Better Career Moving Forward: Laine vs. Connor

[MLSE]

Just based on who do you think will have a better career moving forward?

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[Fugazy]

Laine.

 

[Hunter368]

Goals & points only?

Laine easily

 

[bobholly39]

Laine, easily

 

[IPS]

Connor is the clear choice IMO

Laine's skating is complete trash and he won't ever become truly elite because of this weakness.

 

[stl76]

I just love Connor's game and compete level. Laine may have more natural talent, but over the course of a career give me the more dedicated/motivated player.

 

[BowDownToVasilevskiy]

Laine

 

[CraigsList]

You don't see very many players with the scoring ability that Laine has.

Even with Connor and his good 2-way play, this was an easy choice for me.

 

[jetsforever]

Laine definitely

 

[Sasso09]

Connor. Laine has a shot and that's it. He's invisible off the puck and has terrible skating.

 

[Regal]

You don't keep a non-elite player over a weapon like Laine because he's more rounded with a better compete level.

 

[stl76]

You don't keep a non-elite player over a weapon like Laine because he's more rounded with a better compete level.

Scoring 44 goals as a 20 year old in the NHL is incredible, but did you watch both players last year? This isn't just about compete level or defensive game, Connor out played Laine in just about every conceivable way last season.

There are plenty of valid arguments in Laine's favor, but don't think you're making a very good one here.

 

[1OApick]

Scoring 44 goals as a 20 year old in the NHL is incredible, but did you watch both players last year? This isn't just about compete level or defensive game, Connor out played Laine in just about every conceivable way last season.


There are plenty of valid arguments in Laine's favor, but don't think you're making a very good one here.

You gotta remember Connor's usage. And Laine is ilways the first man back on D. Also Laine is two years younger and physically not as mature as Connor.

 

[Regal]

Scoring 44 goals as a 20 year old in the NHL is incredible, but did you watch both players last year? This isn't just about compete level or defensive game, Connor out played Laine in just about every conceivable way last season.

There are plenty of valid arguments in Laine's favor, but don't think you're making a very good one here.

Sure but it was one season. It's possible that Laine never figures it out and last season was a sign of things to come, but this wouldn't have even been a question the year before. The potential with Laine is too great to take a very good complementary player over him long term even if that player was better last season. If you take Laine and he doesn't turn things around, you miss out on a good player and still have one of the best PP shooters in the league. If you don't take Laine and he does, you miss out on an elite goalscorer in favour of a good player.

And even if Laine doesn't reach his potential and simply goes back to the level of his first two years, the danger of a shooter like him is so great that it outweighs his other limitations at this quality of player because ultimately neither should be driving their own lines anyway.

 

[82Ninety42011]

Connor has the higher floor and Laine the higher ceiling. However Laine's season last year just shows you have no idea what your gonna get. He started year on a tear almost goal per game for first 20 or so then had what ten in 60 games or so? I'll take the more consistent 2 way player in Connor who also produces.

 

[Plural]

What the f***? I've been super critical of Laine. But the guy just scored 110 goals during his ELC. While being under 20 basically the entire contract. He was top10 in goals in first two seasons finishing 2nd behind Ovechkin (probably the greatest goalscorer ever) as a sophomore. Connor is great. Laine is elite goalscorer even when he play like shit. I mean, there's zero doubt in my mid which I'd take.

 

[Plural]

You don't keep a non-elite player over a weapon like Laine because he's more rounded with a better compete level.

Agreed. You can't buy guys like Laine. At worst he's a special weapon on PP and 2nd line. At best he could be the best scorer in the entire league. Sure it would suck to lose Connor but it would suck a whole lot more to see Laine fighting for Rocket trophies in other team.

 

[stl76]

You gotta remember Connor's usage. And Laine is ilways the first man back on D. Also Laine is two years younger and physically not as mature as Connor.

Fair to point out their age difference in favor of Laine, but disagree that he is not as physically mature as Connor. It's not like Connor is some man-child who was fully physically developed at 18. If anything I think Laine was probably more physically mature at a younger age. Also disagree that Laine is always the first man back on D.

Connor's usage is also a valid point. He got a LOT of time on a line with Wheeler and Scheifele, whereas Laine was bouncing around the second and third lines with Bryan Little as his center a significant amount of the time. However, I would argue that Connor was not a passenger on his line, he 100% helped drive play, and it was his excellent play that got him the chance to play on that line. In other words, he earned his time on the top line with his play and excellent chemistry w/ his linemates.

