Player Discussion Patrik Laine: Part 2 - Healthy Living Edition

[Lafleurs Guy]

Demidov needs to play with good players, especially as a rookie. With his current KHL team, he is playing with Evgeny Kuznetsov and other "vets" like Mikhail Grigorenko. Expecting him to be a major cog on the Habs with "middling" players like Dach (unless he vastly improves), would not be fair to the rookie.

Let's move on from Dach. I don't agree at all that he's a middling player but it doesn't matter anymore. He's not in that role going forward.

I think Demidov and Laine have the potential to be a terrific combination. Laine is a pure finisher and if Demidov can set him up he could rack up goals for us. That means we need a center who is a play driver and can handle some physical play. Sam Bennett would be good - but good luck getting him. Crosby would be ideal and I would pay a ton for him but he's also unlikely to come here. I'm not sure who's out there but we're going to have to make a move. No way we just go in with no 2nd line center now that Dach's gone down.

 

[Sorinth]

Demidov needs to play with good players, especially as a rookie. With his current KHL team, he is playing with Evgeny Kuznetsov and other "vets" like Mikhail Grigorenko. Expecting him to be a major cog on the Habs with "middling" players like Dach (unless he vastly improves), would not be fair to the rookie.

Lots of high draft picks come in as rookies and play with "middling" players and manage just fine. There's certainly reasons we should be looking at getting a "real" top-6 C, but it has little to do with Demidov.

 

[26Mats]

Demidov needs to play with good players, especially as a rookie. With his current KHL team, he is playing with Evgeny Kuznetsov and other "vets" like Mikhail Grigorenko. Expecting him to be a major cog on the Habs with "middling" players like Dach (unless he vastly improves), would not be fair to the rookie.

It's not so kuch expecting as hoping...

We'll se what HuGo do this summer. Can they find the 2c of the future, or at least a candidate, as Dach was a and still is another potential candidate? Or will they jave to settle for a vet stop gap while they continue to look? Ir will they find none of the future 2c, a candidate, or a vet stop gap and have to go with Dach/Beck/Kapanen/Newhook? We shall see what they come up with...

So far, at the TDL they weren't able to find anything at their price...