LW Patrik Laine - Tappara, Liiga (2016 Draft) VII

[Minor Boarding]

Patrick Laine reminds me of young Kopitar and Modano. High IQ, simmilar way of dishing the puck to line mates...

 

[kylbaz]

http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/1028688

**edit, damnit, quoted wrong video, too many of them in that post, lol. The video with Millard and two others saying how Laine was a beast and it was before the Canada game.
Did these guys do a post game discussion? This vid was before the game. Curious on their thoughts?

 

[Plural]

Being top 3 in PPG at 45 games played isn't as impressive as doing so at close to 82 games played. For incomplete seasons, PPG shouldn't be looked at so closely. It's impressive, yes, but maybe his upswings just happened to be during that 45 game sample size. Overall, that's still barely above half a season. On the other hand, he's playing in Oilers and that certainly swings it in his favor, but even so.

And Ovechkin and Crosby were pretty close enough to being top 3 in PPG although the scoring leader Joe Thornton had 125 points that season.

It's not nearly as impressive. But it's something to draw conclusions from. Would he have dropped lower? Maybe. Maybe it's even likely. But I doubt he would have been out of the top-10. Which would be amazing accomplishment in itself.

Gretzky was 1st. Ovechkin was 5th. Bossy was 5th and Crosby was 6th. Selanne was 7th. Lemieux was 9th. I think those are the only one's in top-10. So, I find it highly impressive.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Why can't we just have Matthews and Laine I've got a feeling the leafs may have a tougher decision than they initially thought

It was an easier decision in January that's true, one can say the genesis of there being a discussion of 1st overall began after the WJC. Fast fwd to after the Liiga playoffs and Kurri award, and this ongoing WHC there is no doubt in my mind a difficult decision will have to be made.

 

[Gsus]

Laine's interview after last night:

http://www.tsn.ca/hockey-canada/video/laine-says-he-s-fine-after-trip-by-perry~872122

 

[QnebO]

Jets alternate report in the OP is worth of Engineerish, informational, and does what it needs to get done: Proves that all Laine guys ain't homers when they talk about Laine here, there is more into it.

 

[ps241]

Pretty amazing OP JetsAlternate.

 

[Incognito]

I´m sure that Mathews is going to be first pick. There is only small problem. It seems like Laine is even best player of this freaking tournament or close of that with Barkov. I can´t wait until saturday and game against Ovie. That is gonna be awesome for Laine.

Btw. that new Gretzky guy Macjesus was outplayed by Laine. I hope he starts showing up something already before i start thinking that this Finnish prospect is better than he is.

Laine absolutely deserves to be in the conversation for going #1 overall at the draft, but I hope you're not suggesting that you think he may be better than McDavid. I get that people are excited about Laine, because he really does looks incredible, but let's have a reality check here. Laine isn't on McDavid's level.

 

[illone84]

Laine absolutely deserves to be in the conversation for going #1 overall at the draft, but I hope you're not suggesting that you think he may be better than McDavid. I get that people are excited about Laine, because he really does looks incredible, but let's have a reality check here. Laine isn't on McDavid's level.

No he is not. But Laine has outplayed McDavid in this tournament.

 

[Doublechin]

I just can't see justification for the Leafs to take Matthews over Laine, none! The way he's dominated the playoffs and the WC's at 18 is unheard of, I can't even remember the last 18 year old to dominate is such an imposing way

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Scouting is the essence of observation, evaluation, and progression.

The thing that struck me yesterday about Laine's game. I was watching him to compare how he looked against Canada's young players.

Domi, Rielly, Murray, Dumba, Reinhart, Scheifele and yes Mcdavid. Considering he is younger and has yet to play in his first NHL game. His poise and talent was striking. I can safely say he was the most impressive player of the young guns in yesterday's game.

Considering the game meant either facing Denmark or Sweden in the 1/4 finals. To me this game showed me Laine is not only a very good prospect, but a special one. It is one game, so caution is exercised. But it was very impressive what Laine did yesterday.

 

[kxx]

I just can't see justification for the Leafs to take Matthews over Laine, none! The way he's dominated the playoffs and the WC's at 18 is unheard of, I can't even remember the last 18 year old to dominate is such an imposing way

I think its primarily that:

1) Matthews is still very good.
2) High impact franchise centers are more important.

Seems very few teams have the luxury of not needing someone like Matthews. Jets need him a bit less than Leafs but most Jets fans agree to still go with him if given the chance.

Am trying to say Laine could very likely be 'better' than Matthews - but I find that based on their roles they aren't really easy to compare or say that one is 'better'. Matthews is right now though, probably still BPA - even if we are to believe its only his position. (I don't think its just that).

 

[ijuka]

The argument is, how many legitimately good first line(or second if a team has 2 extremely good ones) centers are there in NHL?

