purpose. The league is a business, having anyone taking unnecessary runs on others is stupid and hurts the game. It's financially more harmful when a useless plug like Andersson takes a run at a great player who generates business. It should not be done to any players, but it's in the leagues best interest to make an example of Andersson. You're hurting the revenue, take a seat idiot, you're not worth keeping around if you break far more than you're worth.