Player Discussion Patrik Laine: wearing a regular practice jersey

[HabzSauce]

We already went through all experienced french speaking head coaches.

Uhhhh who said we can't recycle?

Michel Therrien 3.0 let's get it

 

[Marioesque]

He is unfortunately a player that can get quite easily frustrated, and when he gets frustrated he gets quite easily off his game. On the other hand if he can use his strengths, he builds his confidence and when his confidence is high, he can be an absolute monster.

I just hope that he has been able to work through that in therapy and knows how to deal with it better. From the interviews it seems he has worked on it

 

[VT]

I don’t claim that Laine has to absolutely have a very good passer as center, but when he has, that will still get the most out of him. As I mentioned centers like Barkov would be pretty ideal. Sebastian Aho worked also really well with Laine in the 2016 WJC tournament. In my opinion Aho and Suzuki are a bit similar players, so I think Laine and Suzuki could work really well too,

In Columbus there wasn’t really any very good passing centers when Laine played there. The best fit with Laine of centers in Columbus was definitely Jenner, but he in fact is a better passer than many might think. Not excellent, but I would say that he is above average at least. And he isn't a puck hog, which type of player hasn’t usually worked well with Laine.

Laine played at some point quite much with Voracek as the other winger and he was a good passer that could occasionally get the best out of Laine. Although I don’t think Laine and Voracek were necessarily the best fit, and would agree with your comment that Nyquist worked pretty well as Laine’s other winger. Laine with Jenner and Nyquist was probably the best combo that I saw with Laine in Columbus,

I have to disagree with you that Laine was a good fit with Chinakhov though. I always wondered how you saw them somehow work so well together. They didn’t even play that much together, and I can’t say that they worked too well naturally. Some lucky bounces made them probably seem better together than they really were.

I disagree, I remember the Chinachov - Roslovic - Laine line when Larsen made it in the game against Buffalo. We were losing and it could have turned the game around. They played great in the other games. Subsequently, I liked chemistry the Laine - Jenner - Chinakhov line as well as Laine - Fantilli - Danforth and in one game Laine - Fantilli - Olivier. Justin and Mathieu play well without the puck, they don't try to hold onto the puck like Alex Texier. Yes, they are not top 9 players, but they were very good as a complement. Unfortunately, Laine's post-concussion play didn't allow the full potential of these three lines to show. Otherwise, I liked the Johnson - Sillinger - Laine love he in the game against Toronto. And again, the center was a power forward.

Other than Slafkovský and Anderson I don't know too many Habs players by the description and stats seem perfect to me Josh Roy, fast, excellent forchecker with super takeaways, shot and hockey vision. And somebody like Luke Tuch but a TOP 6 center. Can Habs fans say if Montreal has similar player?

 

[Team_Spirit]

The memes are here

https://x.com/i/web/status/1836502381044908322

 

[BLONG7]

IMO, you are. Marty's a quick study who is constantly trying to get better and we haven't seen a fully experienced version of him. Judging him by how he's been in his first two seasons is a bit premature.

I disagree with the notion that he's simply here in the interim. HuGo hired him to grow with the team. All great coaches are the actual captains of their team and Marty already fits that role to a T. His crew will go to war for him. If they need someone for better X and O's, they'll simply add someone rather than replace someone the players see as one of their own.

Elite players rarely make good coaches, but I feel MSL is the exception to the rule.

Our team needs to take the next step, but so does Marty. He has had many tough outings as a coach certain nights.
Let's not kid ourselves, he is learning on the job, let's see if he can develop as well as the team......the eye in the sky is Grillo, who was brought in to help Marty.

 

[Rob Sense]

Do they have Laine slotted at RW?? Is he not a LW?

 

[Rafafouille]

Do they have Laine slotted at RW?? Is he not a LW?

He's mostly RW but can play both.

 

[Lshap]

IMO, you are. Marty's a quick study who is constantly trying to get better and we haven't seen a fully experienced version of him. Judging him by how he's been in his first two seasons is a bit premature.

I disagree with the notion that he's simply here in the interim. HuGo hired him to grow with the team. All great coaches are the actual captains of their team and Marty already fits that role to a T. His crew will go to war for him. If they need someone for better X and O's, they'll simply add someone rather than replace someone the players see as one of their own.

Elite players rarely make good coaches, but I feel MSL is the exception to the rule.

But what has he done that qualifies him as an exception of the rule? The team looks like they’re playing glorified pond hockey most nights. Like I said above, I think he’s a great players coach. We see players get attached to bad players coaches all the time. But at some point soon there will be expectations placed on the team and that changes how he will be evaluated. It’s hard giving him potential exceptional status, which a lot of our fans do, before he’s even got the team into playoff contention. That’s all my point was.

Funny that our 49-year-old coach is on the same development curve as our 20-year-old players. Ideally, it would be cool if Marty and his young roster grew together. It would make a great story and cement this team's loyalty to each other.

We still don't know whether Marty's upside as a coach is as high as the kids' upsides as NHL players. But most of us would agree he's earned the chance to try. Depending on his aptitude and/or his willingness to delegate to assistant coaches, we should start seeing some of his potential as a longterm coach this season.

