Player Discussion Patrik Laine: ruining the tank

[BullLund]

Yep, like anyone else who goes through this torrid pace, everything is going right. If he's not beating the goalie clean, he's getting bounces in his favour.

At some point, it's going to stop, and I hope fans don't start thinking what the the heck is going on.

I'm also interested to see how Laine reacts to it.

So far it sounds like Laine knows that he has got a lot of work ahead of himself. He hasn't been happy with his overall game.

If he can get close to his 5on5 production on Columbus between 2021-2023, while continuing to produce PP points (not to this extent, but enough to remain a constant threat), that'd make him a really effective player for Montreal. Even if his PP production drops, there's a couple of other guys there who can pick up the slack.

 

[The Last Red]

So far it sounds like Laine knows that he has got a lot of work ahead of himself. He hasn't been happy with his overall game.

If he can get close to his 5on5 production on Columbus between 2021-2023, while continuing to produce PP points (not to this extent, but enough to remain a constant threat), that'd make him a really effective player for Montreal. Even if his PP production drops, there's a couple of other guys there who can pick up the slack.

Laine will require better linemates to produce at even strength. Newhook has one assist, I think, and Dach is hot trash presently.

 

[sampollock]

PL needs a solid centre

 

[Jurivan Demidovsky]

PL needs a solid centre

Next season:

Heineken - Demidov - Laine

 

[morhilane]

Laine will require better linemates to produce at even strength. Newhook has one assist, I think, and Dach is hot trash presently.

Where you think you remember seeing Newhook with an assist, it was a dream.

 

[BargainBinSpecial]

Laine will require better linemates to produce at even strength. Newhook has one assist, I think, and Dach is hot trash presently.

I think the Dach experiment is coming due. They will draft a C or trade for one.

 

[elmaco]

I don't want Laine to risk injury for this stupid 4 Nations BS cup.

I'm so pumped for it, it's the only time you see allstar teams play with full intensity, when you put them in a national jersey.

 

[sampollock]

I'm so pumped for it, it's the only time you see allstar teams play with full intensity, when you put them in a national jersey.

I worry about the 4 nations too

 

[The Last Red]

I think the Dach experiment is coming due. They will draft a C or trade for one.

Yeah, unless he can turn it around in the next 3 months. Then again, it took Connor Brown almost an entire season to regain his form after a similar injury. But he did.

 

[elmaco]

I worry about the 4 nations too

Think positive, maybe he wins it.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I think the Dach experiment is coming due. They will draft a C or trade for one.

We drafted Hage.

Honestly, my hope is that Demidov can be the center we're looking for. If that were to happen... we'd be in really good shape going forward.

 

[The Last Red]

We drafted Hage.

Honestly, my hope is that Demidov can be the center we're looking for. If that were to happen... we'd be in really good shape going forward.

Demidov is a wing, leave him there. He can be our version of Marner.

 

[JianYang]

Demidov is a wing, leave him there. He can be our version of Marner.

Yuck. I don't want any version of marner.

 

[The Last Red]

Yuck. I don't want any version of marner.

Why not? He’s a great player.

 

[JianYang]

Why not? He’s a great player.

I'm hoping the goal is to build a team that competes for a cup.

 

[The Last Red]

I'm hoping the goal is to build a team that competes for a cup.

Well yeah but to blame Marner only for that is bit unfair. He’s a great talent. My point was that he basically plays like a center from the wing, without being overburdened by center responsibilities, although he’s fine in his own end.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Why not? He’s a great player.

In the regular season...

 

[HabzSauce]

Why not? He’s a great player.

Soft as butter. Immature. Useless in playoffs. Drama.

Demidov thankfully is not that

 

[Jurivan Demidovsky]

We drafted Hage.

Honestly, my hope is that Demidov can be the center we're looking for. If that were to happen... we'd be in really good shape going forward.

Based on the search results, here’s a summary of Ivan Demidov’s preferences and abilities at the center position:

