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...

 

[BargainBinSpecial]

I wish Laine all the best but I don't see him as a Hab longterm. I didn't realize he was so one dimensional.

He's not part of future plans. The Habs got a second for Jordan Harris, that's how you analyse it. You might get a first at the deadline and cut your losses. He's a less physical Kovalev. I mean Kovalev was miles apart from Laine.

 

[HabzSauce]

Getting the 2c of the future is big move, especially if it comes with a long term contract. You don't want to get it wrong.

Sure there stop gaps that would be better than Beck, each, and Kapanen. But we don't want to give up the farm for a mediocre long term solution, or even worse a big long term contract for a player that may steeply decline after the age of 32.

If we can't find a stop gap or a real long term solution, I'd rather go with Beck, each, or Kapanen. But hugo should at least be able to find a stop gap.

I think our best bet is Duchene for now. Not much out there right now that I'm really big on personally. Id be most interested in byfield but don't see kings moving him

Duchene for next 2 years at least is miles better than what we've had since 2021, even if he's getting older. That'll buy us time to see what we have in Hage and maybe by then trade/UFA market will be more attractive

 

[BehindTheTimes]

It means Laine is the best player on his line.

Worst according to HF logic. Dach and Newhook couldn’t produce because they were saddled with a guy who out produced the both of them.

 

[26Mats]

I think our best bet is Duchene for now. Not much out there right now that I'm really big on personally. Id be most interested in byfield but don't see kings moving him

Duchene for next 2 years at least is miles better than what we've had since 2021, even if he's getting older. That'll buy us time to see what we have in Hage and maybe by then trade/UFA market will be more attractive

Yeah, and I think the best bet to get a really good solution long term was to get tank one more year ( this year) and draft one high. Plus in the sellers market we could have gotten some 1sts and 2nds to also try to draft one or to trade up in the draft...

But hopefully Hughes can pull a rabbit out of his hat. Maybe Hage is that rabbit.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

It means Laine is the best player on his line.

It means he’s amazing on the PP.