Player Discussion Patrik Laine: Part 2 - Healthy Living Edition

[LaineBOOM]

Never seen Laine be this bad before. He was a total passenger out there. He seems uninterested and out of it. To me he also looks like an outsider on the bench. Very low confidence, looks like he feels very uncomfortable.

We can only guess the reasons for this but shit Im scared for him and his career.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Never seen Laine be this bad before. He was a total passenger out there. He seems uninterested and out of it. To me he also looks like an outsider on the bench. Very low confidence, looks like he feels very uncomfortable.

We can only guess the reasons for this but shit Im scared for him and his career.

Yeah I feel like he's thinking outside of hockey. He looks like Dustin Byfuglien , about to drop hockey for something else.

 

[ReHabs]

It’s funny and typical to make Laine, the guy with the most excuses and mitigating circumstances, the whipping boy just because you didn’t expect the Habs to acquire him.

Better get the fanbase to curdle on Laine, completely ignore his injury and stamina issues, and ensure this high-reward scenario doesn’t work out. God forbid the Habs have actual talent on the team for once.

 

[Fuonki]

Never seen Laine be this bad before. He was a total passenger out there. He seems uninterested and out of it. To me he also looks like an outsider on the bench. Very low confidence, looks like he feels very uncomfortable.

We can only guess the reasons for this but shit Im scared for him and his career.

It's the same old Laine that was there in Columbus and in the last days of his Winnipeg career. It's really unfortunate and even understandable if his mind is not fully in the game right now, but we're still a hockey team that is trying to win games. At some point you really just have to come to the conclusion that maybe this is just who he is as a player, a deluxe Mike Hoffman. We're not talking about a young prospect anymore, but a guy playing his 9th professional NHL season and making top line money. If you can't give your best effort every night you don't deserve to go out there instead of a guy like Beck who gives his all on the ice each shift.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

It’s funny and typical to make Laine, the guy with the most excuses and mitigating circumstances, the whipping boy just because you didn’t expect the Habs to acquire him.

Better get the fanbase to curdle on Laine, completely ignore his injury and stamina issues, and ensure this high-reward scenario doesn’t work out. God forbid the Habs have actual talent on the team for once.

The injury is a relevant topic and can't be entirely dismissed but he has been exactly this player everywhere he has been. IMO he is a short term acquisition that should be traded next year if he doesn't show a much more consistent level of play next season. I am willing to give him a mulligan this season but the red flags seem to be plentiful.

He is a player that I did not want but I thought he was a decent gamble given the fact that he was almost out of term and has undeniable talent in a window where he can't really do much damage so the risk was quite small.

His inconsistent lack of effort an non adherence to MSL's system have made him a huge 5 vs 5 liability (nothing new for Laine) as well as a very difficult player to form chemistry with as he is too unpredictable and unstructured for his line mates to properly click with him.

Hopefully he comes back next season with some more enthusiasm and consistency as he certainly has the potential to be a huge difference maker.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

It's the same old Laine that was there in Columbus and in the last days of his Winnipeg career. It's really unfortunate and even understandable if his mind is not fully in the game right now, but we're still a hockey team that is trying to win games. At some point you really just have to come to the conclusion that maybe this is just who he is as a player, a deluxe Mike Hoffman. We're not talking about a young prospect anymore, but a guy playing his 9th professional NHL season and making top line money. If you can't give your best effort every night you don't deserve to go out there instead of a guy like Beck who gives his all on the ice each shift.

While I agree with much of what you said it should be pointed out that he won't be 27 until April, so while he is not "young" he is far from being old and still should have a few prime seasons in him if he gets his head on straight. He was a point per game player in Columbus in the two "full" seasons that he played so there is considerable upside still as everyone can acknowledge that his Columbus seasons were certainly below his talent level.

He has never been a player that I liked but there is no way to deny that he can not be better than he has ever shown at the current age of 26. Whether that is likely is a whole other conversation but we have nothing to lose by taking the time next season to find out.

