Connor vs Laine

[LowLefty]

Thats fair. I like what Conner does in the offensive end a lot. I just wished he was much further ahead in his play in his own end as well as his ability to drive play. That goes for Laine as well but in the case of Laine he seems to be improving albiet slowly in his weaknesses. I haven't seen much if any improvement from Conner in his end.

Connor and Laine are going to benefit from a better blue line - neither of these guys are ever going to be much good in their own end if it's left up to them to shore up our major weakness.
TBH, I haven't seen much of an improvement defensively from either of them. Could they be better? Yes, of course but it makes more sense to focus on our D in support of their O rather than the other way around. It really comes down to what we need in support of a bunch of high flyers wingers that can score a pile of goals. That's how the team is built - we drafted these guys based on their O game and the plan should have included a D group that can support that type of player. Circumstances didn't allow for that.
It's so easy to say "Let's ask and demand a better 2 way game from them" even though they've never had one. But when the wheels fall of the other end, we want something that was never part of the equation in the beginning.
I look forward to talking about their goals next season - and I look forward to our D doing their part in making that happen.

 

[nhlpro]

Kind of like a Mercedes VS BMW

 

[jetsforever]

Laine easily
Connor is a great player and currently better but Laine has elite potential and I don't think you give up on a guy like that.

 

[jetsforever]

Kind of like a Mercedes VS BMW

I think it's more like a high-end Mercedes cruising around vs a Lamborghini that's in the shop for repairs.
(I guess Maurice is both the driver and the faulty mechanic)

 

[enuffidiotsalready]

is anybody here aware how many PP goals kc scored from on the right dot in college?

not like we've given him opportunity to do that here. just sayin'

maybe if we had werenski on the left point pp1? get right on that chevy.......

 

[PhilJets]

Keep both...

1C
1D
And goalie

But a great team will need at least 3 top line wingers.

 

[Jets 31]

I'm very happy we have both Connor and Laine and very much hope we keep both for a long time.

 

[DRW204]

is anybody here aware how many PP goals kc scored from on the right dot in college?

not like we've given him opportunity to do that here. just sayin'

maybe if we had werenski on the left point pp1? get right on that chevy.......

If the Jets make Connor shoot more on the PP, we'd be hearing it from the Laine fans that Laine isn't getting favorable usage.

 

[surixon]

Connor and Laine are going to benefit from a better blue line - neither of these guys are ever going to be much good in their own end if it's left up to them to shore up our major weakness.
TBH, I haven't seen much of an improvement defensively from either of them. Could they be better? Yes, of course but it makes more sense to focus on our D in support of their O rather than the other way around. It really comes down to what we need in support of a bunch of high flyers wingers that can score a pile of goals. That's how the team is built - we drafted these guys based on their O game and the plan should have included a D group that can support that type of player. Circumstances didn't allow for that.
It's so easy to say "Let's ask and demand a better 2 way game from them" even though they've never had one. But when the wheels fall of the other end, we want something that was never part of the equation in the beginning.
I look forward to talking about their goals next season - and I look forward to our D doing their part in making that happen.

I would be quite happy with Conner in the Wheeler spot. It would give us two good shots on either side. Nobody complained about that setup in Anaheim when Kariya and Selanne victimized teams and I doubt t many would here if the pp scored more. Also Laine would likely get more goals as teams wouldn't be able to cheat to him as much.

 

[grieves]

The poll question is for the "ladies of HF" as per the poll title and that makes me think it might be sexual in nature.

I feel like Laine would give the better performance due to his size, but then again his shaft... Ok I'm aborting this joke right now.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Laine easily
Connor is a great player and currently better but Laine has elite potential and I don't think you give up on a guy like that.

True. If he lives up to it at a reasonable cap hit. Connor is giving the same right now at an affordable rate. So check back in when Laine gets signed.

 

[DRW204]

Looking at the underlying numbers not sure if there is anything to suggest that Laine is improving defensively even if slowly. The truth is both are bad in their own zone. If we are one day going to pay them $17 m combined they will need to score 90 goals combined. The pressure will be greater on Laine because big expectations come with a salary in the $10 M range.

where do you get this 90 goals figure from? Laine won't be scoring 50-60 goals imo if his shot quantity/distance remains the same (which it virtually has been over his 4 years). Idk if it's reasonable to expect him to shoot 18% year in year out like he did his first 2 years. Laine will need to overtake KC's goals and pts totals drastically in order for him to be worth 9.65m.

 

[tacogeoff]

KC. Great player that has signed long term and has slightly similar production

 

[Lowered Expectations]

Laine, because I want to believe Jets are a playoff team. If I think which one I trust to be playoff game breaker - Patrik.

 

[Halberdier]

I would be quite happy with Conner in the Wheeler spot. It would give us two good shots on either side. Nobody complained about that setup in Anaheim when Kariya and Selanne victimized teams and I doubt t many would here if the pp scored more. Also Laine would likely get more goals as teams wouldn't be able to cheat to him as much.

I have promoted that setup for a long, long time to be tested. Though with Ehlers, but Connor could do as well.

Connor is super effective near the net though not in the classical sense of a big, bad and toothless screening player whacking rebounds in. That could be more suitable role for Stastny or Wheeler.

 

[Oilpeg]

I have promoted that setup for a long, long time to be tested. Though with Ehlers, but Connor could do as well.

