Player Discussion Patrik Laine: ruining the tank

[Tyson]

The forever tankers are such a weird breed. Cheering for a team to be bad every year so they can have a chance at drafting a player that might be good. But not too good or else we can't keep tanking. It never ends. I was excited to finally have something worth watching again.

I don't give a shit about the 2025 draft. The player we draft won't be here making an impact for 3 years at least. At a certain point people will become disinterested and tune out. That goes for the players too. That's how you end up like Dvorak, who im not convinced even likes being a hockey player anymore.

Well said

 

[26Mats]

The forever tankers are such a weird breed. Cheering for a team to be bad every year so they can have a chance at drafting a player that might be good. But not too good or else we can't keep tanking. It never ends. I was excited to finally have something worth watching again.

I don't give a shit about the 2025 draft. The player we draft won't be here making an impact for 3 years at least. At a certain point people will become disinterested and tune out. That goes for the players too. That's how you end up like Dvorak, who im not convinced even likes being a hockey player anymore.

Do you like Slaf, Demidov, and Reinbacher. How about Hutson. And Caufield, Guhle, and Suzuki? All of those players were gotten by taking, selling at the deadline or having poor teams.

A rebuild takes time. I would love to get another top 5 pick over being a bubble team. The Laine and Dach injuries show we can't have too much talent up front. We don't yet have enough to sustain a serious injury or one of our top talents not paning out/having their career compromised due to injury. If the next Michkov is available when it's our turn to pick, take him!

 

[Mrb1p]

The forever tankers are such a weird breed. Cheering for a team to be bad every year so they can have a chance at drafting a player that might be good. But not too good or else we can't keep tanking. It never ends. I was excited to finally have something worth watching again.

I don't give a shit about the 2025 draft. The player we draft won't be here making an impact for 3 years at least. At a certain point people will become disinterested and tune out. That goes for the players too. That's how you end up like Dvorak, who im not convinced even likes being a hockey player anymore.

Yep. It needs to end, we need to go for it, like yesterday. I already feel like last year was a year too much for Nick and the likes, they felt completely numb anytime you'd see their faces.

Honestly yeah the fans are gonna get disintersted but I'd f***ing hate it for some of our core players to just quit on the team or on their careers. Complacency is tough to get rid of.

 

[Mrb1p]

Do you like Slaf, Demidov, and Reinbacher. How about Hutson. And Caufield, Guhle, and Suzuki? All of those players were gotten by taking, selling at the deadline or having poor teams.

A rebuild takes time. I would love to get another top 5 pick over being a bubble team. The Laine and Dach injuries show we can't have too much talent up front. We don't yet have enough to sustain a serious injury or one of our top talents not paning out/having their career compromised due to injury. If the next Michkov is available when it's our turn to pick, take him!

Time has passed now. Tanking is a very efficient way to build a team and I've advocated for such a move for a long time.

Tanking should take anywhere from 3-5 seasons, max. We've been accumulating since 2016 now. The "tank" started at the very least in 2018, but the team hasn't looked to add anything since 2016. It doesn't matter that Hughes has only been here 3 years, the majority of the core was added before he came in, a new GM doesn't magically reset the clock on a window, unless he believes the window isn't good enough, but then we need to move Suzuki.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

Do you like Slaf, Demidov, and Reinbacher. How about Hutson. And Caufield, Guhle, and Suzuki? All of those players were gotten by taking, selling at the deadline or having poor teams.

A rebuild takes time. I would love to get another top 5 pick over being a bubble team. The Laine and Dach injuries show we can't have too much talent up front. We don't yet have enough to sustain a serious injury or one of our top talents not paning out/having their career compromised due to injury. If the next Michkov is available when it's our turn to pick, take him!

I appreciate your point in earnest, but if anyone likes all of these players then they shouldn't be expecting more losing of the last three seasons' nature.

 

[417]

Time has passed now. Tanking is a very efficient way to build a team and I've advocated for such a move for a long time.

Tanking should take anywhere from 3-5 seasons, max. We've been accumulating since 2016 now. The "tank" started at the very least in 2018, but the team hasn't looked to add anything since 2016. It doesn't matter that Hughes has only been here 3 years, the majority of the core was added before he came in, a new GM doesn't magically reset the clock on a window, unless he believes the window isn't good enough, but then we need to move Suzuki.

Efficient?

You know not even the FEW teams who have tanked “successfully”, had success exclusively because they tanked.

Its not an efficient way to build a team at all.

 

[morhilane]

I was thinking of the same thing lol.

I remember when the team got covid and we were forced to play that bananas schedule of a game literally every 2nd day for like a month, and then we went on our run. That was the start of a massive grind and then add the playoff run on top of that. I don't think that helped our injury issues.. but we can't seem to break this trend years later. Demidov tho?... hopefully there is a divine plan.

Looks at CJB, Hawks and Sharks, crap teams tends to have more injuries than the average. That's because depth is poor. The good players get overplayed or have to deal with more focus. Those teams are loaded up with AHLers or NHLers at the end of their career and the bad players are playing above their level. You just get a chain reaction of injuries or lots of players who avoid injuries.

Habs depth is awful. Gally is broken, Evans is soft and injury prone. Anderson lost all effectiveness to try to stick around longer. Dvorak is made of paper. Pezz is not an NHLer. And if they get injured, you call up AHL tweeners/prospects to replace them...