Patrik Laine will be a huge test for MSL. The hockey world will be watching how this higher-maintenance player responds here.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Funny that our 49-year-old coach is on the same development curve as our 20-year-old players. Ideally, it would be cool if Marty and his young roster grew together. It would make a great story and cement this team's loyalty to each other.

We still don't know whether Marty's upside as a coach is as high as the kids' upsides as NHL players. But most of us would agree he's earned the chance to try. Depending on his aptitude and/or his willingness to delegate to assistant coaches, we should start seeing some of his potential as a longterm coach this season.

Patrik Laine will be a huge test for MSL. The hockey world will be watching how this higher-maintenance player responds here.

I don’t understand people that romanticize the guys wearing suits in sports. They aren’t the same as players and they’re all replaceable within a second. It’s especially ridiculous when you try and strap on what they did as a player to their post career resume. What they did as a player is irrelevant to coaching.

 

[Saundies]

Funny that our 49-year-old coach is on the same development curve as our 20-year-old players. Ideally, it would be cool if Marty and his young roster grew together. It would make a great story and cement this team's loyalty to each other.

We still don't know whether Marty's upside as a coach is as high as the kids' upsides as NHL players. But most of us would agree he's earned the chance to try. Depending on his aptitude and/or his willingness to delegate to assistant coaches, we should start seeing some of his potential as a longterm coach this season.

Patrik Laine will be a huge test for MSL. The hockey world will be watching how this higher-maintenance player responds here.

I was just about to comment on the two posts you quoted but I see you already did so I'll piggyback off this.

Both of the posts make good points - I do agree it's premature to judge MSL as a coach based off the last two seasons. The guys seem to love him and believe in his coaching ability, which I take as a good sign because if he were just a good guy but the players felt he had no idea how to coach, he'd be toast after the shine wore off (I'm also a Jays fan, and this is exactly what happened to Charlie Montoyo).

But I also agree with @nhlfan9191 that he really hasn't done anything to show me that he's an exceptional tactician or anything near. He has made some puzzling decisions at times and, if he's helped on the PP (I don't know how much of a split it was between him and Burrows and who's idea was who's) then he can shoulder some of the blame for that as well.

My take is that all of this can be true. I agree with @Lshap in that he's earned the chance to shift it into another gear, along with the team. I was tired as hell of recycling old coaches, and a guy like Ducharme seemed clueless in the room. Now that expectations are slowly starting to rise, I expect MSL to get more scrutiny as well.

 

[Vachon23]

Not to derail the thread to much more, but as much as Marty is a great players coach, I think he gets overrated a fair bit by our fanbase because of his likability when it comes to the X’s and O’s of the game. He’s definitely learning, but I don’t see him as a coach that shows exceptional potential either. He’s perfect for what we need now which is all that matters but I don’t see him being the answer when it’s actually time to compete. But maybe I’m off on that.

I agree with you.

I think he’s the perfect coach for a rebuild team and teach/develop player and build a culture but I’m really not sure he’s gonna be the coach we need when we will need to win.

He does earn the benefit of the doubt and I think we will have more answers this season but he does get outmatch a little bit to often

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I was just about to comment on the two posts you quoted but I see you already did so I'll piggyback off this.

Both of the posts make good points - I do agree it's premature to judge MSL as a coach based off the last two seasons. The guys seem to love him and believe in his coaching ability, which I take as a good sign because if he were just a good guy but the players felt he had no idea how to coach, he'd be toast after the shine wore off (I'm also a Jays fan, and this is exactly what happened to Charlie Montoyo).

But I also agree with @nhlfan9191 that he really hasn't done anything to show me that he's an exceptional tactician or anything near. He has made some puzzling decisions at times and, if he's helped on the PP (I don't know how much of a split it was between him and Burrows and who's idea was who's) then he can shoulder some of the blame for that as well.

My take is that all of this can be true. I agree with @Lshap in that he's earned the chance to shift it into another gear, along with the team. I was tired as hell of recycling old coaches, and a guy like Ducharme seemed clueless in the room. Now that expectations are slowly starting to rise, I expect MSL to get more scrutiny as well.

He's shown he's an exceptional leader so far, seeing how the players all fall in line as a group, which is almost half the equation as a coach. Tactics will come along.

 

[nhlfan9191]

He's shown he's an exceptional leader so far, seeing how the players all fall in line as a group, which is almost half the equation as a coach. Tactics will come along.

Dan Bylsma was a good players coach. Said all the right things and was able to piggy back off Michel Therrien’s system to a cup. When he actually implemented his own system, he probably cost the Penguins a couple cups. But the players still loved him. Being a players coach does not mean anything as a head coach if you don’t have the IQ to be strategic when it comes to game plans.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Dan Bylsma was a good players coach. Said all the right things and was able to piggy back off Michel Therrien’s system to a cup. When he actually implemented his own system, he probably cost the Penguins a couple cups. But the players still loved him. Being a players coach does not mean anything as a head coach if you don’t have the IQ to be strategic when it comes to game plans.

