Player Discussion Patrik Laine: Part 2 - Healthy Living Edition

[Rapala]

Canadiens should've had him out there with Suzuki and Hutson.

So should we go back and ask for a do over?

 

[Frank Drebin]

It is sad that Hughes offered the best package leaguewide for Laine. That shows how tight cap space is, and how the Jackets underutilized Laine.

When Nashville wanted to get rid of a declining Subban without retaining, and when Edmonton wanted to get rid of a declining Hall because made a bad joke without retaining, they still got back more than the Jackets got back.

Wait, bad joke? I missed that part of hockey history

 

[LaP]

To the point of putting Laine with Suzuki.

I'd be willing to try it next year. But it would require moving Caufield down to spread out our snipers. I'd also move Slaf down to keep him with Cole.

Laine - Suzuki - Demidov
Slaf - Dach - Caufield

That could be pretty deadly if you ask me.

Either way....I pair Slaf with Caufield and Laine with Demi next year.

I'd rather keep Slaf as a RW where he had more success. Let the kid focus on one position. First line is doing well that way why change it? This line should even gets better with time. HAving Demidov with two big players like Dach and Laine would not be bad and better for him to start in the NHL without having the pressure to be on the first line.

 

[waitin425]

I'd rather keep Slaf as a RW where he had more success. Let the kid focus on one position.

My bad - I'm just so used to typing them in that order.

My point stands though....pair him with Caufield and Laine with Demi

 

[Kegs]

Holy smokes what an absolute beauty. What a great signing this has turned out to be.

 

[Lshap]

Yes Laine has always been a terrible skater. He's really slow to get up to speed but his top speed isn't that bad. The problem with Laine is that in order to get the most out of him you need strong booking. The only thing the Canadiens have done right with Laine so far is the powerplay. But the powerplay is the most important part to get right. Laine plays better with confidence and scoring on the powerplay will boost his confidence.

But he needs better linemates and more icetime. You can't play him with 2 jobbers. Suzuki is the best center on the Canadiens so the starting point should be that he plays with Laine as he's got the best playmaking ability out of the forwards. Hutson is the best offensive defenseman so he should also always play with Laine. The two other players on that line can be tampered with to find the right mix. Maybe someone that can cover for Laine defensively so he's allowed to play to his strenghts by floating and cherry picking. And what the hell was that overtime thing? Yes Laine scored but he was on the ice with a AHL defenseman and a weak 3rd liner. If Laine played for my Leafs it would've been him with Matthews and Marner on the ice for overtime. Canadiens should've had him out there with Suzuki and Hutson.

You may want to recheck the box score. Laine was on the ice with Guhle, a top-pair D, and Evans, an excellent 3C.

 

[yianik]

Okay, so Laine is on a pace for 46 PPG and 9 ESG over 82 games. That PPG is not sustainable and the ES is too low for some reason or another, likely because Dach is still finding his game, and so is Laine for that matter. But say over the rest of the season he scores 15-18 goals in the remaining 36 games.

Do we wait into next season to consider an extension ? Or should Hughes think about what may happen when Demi comes over regardless of whether we have a legit 2C at that point. Not to get carried away, but if Demi comes in remotely close to what Michkov is doing , isnt it reasonable to think Laine will put up big ass numbers ? Like 50 goals plus ? So do we try to sign Laine starting on July 1, or wait to see how it goes. Personally Im hoping his overall offensive game rounds out more this season and he scores off rushes, from different spots on the ice and with more individual effort from him ( not just one timers ). If he does that Ill start talking July 1.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Okay, so Laine is on a pace for 46 PPG and 9 ESG over 82 games. That PPG is not sustainable and the ES is too low for some reason or another, likely because Dach is still finding his game, and so is Laine for that matter. But say over the rest of the season he scores 15-18 goals in the remaining 36 games.

