Player Discussion: Patrik Laine - MOD WARNING IN OP

[BB88]

You don’t still seem to understand how long physical development takes. It took Scheifele over 5 years of intensive training with Gary Roberts to get where he is nowadays physically, and he never had to miss a complete off season in training like Laine did three years ago because of his knee injury and the operation that was done to it. Just relax and have a bit more patience. You should be expecting only in two or three years what you seem to be expecting already for next season from Laine’s physical development. If you do otherwise, I can guarantee that you will be as disappointed as you were about his development for this season.

Scheifele and Laine on draft day weren't on the same line.

Again, 3 years, one of the most gifted kids with all the money/talent around him should create results, in 3 years of working, everyday.
I understand it takes time, which is why I don't expect him to be one of the best skaters in the league, but you gotta be able to show something. The "groundwork" that was done last year has to start leading somewhere.
At the start of this season his skating looked worse than the year before.

These expectations sometimes here are weid, some throw around the 60 goal/1oo point predictions for him at the age of 19-20 but damm if someone expects something from his skating there's going to be a massive disappointment waiting.

Yeah it's not about "Laine's third season". It's about Laine's 20yo season.

Some people start in the NHL way later, like Selänne for instance. Usually 18yo's don't start right away in the NHL (even fewer score 36 goals right away).

It's about expecting to see some development in 3 years time, which for some reason is crazy, concerning his biggest weakness.
After the draft these are the years he develops the most.

And again no one is demanding him to be the best skater, but to show some improvements.

Rants, Nylander, Barkov, Pasta are examples of recent European kid raising their games on whole new levels on their 3rd seasons.

 

[Calendal]

Scheifele and Laine on draft day weren't on the same line.

Again, 3 years, one of the most gifted kids with all the money/talent around him should create results, in 3 years of working, everyday.
I understand it takes time, which is why I don't expect him to be one of the best skaters in the league, but you gotta be able to show something. The "groundwork" that was done last year has to start leading somewhere.
At the start of this season his skating looked worse than the year before.

These expectations sometimes here are weid, some throw around the 60 goal/1oo point predictions for him at the age of 19-20 but damm if someone expects something from his skating there's going to be a massive disappointment waiting.



It's about expecting to see some development in 3 years time, which for some reason is crazy, concerning his biggest weakness.
After the draft these are the years he develops the most.

And again no one is demanding him to be the best skater, but to show some improvements.

Rants, Nylander, Barkov, Pasta are examples of recent European kid raising their games on whole new levels on their 3rd seasons.

In my books next year is 2 years in terms of physical development as that does not happen during season. If we want to look at his smarts etc. then end of next season ’could’ be considered 3 years.

 

[BB88]

In my books next year is 2 years in terms of physical development as that does not happen during season. If we want to look at his smarts etc. then end of next season ’could’ be considered 3 years.

Players develop throughout the year, in different ways.

 

[Ippenator]

Scheifele and Laine on draft day weren't on the same line.

Again, 3 years, one of the most gifted kids with all the money/talent around him should create results, in 3 years of working, everyday.
I understand it takes time, which is why I don't expect him to be one of the best skaters in the league, but you gotta be able to show something. The "groundwork" that was done last year has to start leading somewhere.
At the start of this season his skating looked worse than the year before.

These expectations sometimes here are weid, some throw around the 60 goal/1oo point predictions for him at the age of 19-20 but damm if someone expects something from his skating there's going to be a massive disappointment waiting.



It's about expecting to see some development in 3 years time, which for some reason is crazy, concerning his biggest weakness.
After the draft these are the years he develops the most.

And again no one is demanding him to be the best skater, but to show some improvements.

Rants, Nylander, Barkov, Pasta are examples of recent European kid raising their games on whole new levels on their 3rd seasons.

Who in fact made predictions of him scoring 60 goals as a 19-20 year old? I at least didn’t and I don't remember anyone else doing that. My predictions have been about him scoring 60-70 goals in his best season(s) in his prime, which I think will be probably when he is around 24-27 years old.