Comfortable playing center: Demidov has mentioned that he prefers playing center over wing, citing that it allows him to be more creative and have a better vision of the game. (Source: “Ivan Demidov prefers center to wing - Dose.ca”)
Played center in pre-season tournament: During the Puchkov pre-season tournament, Demidov played center and made highlight-reel plays, showcasing his ability to create scoring chances and dominate games from the middle of the ice. (Source: “September 2024 – After captaining the Russian U23 team, and scoring five points in the Puchkov pre-season tournament, Ivan Demidov officially earned a spot on Roman Rotenberg’s SKA roster in the KHL.”)
Elite creativity and puck skills: Demidov’s scouting reports highlight his exceptional handling, passing, and shooting abilities, which would be valuable assets at the center position. (Source: “2024 Draft Prospect Profile: Ivan Demidov is another top Russian winger - The Cannon”)
Potential to develop into a two-way center: While Demidov’s defensive play could use improvement, his intelligence, passing ability, and engagement off-puck suggest he has the potential to develop into a well-rounded, two-way center. (Source: “2024 Draft Prospect Profile: Ivan Demidov is another top Russian winger - The Cannon”)
In summary, Ivan Demidov has expressed a preference for playing center, has experience playing the position in pre-season tournaments, and possesses elite creativity and puck skills that would be valuable at the center position. With further development, he may become a well-rounded, two-way center.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Based on the search results, here’s a summary of Ivan Demidov’s preferences and abilities at the center position:

Comfortable playing center: Demidov has mentioned that he prefers playing center over wing, citing that it allows him to be more creative and have a better vision of the game. (Source: “Ivan Demidov prefers center to wing - Dose.ca”)
Played center in pre-season tournament: During the Puchkov pre-season tournament, Demidov played center and made highlight-reel plays, showcasing his ability to create scoring chances and dominate games from the middle of the ice. (Source: “September 2024 – After captaining the Russian U23 team, and scoring five points in the Puchkov pre-season tournament, Ivan Demidov officially earned a spot on Roman Rotenberg’s SKA roster in the KHL.”)
Elite creativity and puck skills: Demidov’s scouting reports highlight his exceptional handling, passing, and shooting abilities, which would be valuable assets at the center position. (Source: “2024 Draft Prospect Profile: Ivan Demidov is another top Russian winger - The Cannon”)
Potential to develop into a two-way center: While Demidov’s defensive play could use improvement, his intelligence, passing ability, and engagement off-puck suggest he has the potential to develop into a well-rounded, two-way center. (Source: “2024 Draft Prospect Profile: Ivan Demidov is another top Russian winger - The Cannon”)
In summary, Ivan Demidov has expressed a preference for playing center, has experience playing the position in pre-season tournaments, and possesses elite creativity and puck skills that would be valuable at the center position. With further development, he may become a well-rounded, two-way center.

If he can play center, we're in great shape. Suzuki on one line and Demidov on the other? Awesome.

 

[Jurivan Demidovsky]

If he can play center, we're in great shape. Suzuki on one line and Demidov on the other? Awesome.

I certainly hope they try it

Slafkovsky - Suzuki - Caufield
Heineman - Demidov - Laine

 

[NotCommitted]

Yep, like anyone else who goes through this torrid pace, everything is going right. If he's not beating the goalie clean, he's getting bounces in his favour.

At some point, it's going to stop, and I hope fans don't start thinking what the the heck is going on.

I'm also interested to see how Laine reacts to it.

Yeah he seems to be having one of those stretches where he just can't not score, like these last couple of goals - blasts through a stick (on a shot which looked like it might have missed the net) and the puck goes in anyway, goes for a shotpass to Slaf and puck bounces in off a defender... but to be fair that seems part of his game when he brings in the magic

Obviously his PP scoring is going to drop off a bit at some point, with some luck that won't happen until his 5v5 game shapes back up. In the past he has not always dealt well with going cold, but in 22-23 he was about P/GP for Columbus with just his "baseline production", that season he had no Laine hot streaks, so hopefully he has matured in that respect and has more confidence in his overall game and better tools to deal with his mind.

 

[BullLund]

Laine will require better linemates to produce at even strength. Newhook has one assist, I think, and Dach is hot trash presently.

Well, he did produce in Columbus even when his linemates were of questionable quality at times. But his "in-game" conditioning probably isn't what it was a couple of years ago. There might also be some concern on his part about injuries.

I expected a fairly cold start from him, all things considered, fortunately he has had the PP success. Shot is looking great, it actually felt like his shooting ability fell off a little bit in Columbus (atleast he was very hesitant to shoot), but now he looks like the Laine of old, just bombarding the net at will and not hesitating with the puck.

 

[BB88]

PL needs a solid centre

The crazy thing is that not once has he really had a legit high end C to play with

At times he played with Scheifele but never consistently like other top players in the league

Little, Jenner, Roslovic, they really werent’t high end, now Dach

You could almost make the argument that no other ”superstar” player has played his career with worse C’s

 

[BB88]

Laine will require better linemates to produce at even strength. Newhook has one assist, I think, and Dach is hot trash presently.

He played around ppg pace in tirefire Columbus

He does’t need superstar to be a ppg player but certainly better than Dach

But as the above post says Laine’s ceiling has never really been tested