Player Discussion Patrik Laine: ruining the tank

[themilosh]

He might.

I'd feel better with that prediction for the following year though. We just don't know what the impact of his injuries will be this season. Best case scenario, it's not a factor and then this is one of the best moves ever. Or maybe it's a rough year followed by a good one.

I'd rather lower expectations than go in with bigger targets. I think he's good for 20 goals but you may be right.

Or we hold on to him until the '26TDL if he doesn't fit, send him to a contender, and get a pirate's ransom to retain 50%. Nit bad at all..

 

[JoelWarlord]

If the experience don't work, might become a problem next summer if opportunities prensets themselves.

It won't. We will have 24 million available next summer (including Price LTIR space) to sign Primeau, Struble, and replacements or extensions for Evans, Dvorak, Armia, RHP, Pezzetta, and Savard. We're almost guaranteed to have at least 2 of Laine, Hutson, Demidov, Mailloux, Reinbacher in the mix for 25-26 on ELCs.

We genuinely have zero risk of a cap issue directly from this trade, the only potential for cap problems would be if we extend Laine and he falls off a cliff afterwards like Jeff Skinner.

 

[themilosh]

It won't. We will have 24 million available next summer (including Price LTIR space) to sign Primeau, Struble, and replacements or extensions for Evans, Dvorak, Armia, RHP, Pezzetta, and Savard. We're almost guaranteed to have at least 2 of Laine, Hutson, Demidov, Mailloux, Reinbacher in the mix for 25-26 on ELCs.

We genuinely have zero risk of a cap issue directly from this trade, the only potential for cap problems would be if we extend Laine and he falls off a cliff afterwards like Jeff Skinner.

I somehow think he either works to trade, a la Moyahan, or we resign him to an 7yr 7.1M if he works out.. if he doesnt want to play ball with our salary structure then trade him, no big deal..
No harm no foul.

 

[FerrisRox]

I know people will be up in arms, but if we lose Dach to injury, I'd give Laine a shot at C. He looked pretty good there in my limited viewings during his short stint. He's genuinely decent defensively when he puts the effort in.

I watched him play two games at centre for Columbus and he was absolutely abysmal in those games.

LIke, really, really bad. I know it's a very small sample size, so I would have to ask the folks on the Columbus board for their take, but what I saw was terrible.

 

[KevSkillz4]

I truly believe that Laine isn't on money, he want to win. He wasn't happy even with 8,7. So if he like the environments of MTL, pretty sure he can accept a 6 years deal at 7 // 7,5 per year.

That would be perfect for both sides.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Or we hold on to him until the '26TDL if he doesn't fit, send him to a contender, and get a pirate's ransom to retain 50%. Nit bad at all..

Yep. I'm counting on him for nothing.

As I said, with or without him I like where we're going. 3rd line is shaping up to be Newhook/Roy/Beck. That's incredible. Our blueline is stacked with good young prospects... how can you not be excited about where we're going?

 

[FerrisRox]

The really weak point on that roster is probably Dvorak centering the 3rd line,

Really?

You don't think Christian Dvorak is more than capable of being a third line centre?

 

[Vachon23]

Really?

You don't think Christian Dvorak is more than capable of being a third line centre?

Dvo is a fine 3rd line C, when healthy

 

[rickthegoon]

Really?

You don't think Christian Dvorak is more than capable of being a third line centre?

I actually don’t.

 

[FerrisRox]

Dvo is a fine 3rd line C, when healthy

I would say he's an above average third line centre, certainly not a weakness for the team at all.

 

[Rob Sense]

Lot of assumptions being made about the guy because he went into the player assistance program.

In 3 of the past 5 seasons and 2 of the past 3 seasons he's paced for 70+ points. What he is right now is still a very productive player so long as he's healthy-ish.

in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 season he got 108 points in 111 games including 48 goals...that is not a 4th line scrub!

 

[Vachon23]

I would say he's an above average third line centre, certainly not a weakness for the team at all.

30 pts +, great on face off and can play on PK. He’s what you want from a 3rd line C. Just not the best fit for our style of game we play

 

[Marioesque]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1821621011328201174

He's been there for a while, definitely started before SC finals were underway when alkeme performance first posted clips of him there. Previous summers he's been training with Barkov mostly

 

[VT]

I watched him play two games at centre for Columbus and he was absolutely abysmal in those games.