Do we wait into next season to consider an extension ? Or should Hughes think about what may happen when Demi comes over regardless of whether we have a legit 2C at that point. Not to get carried away, but if Demi comes in remotely close to what Michkov is doing , isnt it reasonable to think Laine will put up big ass numbers ? Like 50 goals plus ? So do we try to sign Laine starting on July 1, or wait to see how it goes. Personally Im hoping his overall offensive game rounds out more this season and he scores off rushes, from different spots on the ice and with more individual effort from him ( not just one timers ). If he does that Ill start talking July 1.

I wouldn't extend him right now unless he's willing to take an insanely sweet deal. There's just too much missing in his game right now to just give him a long term deal around the salary he's getting right now.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Laine still being only 26 is making a potential contract extension a lot more interesting IMO. He's a good fit age wise with the rest of the core and it seems like he's getting along fine with his teammates and feeling motivated again. It's not him at his 100% best either, he's potentially going to be even better next season with a full healthy off season.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

I love his game even though he isn’t quite there yet. He’s just so talented he can’t help but produce. Glad the goal scoring is still there and seemingly better than ever.

All 3 of those guys on that line can still be better which is damn exciting to think about. I think they’re all improving which is a good sign.

 

[ReHabs]

Wait, bad joke? I missed that part of hockey history

Waddell said it or strongly implied it in the trade call, with regards to not retaining any cap/salary iirc.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Waddell said it or strongly implied it in the trade call, with regards to not retaining any cap/salary iirc.

The poster mentioned Hall being traded because he made a bad joke is what I was referring to.

Okay, so Laine is on a pace for 46 PPG and 9 ESG over 82 games. That PPG is not sustainable and the ES is too low for some reason or another, likely because Dach is still finding his game, and so is Laine for that matter. But say over the rest of the season he scores 15-18 goals in the remaining 36 games.

Do we wait into next season to consider an extension ? Or should Hughes think about what may happen when Demi comes over regardless of whether we have a legit 2C at that point. Not to get carried away, but if Demi comes in remotely close to what Michkov is doing , isnt it reasonable to think Laine will put up big ass numbers ? Like 50 goals plus ? So do we try to sign Laine starting on July 1, or wait to see how it goes. Personally Im hoping his overall offensive game rounds out more this season and he scores off rushes, from different spots on the ice and with more individual effort from him ( not just one timers ). If he does that Ill start talking July 1.

I think we have to be prepared to see the bad Laine for 20-30 game stretches. Maybe more. He's a streaky player and we've only seen the good.

 

[Kennerback]

The poster mentioned Hall being traded because he made a bad joke is what I was referring to.


I think we have to be prepared to see the bad Laine for 20-30 game stretches. Maybe more. He's a streaky player and we've only seen the good.

He’s the type of player you need to take the good with the bad. Perhaps like Kovalev but even more. The good is better but the bad might be worse. And it’s built in the cake. We need to look at the big picture. All his goals weigh too heavy on the scale. We need him.

 

[LaP]

I wouldn't extend him right now unless he's willing to take an insanely sweet deal. There's just too much missing in his game right now to just give him a long term deal around the salary he's getting right now.

You can't extend him right now anyway. He can be extended july 1st only. I'd wait next season to extend him to make sure his problems are behind him.

 

[sampollock]

Can't believe some thought acquiring him was a bad idea.

amen on that or he was fake being hurt

I wouldn't extend him right now unless he's willing to take an insanely sweet deal. There's just too much missing in his game right now to just give him a long term deal around the salary he's getting right now.

this summer he will be extended I bet

 

[That Habs Fan]

I mean this with all due respect and as someone who has struggled with depression and other mental isuses myself, if/when Laine fixes his teeth and hair we'll know he's clear of those struggles.

On the ice, it's insane to have him in addition to Suzuki and Caufield when we haven't had a forward as good as any of them in decades. Prime Pacioretty was close, then Kovalev, then nobody until the cup team. Of course there are weaknesses to his game but they will be less evident once he's fully back up to speed, and you gotta take the bad with the great with a sniper like him. I still often forget that he's 6'5 too which is the cherry on top.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Can't believe some thought acquiring him was a bad idea.