 

[ReHabs]

His inconsistent lack of effort an non adherence to MSL's system have made him a huge 5 vs 5 liability (nothing new for Laine) as well as a very difficult player to form chemistry with as he is too unpredictable and unstructured for his line mates to properly click with him.

This could be said about every struggling Habs player. MSL's non-system system doesn't make underperforming players look good. Slafkovsky looks like he doesn't belong in MSL's system, nor Dach, nor Newhook, nor Anderson (though slightly better this year than previously), etc.

Our players don't really have chemistry outside of Suzuki-Caufield.

My point is Laine is pretty much the last guy who should be pilloried -- he could've been nursing his knee all this time if he had elected for surgery. This year is a mulligan in every way, so all the concern about what happens summer 2026 is excessive. We'll know about summer 2026 when the 25-26 season starts and a fit Laine dresses to play. If he's as inconsistent, etc then, we'll know the answer.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

This could be said about every struggling Habs player. MSL's non-system system doesn't make underperforming players look good. Slafkovsky looks like he doesn't belong in MSL's system, nor Dach, nor Newhook, nor Anderson (though slightly better this year than previously), etc.

Our players don't really have chemistry outside of Suzuki-Caufield.

My point is Laine is pretty much the last guy who should be pilloried -- he could've been nursing his knee all this time if he had elected for surgery. This year is a mulligan in every way, so all the concern about what happens summer 2026 is excessive. We'll know about summer 2026 when the 25-26 season starts and a fit Laine dresses to play. If he's as inconsistent, etc then, we'll know the answer.

This year is something of a mulligan but you can't just ignore his entire past of being a lazy, moody, mercurial player who has always been in and out of the coaches dog house for poor effort and a lack of interest in playing defence.

Nobody is floating like Laine is and I do not agree with your assessment of the players that you named as comparables. This is just apologetics in hyper drive.

Dach has a much stronger excuse after missing much more time with a far more serious injury and is coming back from major surgery which Laine is not. There is a lot that I do not like about Dach as well as I just don't think he has shown the mental aptitude or maturity to be a front line player but I think that he is much more engaged than Laine even f he is also inconsistent in his regard. Slaf is still very raw bur even when he is at his worst he is working harder than Laine ever has at defending and coming back.

Giving Laine a mulligan is one thing but sane washing the conversation to remove his entire history of being a floater is quite another.

 

[ReHabs]

This year is something of a mulligan but you can't just ignore his entire past of being a lazy, moody, mercurial player who has always been in and out of the coaches dog house for poor effort and a lack of interest in playing defence.

Nobody is floating like Laine is and I do not agree with your assessment of the players that you named as comparables. This is just apologetics in hyper drive.

Dach has a much stronger excuse after missing much more time with a far more serious injury and is coming back from major surgery which Laine is not. There is a lot that I do not like about Dach as well as I just don't think he has shown the mental aptitude or maturity to be a front line player but I think that he is much more engaged than Laine even f he is also inconsistent in his regard. Slaf is still very raw bur even when he is at his worst he is working harder than Laine ever has at defending and coming back.

Giving Laine a mulligan is one thing but sane washing the conversation to remove his entire history of being a floater is quite another.

Feel free to target Laine for what he is as much as you want but an insightful commentator would acknowledge this Laine is not game fit and he's hit the predictable wall after the enthusiasm of his return has died down. He's not in peak condition and he's carrying a fresh injury that would have otherwise needed surgical repair.

The Habs are 'in the mix' and Laine was acquired in exchange for negative value. As far as Laine-and-this-season is concerned, everything is going better than expected. The upcoming contract evaluation will take all of this into account. It's noteworthy how a busted Laine is outproducing a fully fit Slafkovsky. Different class of player.

 

[LaineBOOM]

If his knee is as big of an issue for him as many here guess, maybe Laine should just get it operated asap. Knees dont just magically heal to perfect condition if they really require an operation.