But anyway if you think of it, he didn’t get a favorable situation this season to score goals optimally. Not playing with the best playmaking center on 5 on 5, not playing around 20 minutes per game, which is how much the best goalscorers and point scoring players do usually play, and playing about half of the season in a completely disfunctional line that ELL was.

In fact if his use would have been optimized so that he would have played with Scheifele the whole season and played over 20 minutes per game, I’m pretty confident that he would have already this season scored about 60 goals, or at least close to it. He was after all only 16 goals away from it anyway, and I dare to say that playing the whole season next to Scheifele could have really helped him score about 8-10 more goals, and with playing over 20 minutes per game, he could have really scored 4-7 more goals than he would have scored with 17 minutes per game.

Of course this is not what happened, and it’s just speculation, but at least it tells us that he definitely was not used at all optimally.

Now your latest post has in fact much more reasonable tone about what you are really expecting from him. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t expect for his skating to be a bit better, but I wouldn't yet expect him to be dominating games with his skating very often. He will dominate the games constantly only if he will get to play with players that are as cerebral as he is, and can give and recieve quick, accurate passes constantly and will know also how to get immediately open or to the places on the ice where the opponents are not really expecting. Scheifele is definitely that kind of a player, and to some extent also Stastny, Connor and Perreault.

I don't see any other players (not even Wheeler, although I do like him a lot, he just has other kind of strengths that work with some other players than Laine) having enough of exactly those qualities to be optimal fits with Laine, so unless they keep Stastny or get another center whom has those abilities (high hockey IQ and great passing skills), Laine might have a problematic season ahead of him - at least if Maurice is just stubbornly keeping him and Scheifele in separate lines. I just don't simply see Laine being a line driver at least next season. Maybe flashes of it occasionally, but I find it still hard to believe that his stamina will yet be good enough to do it consistently.

 

[Keduzin]

There is only 1 hour left of the Laine beard !! Wonder if the event will be broadcasted nationally ?

 

[Calendal]

There is only 1 hour left of the Laine beard !! Wonder if the event will be broadcasted nationally ?

Already confirmed that it won't even be streamed!

 

[Keduzin]

Already confirmed that it won't even be streamed!

Okok, but I at least assume the beard will find it’s way to be displayed in the hockey hall of fame ?

 

[PhilJets]

36 goals + 44 goals

Plus 5 playoff goals in 2 season

So many good stuff about this kid.

Lead the league in power play goals.

Is he the first Euro kid who scored 70+ points as under 20?

How the hell anybody scored that many goals with that little ice time

Man i hope Nik Petan gets over the hump and
Center Laine and Ehlers on the 3rd line

If no Stastny

Connor Schiefele Wheeler
Perrault Little Roslovic
Ehlers Petan laine imaginary 3rd line
Copp Lowry Armia
Tanev

 

[kunekune]

Okok, but I at least assume the beard will find it’s way to be displayed in the hockey hall of fame ?

Cutting the beard never happened, because finnish media figured out where Laine goes to barber shop and they were waiting for him there.

After Laine saw the 20+ photographers he just drove off.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Cutting the beard never happened, because finnish media figured out where Laine goes to barber shop and they were waiting for him there.

After Laine saw the 20+ photographers he just drove off.

Really?

Also of course they figured it out...they were there last season...

 

[kunekune]

Really?

Also of course they figured it out...they were there last season...

Yes. I guess Laine wasn't expecting any journalist/photographer to be there.

I think last year they only posted social media pictures themself ( the barber shop) but with their name on the social media picture it's not that hard to figure it out.

 

[Board Bard]

Cutting the beard never happened, because finnish media figured out where Laine goes to barber shop and they were waiting for him there.

After Laine saw the 20+ photographers he just drove off.

Here's the Finnish photograhers:

 

[Channelcat]

Yes. I guess Laine wasn't expecting any journalist/photographer to be there.

I think last year they only posted social media pictures themself ( the barber shop) but with their name on the social media picture it's not that hard to figure it out.

Wait......This is really a thing?

 

[kunekune]

Wait......This is really a thing?

Unfortunately yes.

Here's the Finnish photograhers:

Pretty much though instead of teenage girls they were middle aged men.