Those people (myself included) thought acquiring him by paying a lot to get him wouldn't be a prudent decision.

And it wasn't, because we got paid to take him.

I didn't see one person say they wouldn't acquire Laine, they were just pushing back against proposals that included our fisrt round pick and top prospects.

 

[sampollock]

I mean this with all due respect and as someone who has struggled with depression and other mental isuses myself, if/when Laine fixes his teeth and hair we'll know he's clear of those struggles.

On the ice, it's insane to have him in addition to Suzuki and Caufield when we haven't had a forward as good as any of them in decades. Prime Pacioretty was close, then Kovalev, then nobody until the cup team. Of course there are weaknesses to his game but they will be less evident once he's fully back up to speed, and you gotta take the bad with the great with a sniper like him. I still often forget that he's 6'5 too which is the cherry on top.

that is a good thought
he is a big time scorer. he is coming around
everyone wants perfection sometimes. we see what KH does

 

[Kegs]

I mean this with all due respect and as someone who has struggled with depression and other mental isuses myself, if/when Laine fixes his teeth and hair we'll know he's clear of those struggles.

On the ice, it's insane to have him in addition to Suzuki and Caufield when we haven't had a forward as good as any of them in decades. Prime Pacioretty was close, then Kovalev, then nobody until the cup team. Of course there are weaknesses to his game but they will be less evident once he's fully back up to speed, and you gotta take the bad with the great with a sniper like him. I still often forget that he's 6'5 too which is the cherry on top.

Hockey players can’t fix their teeth until they retire.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Hockey players can’t fix their teeth until they retire.

are they allowed to brush them?

 

[sampollock]

are they allowed to brush them?

Only floss

 

[japhi27returns]

I wouldn't extend him right now unless he's willing to take an insanely sweet deal. There's just too much missing in his game right now to just give him a long term deal around the salary he's getting right now.

Agreed, and he is going to break our hearts when he misses important games down the stretch, in the playoffs.

By now you know what you are getting….. 2/3 available games played. So he’s around a 5mm guy IMO. Healthy, 8 but you can’t pay him for games you KNOW he won’t play.

If he loves it here, and feels healthy, he does a sweetheart deal. If not, it’s been a slice.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Agreed, and he is going to break our hearts when he misses important games down the stretch, in the playoffs.

By now you know what you are getting….. 2/3 available games played. So he’s around a 5mm guy IMO. Healthy, 8 but you can’t pay him for games you KNOW he won’t play.

If he loves it here, and feels healthy, he does a sweetheart deal. If not, it’s been a slice.

When he's healthy he plays like an 10m player, not an 8m player. 8-9 is what I imagine his value to be right now on a 6 year deal. 5 is absurd.

 

[InsideLaine]

I mean this with all due respect and as someone who has struggled with depression and other mental isuses myself, if/when Laine fixes his teeth and hair we'll know he's clear of those struggles.

This is actually true. And I say it with having had similar struggles as well. I know I turned it into a joke a few pages earlier but I agree, he is definitely not clear of yhe struggles yet. But great to see him doing this well already on the ice. Goals are like medicine for him on the ice.

 

[NotCommitted]

Laine PP goals -
52 for Winnipeg in 306 GP
18 for Columbus in 174 GP
10 for Montreal in 18 GP

Laine's best season this far for PP scoring was 2017-18, when he led the league with 20 PP goals.

I mean this with all due respect and as someone who has struggled with depression and other mental isuses myself, if/when Laine fixes his teeth and hair we'll know he's clear of those struggles.

Uhmm... maybe there's a cultural gap here, but I don't think a hair transplant or dental work for purely cosmetic reasons is really about "fixing" anything. If you're feeling that Laine should get those things "fixed", maybe it tells more about you and the culture you come from than Laine.

If this was about Laine struggling to maintain personal hygiene, I'd agree with you.