Crosby, Malkin, Thornton, Pavelski, Kopitar, Seguin, Tavares, Towes, Getzlaf, Spezza, Giroux, Bergeron, Backstrom, Barkov, Sedin, McDavid, Datsyuk...

I might have a couple more names there than necessary. Still, that already is almost 20. Who would you remove from that list?

How many extremely good goal scorering wingers(40+) do we have in the league?

Ovechkin, Kane, Benn, Tarasenko...?

How many are there that have a right handed shot?

Ovechkin.

 

[WigWam]

Seems very few teams have the luxury of not needing someone like Matthews. Jets need him a bit less than Leafs but most Jets fans agree to still go with him if given the chance.

They have a poll about that.....
Auston matthews 76 36.36%
Patrik laine 133 63.64%

So that is ********......

 

[WigWam]

The argument is, how many legitimately good first line(or second if a team has 2 extremely good ones) centers are there in NHL?

Crosby, Malkin, Thornton, Pavelski, Kopitar, Seguin, Tavares, Towes, Getzlaf, Spezza, Giroux, Bergeron, Backstrom, Barkov, Sedin, McDavid, Datsyuk...

I might have a couple more names there than necessary. Still, that already is almost 20. Who would you remove from that list?

How many extremely good goal scorering wingers(40+) do we have in the league?

Ovechkin, Kane, Benn, Tarasenko...?

How many are there that have a right handed shot?

Ovechkin.

.....and Puljujarvi may be that too... wouldn´t surprise me...

 

[IronHalen]

They have a poll about that.....
Auston matthews 76 36.36%
Patrik laine 133 63.64%

So that is ********......

Puljujarvi also isn't an option soooo....

 

[kxx]

They have a poll about that.....
Auston matthews 76 36.36%
Patrik laine 133 63.64%

So that is ********......

If you read the discussions you'll find many people saying you have to go with Matthews as the 1st overall. You'll also find almost all of us are incredibly excited about Laine. There of course is major bias here and fortunately this year Toronto, Winnipeg and Columbus can all feel excited that maybe their pick will look like the best this year.

My personal favorite is this poll from Jetsnation

 

[The Winter Soldier]

.....and Puljujarvi may be that too... wouldn´t surprise me...

This is where projection comes into play. Of the scouts mantra of observation, evaluation, and projection. The 3rd is the hardest to call.

If we had another year to observe and evaluate. Maybe Puljujarvi would make it to 3 horse race.

 

[QnebO]

Got nice working software+hardware+hotkeys for recording live broadcasts on hd quality now, probably recording shift-by-shift from Laine games, or at least next game. The other games I might be taking beer and watching somewhere but not home.

 

[ijuka]

Puljujärvi won't be that kind of a player even if he becomes such a successful goal scorer, though. He's of a different breed, which isn't necessarily better or worse.

Even if we go down to 30 goal scorers, we only have Forsberg and Panarin as left wingers with a right handed shot. But both are completely different type of players and neither has a shot even close to Laine's.

Ovechkin is the only comparison point yet people say that he's nothing like Ovechkin and the comparisons need to stop? ...

 

[IronHalen]

Puljujärvi won't be that kind of a player even if he becomes such a successful goal scorer, though. He's of a different breed, which isn't necessarily better or worse.

Even if we go down to 30 goal scorers, we only have Forsberg and Panarin as left wingers with a right handed shot. But both are completely different type of players and neither has a shot even close to Laine's.

Ovechkin is the only comparison point yet people say that he's nothing like Ovechkin and the comparisons need to stop? ...

Slap shot? Sure. Skating? not even close.

 

[QnebO]

Slap shot? Sure. Explosiveness and leg strenght? not even close.

"Fixing it for you" is the best way to argue in this one. So I fixed it in the quote.

 

[ijuka]

Slap shot? Sure. Skating? not even close.

As a PP weapon specifically.

And again, an alternative Ovechkin who has weaker skating DOES NOT exist. That's why he's the only thing that Laine's possible to be compared to.

Laine can shoot from the top of the circle without the opposing goaltender being able to save it on reaction despite no one blocking his vision. This is something that players like Ovechkin and Laine(Cannot think of anyone else who's relevant) are able to do, and what Selänne was not able to do, for instance. It's quite a tool to add.

 

[IronHalen]

"Fixing it for you" is the best way to argue in this one. So I fixed it in the quote.

Is explosiveness not a huge part of skating? Thats what makes helps make OV as dominant as he is. So no I think your edit is incorrect.

 

[trick9]

As a PP weapon specifically.

And again, an alternative Ovechkin who has weaker skating DOES NOT exist. That's why he's the only thing that Laine's possible to be compared to.

Bigger, faster Dany Heatley, with better stickhandling.

Not the Heatley from few years past that regressed quickly, but the player he was during his prime.