That way he can really show what he can do next season. Its a lose-lose if he operates it in May and returns to games next November. Operate now instead and start next season fully rehabbed, and be in your best condition around start of December.

 

[Habs Halifax]

If his knee is as big of an issue for him as many here guess, maybe Laine should just get it operated asap. Knees dont just magically heal to perfect condition if they really require an operation.

That way he can really show what he can do next season. Its a lose-lose if he operates it in May and returns to games next November. Operate now instead and start next season fully rehabbed, and be in your best condition around start of December.

That is on my mind as well. Is his knee holding him back and if so, why not shut him down and get him ready for next season. I'm sure his agent will tell him the same because it's a contract year next year.

Having said this, us fans need to realize that this is what Laine is. He's done this stuff with the Jets and Jackets and you got to live with it. Dangerous shot that can break open games. Needs to work a bit harder yes but I rather have this weapon than not have it.

 

[ReHabs]

If his knee is as big of an issue for him as many here guess, maybe Laine should just get it operated asap. Knees dont just magically heal to perfect condition if they really require an operation.

That way he can really show what he can do next season. Its a lose-lose if he operates it in May and returns to games next November. Operate now instead and start next season fully rehabbed, and be in your best condition around start of December.

That is on my mind as well. Is his knee holding him back and if so, why not shut him down and get him ready for next season. I'm sure his agent will tell him the same because it's a contract year next year.

Having said this, us fans need to realize that this is what Laine is. He's done this stuff with the Jets and Jackets and you got to live with it. Dangerous shot that can break open games. Needs to work a bit harder yes but I rather have this weapon than not have it.

Sprains (minor tears) can heal without surgery and without the risk of complications from surgery. I figure this is why they call it the 'conservative approach' -- I'm going to assume he's getting it checked out regularly to see if the tear is reducing or declining (an active MD would be good to chime in here!!).

Beyond his knee, he's also simply not in great shape. He's not been in peak for for years, he's said so himself. If he's really back in love with hockey, he'll show it when he's in game shape next year.

And I agree Habs Halifax, I'd rather have this elite weapon than squander it -- I don't need to see more tool-less hardworking guys or no-toolbox bozos who don't know how to fire off shots. Laine's shot can change games.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Sprains (minor tears) can heal without surgery and without the risk of complications from surgery. I figure this is why they call it the 'conservative approach' -- I'm going to assume he's getting it checked out regularly to see if the tear is reducing or declining (an active MD would be good to chime in here!!).

Beyond his knee, he's also simply not in great shape. He's not been in peak for for years, he's said so himself. If he's really back in love with hockey, he'll show it when he's in game shape next year.

And I agree Habs Halifax, I'd rather have this elite weapon than squander it -- I don't need to see more tool-less hardworking guys or no-toolbox bozos who don't know how to fire off shots. Laine's shot can change games.

Difficult to know how much his knee is bothering him. He did have some doctors recommend the surgery but he decided to let it heal on it's own.

Habs lost 5 straight, he's going to be the next target for a little while.

 

[morhilane]

Difficult to know how much his knee is bothering him. He did have some doctors recommend the surgery but he decided to let it heal on it's own.

Habs lost 5 straight, he's going to be the next target for a little while.

The Habs doctor said it would need surgery, the 2 specialists he went to see said to let it heal on its own.

 

[Habs Halifax]

The Habs doctor said it would need surgery, the 2 specialists he went to see said to let it heal on its own.

Thanks. I knew some doctors said surgery and some said no surgery but didn't remember what doctors said it.

 

[Deebs]

The Habs doctor said it would need surgery, the 2 specialists he went to see said to let it heal on its own.

Wasn't it the Habs doctors recommend surgery and the specialists said there's a chance it could, not will, heal on his own so Laine went that route?

Edit:

 

[the valiant effort]

I’m curious what RFK Jr would recommend for Laine’s knee