 

[Channelcat]

This might be the biggest story in hockey right now

 

[Keduzin]

Yes, we get to enjoy the beard one more season ! From amish to dumbledore !

Wait......This is really a thing?

 

[Channelcat]

I may in the minority of people who actually like the "beard"

 

[Ducky10]

Players develop throughout the year, in different ways.

Not really physically. Maintenance and rest is really all a player can focus on during the season. It's a matter of staying strong, not getting stronger.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

I may in the minority of people who actually like the "beard"

I like it too, it's unique. Growing it from the start of every season would be a nice tradition.

 

[BB88]

Who in fact made predictions of him scoring 60 goals as a 19-20 year old? I at least didn’t and I don't remember anyone else doing that. My predictions have been about him scoring 60-70 goals in his best season(s) in his prime, which I think will be probably when he is around 24-27 years old.

But anyway if you think of it, he didn’t get a favorable situation this season to score goals optimally. Not playing with the best playmaking center on 5 on 5, not playing around 20 minutes per game, which is how much the best goalscorers and point scoring players do usually play, and playing about half of the season in a completely disfunctional line that ELL was.

In fact if his use would have been optimized so that he would have played with Scheifele the whole season and played over 20 minutes per game, I’m pretty confident that he would have already this season scored about 60 goals, or at least close to it. He was after all only 16 goals away from it anyway, and I dare to say that playing the whole season next to Scheifele could have really helped him score about 8-10 more goals, and with playing over 20 minutes per game, he could have really scored 4-7 more goals than he would have scored with 17 minutes per game.

Of course this is not what happened, and it’s just speculation, but at least it tells us that he definitely was not used at all optimally.

Now your latest post has in fact much more reasonable tone about what you are really expecting from him. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t expect for his skating to be a bit better, but I wouldn't yet expect him to be dominating games with his skating very often. He will dominate the games constantly only if he will get to play with players that are as cerebral as he is, and can give and recieve quick, accurate passes constantly and will know also how to get immediately open or to the places on the ice where the opponents are not really expecting. Scheifele is definitely that kind of a player, and to some extent also Stastny, Connor and Perreault.

I don't see any other players (not even Wheeler, although I do like him a lot, he just has other kind of strengths that work with some other players than Laine) having enough of exactly those qualities to be optimal fits with Laine, so unless they keep Stastny or get another center whom has those abilities (high hockey IQ and great passing skills), Laine might have a problematic season ahead of him - at least if Maurice is just stubbornly keeping him and Scheifele in separate lines. I just don't simply see Laine being a line driver at least next season. Maybe flashes of it occasionally, but I find it still hard to believe that his stamina will yet be good enough to do it consistently.

My intention has never been to suggest Laine is a bad player, or to expect miracle developments from him.
I know how old he is, how many goals he has scored.
I love the guy, which is why I've wasted way too many good night sleeps to watch the games, I want him to reach the highest superstar tier but that needs work.

For next year I want to see development in Laines skating, clear development from the day he was drafted.
I want to see Laine start to take over games, not solely based on his skating or improved skating, but improved overall game which includes skating as a part. Laine has 2 years in this league, few years of development time since the draft.
Looking at the recent best young players in the league/ 3rd year Europeans this is what we should be able to expect from Laine. I would dare to claim that on potential he's on a different tier to Rants/Pasta/Ehlers/Barkov/Nylander.

Too often he was just a finisher, it's time to become a bigger threat. He's going to get paid and the team is going to need that from him.

+ We've had the goal/point predictions here thoughout the years already, including this year, the 1.2-1.3ppg point pace if he was playing with Scheif and would he have had 40 goals on the season months ago when the season wasn't even close to being finished.

Not really physically. Maintenance and rest is really all a player can focus on during the season. It's a matter of staying strong, not getting stronger.

Young players game develop during a year, that's development.
Laine's biggest weakness is his skating, not his strenght.

I hope in the near future he hires a figure skating coach like Barkov did.

 

[DaJackal]

I like it too, it's unique. Growing it from the start of every season would be a nice tradition.

I'm in the "if he scores 50 goals a year he can look like Cousin Itt from Addams Family for all I care" squad.