In other words, on a good team, Laine's injury should only be sad, not the end of the world.

 

[Tyson]

Looks at CJB, Hawks and Sharks, crap teams tends to have more injuries than the average. That's because depth is poor. The good players get overplayed or have to deal with more focus. Those teams are loaded up with AHLers or NHLers at the end of their career and the bad players are playing above their level. You just get a chain reaction of injuries or lots of players who avoid injuries.

Habs depth is awful. Gally is broken, Evans is soft and injury prone. Anderson lost all effectiveness to try to stick around longer. Dvorak is made of paper. Pezz is not an NHLer. And if they get injured, you call up AHL tweeners/prospects to replace them...

In other words, on a good team, Laine's injury should only be sad, not the end of the world.

Depressing but true

 

[HomaridII]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840750588629250270

 

[Benstheman]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840750588629250270

If it's true, it is NOT a good sign.

 

[the]

Let’s Go!! Please be back by December!! It’s a decent comprise right? Half a season of Laine is all I’m asking.

 

[Habby4Life]

Laine injury may work out for best. If Dach doesn't get injured we don't draft Demidov. For sure they won't lock up Laine now. Maybe teach Hughes a lesson he needed to learn? Kapanen gets chance to play on NA ice also. In long run a good thing.

What a weird post. Some of us enjoy the hockey on tv or in person more than imagined future potential of a theoretical team.

What lesson? Dared to add a young potential top goal scorer on a short contract to a shit team with tons of cap space? Everyone was excited around here. I live 3 street corners away from Bell Center and doubt very much I’ll be going to see them now they are back to a one, below average top line with horrible special teams.

The lesson, never add young skilled talent, lol.

I’m sure there is a dark cloud over Hugo today, as I don’t see them viewing this as a good lesson. I also don’t think they just shrug it off as he was never going to be in their long term plan as some of the posters on her state. Both views are bizarre.

 

[HomaridII]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840750340678865226

 

[Thomas Sowell]

The Habs are going to pull a Tampa Bay..Laine is going to be out for the season or close too.. Hughes and Gorton want to make a push this season so Laine will be on ltir and they will aquire Zegras and just sneak into the playoffs.. then the Tampa clause will kick in and Laine will be ready to go.. 93-2025 ..book it!.. that is of course if they can carry both Price & Laine on ltir..if so book it!

And if ska misses playoffs demidov would be available for playoffs

 

[Habby4Life]

The forever tankers are such a weird breed. Cheering for a team to be bad every year so they can have a chance at drafting a player that might be good. But not too good or else we can't keep tanking. It never ends. I was excited to finally have something worth watching again.

I don't give a shit about the 2025 draft. The player we draft won't be here making an impact for 3 years at least. At a certain point people will become disinterested and tune out. That goes for the players too. That's how you end up like Dvorak, who im not convinced even likes being a hockey player anymore.

1000%

I’d like to see them play a meaningful game post November. Is that a little too much to ask.

 

[SwiftyHab]

If it's true, it is NOT a good sign.

Why you say that?

 

[Benstheman]

Why you say that?

I just think it's easier or more simple to announce a better than expected news than a worst one.

 

[morhilane]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840750588629250270

Contradict what Friedman said.

 

[sampollock]

I just think it's easier or more simple to announce a better than expected news than a worst one.

agree.
its bad news to come on PL

 

[SwiftyHab]

I just think it's easier or more simple to announce a better than expected news than a worst one.

So then you’re expecting good news?

 

[Captain Mountain]

I just think it's easier or more simple to announce a better than expected news than a worst one.

Its also better to announce good news Monday to Thursday and bad news Friday to Sunday.

Speculating on the timing is either unsubstantiated optimism (if you think it means good news) or a form of self-flagellation (if you think its bad news).

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

The forever tankers are such a weird breed.

They are indeed weird. Just like a unicorn is weird because we add a fantastical horn to a normal creature, making it mythical.

In other words, it is a mythical creature that lives only inside your head. One you created as a strawman to immaturely avoid the actual reasons people would want maybe 1 or 2 added years of picking high.

Those reasons are simple. Some people just don't want to be stuck as a bubble team like we were in the past and feel we haven't crossed the treshhold where we have accumulated enough talent to avoid getting stuck there.

 

[Habsfan18]

So then you’re expecting good news?

I think they mean if it was good news and knew yesterday, they'd have been much more likely to announce it already.

 

[Mrb1p]

Efficient?

You know not even the FEW teams who have tanked “successfully”, had success exclusively because they tanked.

Its not an efficient way to build a team at all.

I don't even know what you're trying to say. Every single cup winner aside from the Golden knights and Bruins are the result of tanking.

 

[waffledave]

They are indeed weird. Just like a unicorn is weird because we add a fantastical horn to a normal creature, making it mythical.

In other words, it is a mythical creature that lives only inside your head. One you created as a strawman to immaturely avoid the actual reasons people would want maybe 1 or 2 added years of picking high.

Those reasons are simple. Some people just don't want to be stuck as a bubble team like we were in the past and feel we haven't crossed the treshhold where we have accumulated enough talent to avoid getting stuck there.

Oh yeah, let's keep picking high instead of going for it so that we can finally maybe be good 6 years into Suzuki/Caufield/Slafkovsky's contracts. I'm sure they will be happy to be losers all through their 20's. Won't have a bad effect on their careers at all.