LIke, really, really bad. I know it's a very small sample size, so I would have to ask the folks on the Columbus board for their take, but what I saw was terrible.

And against Vegas and Washington, he played very well as a center.
It was just the beginning of the season, he had no shape. One didn't play center anymore after concussion.

 

[HomaridII]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1825994589565600168

 

[Tuggy]

I do not endorse his number choice.

 

[CanadienShark]

I watched him play two games at centre for Columbus and he was absolutely abysmal in those games.

LIke, really, really bad. I know it's a very small sample size, so I would have to ask the folks on the Columbus board for their take, but what I saw was terrible.

We must not have seen the same games. And I'm not trying to be rude - I honestly didn't see all of his games. Or we just have different opinions.

 

[nhlfan9191]

I truly believe that Laine isn't on money, he want to win. He wasn't happy even with 8,7. So if he like the environments of MTL, pretty sure he can accept a 6 years deal at 7 // 7,5 per year.

That would be perfect for both sides.

His next contract will be completely dependant on his health and production. He still has two years that we’re giving him to prove he can achieve both of those things before we even start conversations about what he would be worth on an extension. Right now, nobody would commit to him which is why we basically got him for free. He has to go out there and put out. I really hope he does.

 

[HuGort]

Or we hold on to him until the '26TDL if he doesn't fit, send him to a contender, and get a pirate's ransom to retain 50%. Nit bad at all..

Most likely scenario

 

[Marioesque]

I watched him play two games at centre for Columbus and he was absolutely abysmal in those games.

LIke, really, really bad. I know it's a very small sample size, so I would have to ask the folks on the Columbus board for their take, but what I saw was terrible.

I wonder what games, like what time of year? When he came back from concussion he was clearly in too early and had a set of games where he looked off. We didn't get to see him much at center because his season was cut early by concussion and then shortly after returning from that, looked like he was getting back to his usual self and then the clavicle injury.

This was from the game that ended his season basically. He was a +2 and scored a goal with 7+ minutes before the injury. Looked pretty good. But I don't think he was playing C here. I don't want him playing C, you need a lot of faceoff training for that position and should have been started earlier.

 

[Habs10Habs]

I do not endorse his number choice.

Meh, Dryden is getting old. I say we pull his number from the rafters, and give it to Laine. He won't notice.

 

[Shred]

Laine, Fantilli building chemistry one meal at a time | Columbus Blue Jackets

Patrik Laine isn’t planning to open a restaurant anytime soon, but if he did, he’d likely have an enthusiastic patron on night one. The Blue Jackets star welcomed the organization’s top prospect, first-round pick Adam Fantilli, into his home for a few weeks this summer, and the young center left

www.nhl.com

I googled this myself so hopefully wasn’t shared here already (read through most of the thread and haven’t seen it)

 

[Rob Sense]

just crunching some numbers...if Laine plays 80 games and scores at his usual rate that meant the Habs will get about 40 more goals which would bring them to 0 in the GF:GA ratio. We also lost a whooping 33 games by one goal so this would translate into more OT/W and translate into playoff range. One can hope!

 

[FerrisRox]

I wonder what games, like what time of year? When he came back from concussion he was clearly in too early and had a set of games where he looked off. We didn't get to see him much at center because his season was cut early by concussion and then shortly after returning from that, looked like he was getting back to his usual self and then the clavicle injury.

This was from the game that ended his season basically. He was a +2 and scored a goal with 7+ minutes before the injury. Looked pretty good. But I don't think he was playing C here. I don't want him playing C, you need a lot of faceoff training for that position and should have been started earlier.

I don't remember who they were facing, or when it was, but I had Laine in the pool, and I would often pick a game where I had multiple players playing. I had Laine and Gaudreau, so if there was a Columbus game versus some team I had a couple of guys, I'd watch it.

The games I saw he was not doing well in the circle, and was very tentative without the puck. He was in over his head playing without the puck for sure and just didn't have the level of engagement you want to see. Also, as a winger, I feel acutely aware of his big frame. He uses it well along the wall, he use it well to protect the puck and keep defenders at bay, and he can be problem when he goes to areas he wants to get the puck. At centre, I didn't see him using his size to his advantage and a lot of the good things he does with his big body were neutralized or not present.

I only want to see him on the wing in Montreal.

 

[behemolari]

Those highlights are unreal. Laine got a Ilya Kovalchuk like snipe.

much better