The fact that teams are keeping an eye on Laine is shown by the play of Voracek without Patrik. With him, he had a lot more free ice. Although he wasn't in ideal form yet, he gradually created more chances. Once Laine replaced Chinakhov, the opponents just needed to focus on Jakub.
By the way, Bjork does have 6 goals, but 1 of them was into empty net and 2 against a dead Arizona in the first game. In the other 14 games he mostly shoots on goal. To use your logic, opponents know that he mostly shoots at the goalie and that's why they don't notice him.
Even though you yourself know it's stupid.
Your are completely right about Bjorkstrand, but some of his shot did beat the goalies, to the iron out. To many was directly on the goalies.
Another different is, that you can not exactly say that the opponent generally give Bjorkstrand much space, like they in fact gives Chinakhov.
But I am a little disappointed by Bjorkstrands production lately, but he sometime beat the goalies and hit the iron.
Again I sees Chinakhov much like a young Oliver, that needed time to develop and and adjust his shot. Well Oliver did score in his second NHL game, where his general game was probably worse than Chinakhov is.
It may be I am stupid, but they do give him much more space than they give any of Bjorkstrand or Voracek. It at least tells me something.
Still I had expected it to be a battle between Bjorkstrand and Laine for most goals and between Bjorkstrand and Vorachek for most assists.
That is not true for the goals, but the assist fitting quite well.
Why does Ovechkin have so much space? Why he is one of the most shooting players in league? Why they give him that space?
To tell that Ovechkin is given a lot of space, is not exactly what I mostly see in the games I have seen, but he is extremely strong and mobile. Not that I think any of our player can be compared to Ovechkin. Not even close...
Wild Bill could not compare to Ovechkin, even he had one productive season.
He has been 15years in that same spot when Caps have powerplay and have score maybe 400-500goals there and still he gets that space.
No Ovechkin don't getting the space, but he moves around and suddenly when the defense trapped other where, he just is there.
The fact that he scores from that spot all the time even all know it gonna happen, just tell how good he really is. But teams exactly try to close him off at that spot. Often fails as well.
If Ovechkin was Canadian, he had been rated the best player of the generation, at least by the Toronto medias. That in fight by Crosby.
Chinakov hasnt shown anything yet but Laine has proven his ability to score.
Yes Laine has shown himself, that what is is paid for, but it is now two years back.
I truly hope and believe he will improve, even I not so sure yet.
I also as written before thing that Chinakhov will develop, but as of now, I do not think his shot has show to be a real NHL super shot. BUT I hope it will develop.
I Did hope his one goal would help him and it was not scored on one of his famously shots.