And you can be the best tactician in the world, but if you don't have leadership abilities, you won't go anywhere either.

MSL isn't Dan Bylsma

 

[Jaynki]

I don’t understand people that romanticize the guys wearing suits in sports. They aren’t the same as players and they’re all replaceable within a second. It’s especially ridiculous when you try and strap on what they did as a player to their post career resume. What they did as a player is irrelevant to coaching.

I agree with all your point.

On the other hand tho, what Marty did as a player is exceptional and unique. He is not just a typical hall of famer. Still, it says nothing about him as a coach.

But, i believe he has shown tremendous leadership, the player loves him, and our youngster have all improved under him. Some in spectacular, parabolic, exponential fashion.

It remains to be seen how he will handle the next phase of this rebuild but i would be willing to bet my shirt that he will be a highly valuable coach even in the competitive phase.

 

[Tyson]

And you can be the best tactician in the world, but if you don't have leadership abilities, you won't go anywhere either.

MSL isn't Dan Bylsma

MSL is unconsciously competent. He may not have years of coaching experience but he just knows how to coach and lead his young team. Not many possess this skill.

 

[26Mats]

He's mostly RW but can play both.

MSL likes his forwards on their off hand so they have a better shooting angle in the offensive zone.

 

[Vachon23]

I agree with all your point.

On the other hand tho, what Marty did as a player is exceptional and unique. He is not just a typical hall of famer. Still, it says nothing about him as a coach.

But, i believe he has shown tremendous leadership, the player loves him, and our youngster have all improved under him. Some in spectacular, parabolic, exponential fashion.

It remains to be seen how he will handle the next phase of this rebuild but i would be willing to bet my shirt that he will be a highly valuable coach even in the competitive phase.

That are all great qualities especially for a team in a rebuild and that’s why I think he was the perfect coach for the rebuild, but when the team will be at full maturity and we will be a contender will he:
be able to outmatch the other coach in a 4 of 7 series ?
Can he arrived with new adjustments during the game ?
Can he make great bench decision ?

Those are points that is weakness for him now and that he will need to improve

 

[nhlfan9191]

And you can be the best tactician in the world, but if you don't have leadership abilities, you won't go anywhere either.

MSL isn't Dan Bylsma

I agree with you. I don’t think Marty will have trouble finding employment if things don’t work out here because he is so good with players on a personal level. But I have to see some team results before I can start placing him on a pedestal. Some of his coaching decisions haven’t been very good the last couple of years.

 

[Saundies]

I agree with you. I don’t think Marty will have trouble finding employment if things don’t work out here because he is so good with players on a personal level. But I have to see some team results before I can start placing him on a pedestal. Some of his coaching decisions haven’t been very good the last couple of years.

And there's nothing wrong with this, as he is a rookie coach and literally learning on the fly/we were supposed to be bad anyway. But things are starting to shift now. Playoffs probably aren't in the cards this year but there'll be a time where "young team" and "new coach" aren't valid excuses anymore.

Putting Brendan Gallagher on the powerplay, Mike Matheson on the PK, or refusing to put Slaf on the first line won't be seen as acceptable anymore.

 

[Jaynki]

That are all great qualities especially for a team in a rebuild and that’s why I think he was the perfect coach for the rebuild, but when the team will be at full maturity and we will be a contender will he:
be able to outmatch the other coach in a 4 of 7 series ?
Can he arrived with new adjustments during the game ?
Can he make great bench decision ?

Those are points that is weakness for him now and that he will need to improve

Those are good questions but we are also talking about hockey were the tactics aspect is way less important than in baseball or football.

I believe the greatest quality of an NHL coach is his influence. To me, MSL has that in spades. Having all the players rowing in the same direction and keeping a high energy, high confidence in the locker room is much more important for success imo than having the right tactics.

 

[Vachon23]

Those are good questions but we are also talking about hockey were the tactics aspect is way less important than in baseball or football.

I believe the greatest quality of an NHL coach is his influence. To me, MSL has that in spades. Having all the players rowing in the same direction and keeping a high energy, high confidence in the locker room is much more important for success imo than having the right tactics.

I agree that it’s not as important then in football but it’s still important when your in the playoff and you face a team as good as you are in a 4 of 7. I’m not saying MSL can’t improve and you can hire an assistant that is a great technicien to help you in that department but theses are thing I hope we will see improvement in MSL coaching this season

 

[Jaynki]

I agree that it’s not as important then in football but it’s still important when your in the playoff and you face a team as good as you are in a 4 of 7. I’m not saying MSL can’t improve and you can hire an assistant that is a great technicien to help you in that department but theses are thing I hope we will see improvement in MSL coaching this season

Agree. Those tactical skill are easier to acquire than the persuasion skill too.

 

[Marioesque]

MSL likes his forwards on their off hand so they have a better shooting angle in the offensive zone.

And Laine prefers LW for that reason, but Maurice insisted players on their natural side

 

[the valiant effort]

And Laine prefers LW for that reason, but Maurice insisted players on their natural side

I agree with Maurice when it comes to the plumbers of the league, but ultra skilled puck handlers should always be on their off wing