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Player Discussion Patrik Laine: ruining the tank

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Laine appears to be slow, but that effect is habitual with big skaters. How much is appearances and how much is actual slow skating remains to be seen. However, what still makes Laine a threat is the speed of his puck-handling, and shot execution.

IMO, Laine will never look like a speedster out there, however he recovers from his latest injury. What's most important, to me, is how solid he is with the puck on his stick, that he doesn't become afraid to initiate contact in traffic (Like Dach right now) and that he can be quick making decisions with the puck.

With a wicked shot like Line's, the speed of the processor in his head is much more important than the speed on skates.
 
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Lafleurs Guy said:
A little more context to this.

That was always the risk. That's why so many of us didn't want to pay top dollar for him and argued against it. What I could see happening with him is what's happening to Dach now - slow start, confidence goes down, fishbowl... not a good situation with somebody like Laine. And then there were the physical injuries and the salary.

I can only speak for myself but before the trade went down, I argued it should be a dump. I said we could give up something like Harris but we really should be getting a pick back for this risk. That's exactly what happened.

Thrilled that he's off to a good start and the best case scenario seems to be emerging. Hopefully it continues.

And that was another concern... his shoulder. Very clearly it hasn't affected anything on his shot. It's lethal.
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Young player still in his prime. He's got untapped potential with that lethal shot.
 
Vapaatunnus said:
After few games and after what we thought to be season ending injury, I am not surprised. :D
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Yeah I didn't expect him to be even skating yet and here we are.

He is slower than usual yes, definitely has a higher gear left but as someone said it might not be something we see much this season. He's skating with a knee brace and only been back for a couple of weeks. Good thing is he's good enough otherwise to make up for that missing gear and it not showing too bad in games
 
Laine helps to give us a half decent 2nd line, but I'm not sure it'll be enough to keep us out of the bottom 5.

We're just so bad.
 
Does anyone have a scouting report on Laine playing C for CBJ? If Dach continues to suck for the next 10 games and Laine stays healthy, why not try him there? Put Heineman and another hard worker on his wings.
 
Goalfield13 said:
Does anyone have a scouting report on Laine playing C for CBJ? If Dach continues to suck for the next 10 games and Laine stays healthy, why not try him there? Put Heineman and another hard worker on his wings.
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Your scouting report is precisely what Columbus fans told us when we got him.

1. He doesn't play well with other players that luke the puck on their stick a lot, as he likes the puck on his stick.

2. He's more of a playmaker than people know.

3. He plays well at C with 2 hardworking wingers on his wings.

Columbus fan recommended Gallagher.

I still want to see Laine with Suzuki and Caufield. Though ultimately I'm looking forward to Demidov.
 
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Goalfield13 said:
Does anyone have a scouting report on Laine playing C for CBJ? If Dach continues to suck for the next 10 games and Laine stays healthy, why not try him there? Put Heineman and another hard worker on his wings.
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If he will have good shape, I think you might try it, really. But St. Louis can ask Vincent because Pascal let him to play in that post to his the first injury. Than not, his shape after concussion was horrible, no skating, the puck was a grenade for him a long time. Probably returned too soon plus his psychical problems get worse.

But... from the games in MTL I saw (not all of them), Patrik tries to move his feet, he doesn't have a lot of turnovers, which I partially watched in the game against Jets (watched repeat, not live), he tried to cover the puck with his body (but I didn't see the whole game), that was never the case for us when he wasn't in shape after injuries, and he didn't always do that even when he was healthy. And he doesn't always try to be a driver, more often he'll play the puck to a player at speed. Which is what we wanted from him in CLB, as he has a great pass.
 
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26Mats said:
Your scouting report is precisely what Columbus fans told us when we got him.

1. He doesn't play well with other players that luke the puck on their stick a lot, as he likes the puck on his stick.

2. He's more of a playmaker than people know.

3. He plays well at C with 2 hardworking wingers on his wings.

Columbus fan recommended Gallagher.

I still want to see Laine with Suzuki and Caufield. Though ultimately I'm looking forward to Demidov.
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Heineman would be a good fit.
 
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26Mats said:
Your scouting report is precisely what Columbus fans told us when we got him.

1. He doesn't play well with other players that luke the puck on their stick a lot, as he likes the puck on his stick.

2. He's more of a playmaker than people know.

3. He plays well at C with 2 hardworking wingers on his wings.

Columbus fan recommended Gallagher.

I still want to see Laine with Suzuki and Caufield. Though ultimately I'm looking forward to Demidov.
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And not good on faceoffs.
 
Trabdy2 said:
Laine helps to give us a half decent 2nd line, but I'm not sure it'll be enough to keep us out of the bottom 5.

We're just so bad.
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A lot of hockey left. Could get better or worse bud. We are struggling in the team D area for sure but even after all of what we have seen, we are 7 pts out of the wildcard. It's a cluttered bunch from Tampa/Sens to the Habs in that east. I can see a lot more movement to come.

A lot of it depends on how much our team D can mature. I have faith in these kids and as long as they continue to put the energy into it, they should improve as the season gets deeper. How much improvement? Nobody knows

I don't expect playoffs but I'm going to let them do their thing and continue to try to improve. Makes no sense for the Media and Fans to get all frustrated when 99% of us didn't think we would make the playoffs. In fact, I rather be bottom 5 than have a pick from 12-15.

The media and fans in Montreal universe need to chill. Lets not be the Leafs. We are better than that. Let them develop in piece like so many US teams do! It's not that hard actually
 
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The pro in the center experiment is that a center does a lot more continuous skating while wingers do a lot of start/stop/turn, which isn't necessarily his strength. When he stays in motion the slower acceleration doesn't show so much.

But I'd still keep him as wing for now and let him get his skating legs back to better form. It takes time after knee injury, hopefully recovers fully.
 
Habs Halifax said:
A lot of hockey left. Could get better or worse bud. We are struggling in the team D area for sure but even after all of what we have seen, we are 7 pts out of the wildcard. It's a cluttered bunch from Tampa/Sens to the Habs in that east. I can see a lot more movement to come.

A lot of it depends on how much our team D can mature. I have faith in these kids and as long as they continue to put the energy into it, they should improve as the season gets deeper. How much improvement? Nobody knows

I don't expect playoffs but I'm going to let them do their thing and continue to try to improve. Makes no sense for the Media and Fans to get all frustrated when 99% of us didn't think we would make the playoffs. In fact, I rather be bottom 5 than have a pick from 12-15.

The media and fans in Montreal universe need to chill. Lets not be the Leafs. We are better than that. Let them develop in piece like so many US teams do! It's not that hard actually
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They’ll probably be bottom 5 unless they somehow acquire young, nhl talent. They’ll be sellers at the deadline, so that’ll probably cause them to drop. I just hope they pick up guys on expiring contracts rather than take everyone from Laval (a team that should make the playoffs)
 
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