 

[BB88]

Patrik Laine aiheutti pienen tamperelaisen kampaamon eteen kunnon mediatapahtuman - Laine ja kuuluisa parta tekivät oharit, luottoparturi: ”Minä vain leikkaan”

Tampere went crazy on his 2pm announcement, the beard shave has been postponed due to massive media attention.

 

[cbcwpg]

Patrik Laine aiheutti pienen tamperelaisen kampaamon eteen kunnon mediatapahtuman - Laine ja kuuluisa parta tekivät oharit, luottoparturi: ”Minä vain leikkaan”

Tampere went crazy on his 2pm announcement, the beard shave has been postponed due to massive media attention.

You have to love Google Translate some times ( from above article):

Unlike previous data, on Thursday, the NHL star
Patrik Laine, who arrived in Finland, did not appear
on his credit card to cut off his famous coat.

In front of the hairdressing salon in Tampere, Laukontori
waited for a crowd of media representatives and even
three disco fans.

 

[Trilliann]

I may in the minority of people who actually like the "beard"

Haha, I mean it's not the prettiest thing, but I LOVE the zero ****s given
would've been disappointing if he had caved in and shaved it before the end of season

 

[Ippenator]

My intention has never been to suggest Laine is a bad player, or to expect miracle developments from him.
I know how old he is, how many goals he has scored.
I love the guy, which is why I've wasted way too many good night sleeps to watch the games, I want him to reach the highest superstar tier but that needs work.

For next year I want to see development in Laines skating, clear development from the day he was drafted.
I want to see Laine start to take over games, not solely based on his skating or improved skating, but improved overall game which includes skating as a part. Laine has 2 years in this league, few years of development time since the draft.
Looking at the recent best young players in the league/ 3rd year Europeans this is what we should be able to expect from Laine. I would dare to claim that on potential he's on a different tier to Rants/Pasta/Ehlers/Barkov/Nylander.

Too often he was just a finisher, it's time to become a bigger threat. He's going to get paid and the team is going to need that from him.

+ We've had the goal/point predictions here thoughout the years already, including this year, the 1.2-1.3ppg point pace if he was playing with Scheif and would he have had 40 goals on the season months ago when the season wasn't even close to being finished.



Young players game develop during a year, that's development.
Laine's biggest weakness is his skating, not his strenght.

I hope in the near future he hires a figure skating coach like Barkov did.

The key to great skating is still to have a very solid amount of explosive power in the legs. Any kind of figure skating training is next to useless unless you have trained your muscles to the condition where you have a great basis of getting quickly powerful acceleration to your skating. If you don’t have that kind of power in your legs compared to your body mass, you will never be a quick and great skater, no matter how much you do figure skating training.

Laine missed three years ago his whole off season because of his knee operation, and he was still recovering from that for about half a year, so his legs became seriously weaker than they were before that. He has had a lot to do to get even to the level that he was before his knee injury, and he is not even close to being where he will be at some point in the future with his explosive leg strength and stamina. This is what his trainer has said also clearly. He will not have the same kind of situation physically as Rantanen had after three years of training, because Rantanen never had to recover from such a nasty knee injury, that would have taken over half a year away from his physical training. Laine will be coming probably one off season behind Rantanen in his physical development, if he will even ever match that.

There is also a reason why Barkov and Granlund started more intensively their figure skating trainings only after 3 and 4 off seasons of hard work for developing their leg muscles first. That was not just by accident, but there was the clear plan of getting their explosive leg muscles and stamina to the level that they needed to get them to have enough explosive power for very good skating. Only after that they started with the figure skating to help just polish a bit their skating. You really seem to seriously believe that the figure skating training made them so much better skaters. I can tell you that you are wrong with that, if you really believe that way. It only helped them polish their agility and make their skating a bit more economical. The years of hard work to get enough of raw explosive power and stamina to their legs was an absolute necessity to take well care of first.

Laine has had his clear setback three years ago, so I unfortunately see him being one efficient off season behind the peers of his age. But skillwise he is really second to none of them, and that is exactly why he has already accomplished 44 goals and 70 points in his 19 year old season, even when he has been physically way behind the other comparable young talents.