Pure speculation on my part, but it almost seemed like Laine expected to be handed top line minutes with the best center on the team and then pouted when he didn't get it. Now, would Laine have scored more points that Connor if he was gifted top line minutes with Wheeler/Scheifele? Maybe. But I think it's also fair to question if the would the team overall would have done as well in the standings.

Sure but it was one season. It's possible that Laine never figures it out and last season was a sign of things to come, but this wouldn't have even been a question the year before. The potential with Laine is too great to take a very good complementary player over him long term even if that player was better last season. If you take Laine and he doesn't turn things around, you miss out on a good player and still have one of the best PP shooters in the league. If you don't take Laine and he does, you miss out on an elite goalscorer in favour of a good player.

And even if Laine doesn't reach his potential and simply goes back to the level of his first two years, the danger of a shooter like him is so great that it outweighs his other limitations at this quality of player because ultimately neither should be driving their own lines anyway.

Fair enough, I won't argue that Laine's ceiling isn't higher than Connor's or that 1 year is a large enough sample size from which to draw definite conclusions.

My response would be basically that I think you may be underrating Connor a bit. Laine's shot is undeniably ELITE. Connor's wrister is very good, but Laine's slapshot is in another league. Period. If I'm taking 1 player to score the most goals in a season, it's Laine by a f***ing mile.

However, the poll question was about an entire career and, other than slap shot, I think just about every single skill goes to Connor. He is a better skater, puck handler, passer, higher hockey IQ (IMO), better defensively, etc. And yes, I think intangibles like compete level and attitude go to Connor as well. Even with Laine's elite slapper, their on ice results are not that far off from each other. It's fair to point out their usage/linemates and age difference, but even with both of these points going to Laine, I personally would still value Connor's combination of on-ice results, skills, and intangibles over the course of an entire career. I get why one might take the elite goal scoring potential of Laine tho.

 

[tony d]

Laine.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Laine went from overrated to underrated real quick.

 

[Machinehead]

Laine isn't Ovechkin or Kane. He doesn't score enough to justify playing in one zone.

 

[Regal]

Fair to point out their age difference in favor of Laine, but disagree that he is not as physically mature as Connor. It's not like Connor is some man-child who was fully physically developed at 18. If anything I think Laine was probably more physically mature at a younger age. Also disagree that Laine is always the first man back on D.

Connor's usage is also a valid point. He got a LOT of time on a line with Wheeler and Scheifele, whereas Laine was bouncing around the second and third lines with Bryan Little as his center a significant amount of the time. However, I would argue that Connor was not a passenger on his line, he 100% helped drive play, and it was his excellent play that got him the chance to play on that line. In other words, he earned his time on the top line with his play and excellent chemistry w/ his linemates.

Pure speculation on my part, but it almost seemed like Laine expected to be handed top line minutes with the best center on the team and then pouted when he didn't get it. Now, would Laine have scored more points that Connor if he was gifted top line minutes with Wheeler/Scheifele? Maybe. But I think it's also fair to question if the would the team overall would have done as well in the standings.


Fair enough, I won't argue that Laine's ceiling isn't higher than Connor's or that 1 year is a large enough sample size from which to draw definite conclusions.

My response would be basically that I think you may be underrating Connor a bit. Laine's shot is undeniably ELITE. Connor's wrister is very good, but Laine's slapshot is in another league. Period. If I'm taking 1 player to score the most goals in a season, it's Laine by a ****ing mile.

However, the poll question was about an entire career and, other than slap shot, I think just about every single skill goes to Connor. He is a better skater, puck handler, passer, higher hockey IQ (IMO), better defensively, etc. And yes, I think intangibles like compete level and attitude go to Connor as well. Even with Laine's elite slapper, their on ice results are not that far off from each other. It's fair to point out their usage/linemates and age difference, but even with both of these points going to Laine, I personally would still value Connor's combination of on-ice results, skills, and intangibles over the course of an entire career. I get why one might take the elite goal scoring potential of Laine tho.

To be honest, I kind of glossed over the poll question and was looking at it as taking them on your team over their career. For that I look at it as, unless you're talking about elite overall players, I'd rather have the player with one elite skill than a guy who might be better all around, because I think it's easier to find players to make up those other qualities. In a similar vain I would take a 2nd pairing defenseman who is elite on the PP over one who might be a little better all around. I could see Connor being considered the better player in a vacuum though.

 

[King 88]

Laine. He is more likely to get out of Winnipeg