Connor is super effective near the net though not in the classical sense of a big, bad and toothless screening player whacking rebounds in. That could be more suitable role for Stastny or Wheeler.

I think actually a left handed version of the same power play set up as PP1 could work but with Vesalainen in the Laine spot, Connor in the Scheifele spot, Morrissey in the Pionk spot, and Ehlers in the Wheeler spot. Then Roslovic in the Connor spot while Stastny fills the role he had before in the Connor spot on PP1. This is assuming that Vesalainen continues to play well and develop, he's got that shot that can be useful from that side. Connor could take that spot if Vesa isn't ready while Copp maybe takes the Scheifele spot instead.

My point is that I think there's options to create two really good powerplay set ups utilizing all the assets.

 

[KingBogo]

where do you get this 90 goals figure from? Laine won't be scoring 50-60 goals imo if his shot quantity/distance remains the same (which it virtually has been over his 4 years). Idk if it's reasonable to expect him to shoot 18% year in year out like he did his first 2 years. Laine will need to overtake KC's goals and pts totals drastically in order for him to be worth 9.65m.

IMO 90 goals is a reasonable estimation of the amount of goals we can expect from Laine and Connor combined. Connor was on pace for 43 goals last season and Laine has scored in the mid 40's. I also don't think it is realistic for Laine to shoot 18% again, but it isn't unreasonable that he ups his shot total. I also think $9.65 M is an AAV that will be a contract above what Laine has proved so far, and might be a contract that limits us as a team. While I have been critical of Chevy lately he has proven a good negotiator and I don't expect him to overpay what a player has earned.

 

[PhilJets]

One of the next few years these 2 will combine for 90-100 goals.

Lets not find fault on one or the other to see who is better. Having Laine and Connor in each of the top 2 lines make this team simply better already as you have a goal scorer .

They might not be world beaters on their defensive plays but see how better they become with a competent D that can transistion the plays up the neutr zone.

Beside its not fair for Laine when we are assuming he is getting 9.6M which probably won't be his cap hit. He most likely go 500k-1M less.

 

[Teemusalami204]

Connor was scared of Calgary in the 5 game series I watched him shy away from checks many times. And as soon as sheif went down he was useless.

laine scores 65 or more points with whoever he plays with. And doesn’t shy away from contact.

Both are valuable but Connor will be here long term and laine will be gone soon.

 

[DRW204]

IMO 90 goals is a reasonable estimation of the amount of goals we can expect from Laine and Connor combined. Connor was on pace for 43 goals last season and Laine has scored in the mid 40's. I also don't think it is realistic for Laine to shoot 18% again, but it isn't unreasonable that he ups his shot total. I also think $9.65 M is an AAV that will be a contract above what Laine has proved so far, and might be a contract that limits us as a team. While I have been critical of Chevy lately he has proven a good negotiator and I don't expect him to overpay what a player has earned.

Laine has to shoot 18%+ to be in the mid 40 range again. Last 2 seasons he's shot 12.3% to achieve 58 goals in 150 gp on 471 shots - still very good about a 31 goal pace which would still fall short of your 90 goals total. He has to basically lead the league in shots if he's shooting ~12% to achieve high 40s-50 goals. I don't see it happening. Over 4 years his SOG totals has been pretty much the same, along with quality/distance.

if all the stars aligned, KC maintains his goal scoring prowess of this season, and Laine reverts back to his shooting proficiency of his first two years, maybe we get a peak year where we get 90 goals between the two, but idk i think it's a bit of a monumental task. There might be 1 duo per year that hit 90 goals, if that?

Even the year he got 44 goals idk if we can reasonably expect that type of efficiency yearly. 18% SH% overall, 30% SH% on the PP to net 44 goals in under 16.5 mins a night. Only player in NHL history (from what i can find) to score 40+ goals in under 16.5 mins a night. But the 2 years following that shot has fallen off unfortunately.

 

[Teemusalami204]

One of the next few years these 2 will combine for 90-100 goals.

Lets not find fault on one or the other to see who is better. Having Laine and Connor in each of the top 2 lines make this team simply better already as you have a goal scorer .

They might not be world beaters on their defensive plays but see how better they become with a competent D that can transistion the plays up the neutr zone.

Beside its not fair for Laine when we are assuming he is getting 9.6M which probably won't be his cap hit. He most likely go 500k-1M less.

I agree they will but laine will be on another team and get 50 of those goals

 

[Buffdog]

That was harder than I thought (voted laine)

Makes you REALLY appreciate Ehlers at 6,000,000.

 

[Spock]

Laine has to shoot 18%+ to be in the mid 40 range again. Last 2 seasons he's shot 12.3% to achieve 58 goals in 150 gp on 471 shots - still very good about a 31 goal pace which would still fall short of your 90 goals total. He has to basically lead the league in shots if he's shooting ~12% to achieve high 40s-50 goals. I don't see it happening. Over 4 years his SOG totals has been pretty much the same, along with quality/distance.

if all the stars aligned, KC maintains his goal scoring prowess of this season, and Laine reverts back to his shooting proficiency of his first two years, maybe we get a peak year where we get 90 goals between the two, but idk i think it's a bit of a monumental task. There might be 1 duo per year that hit 90 goals, if that?

Even the year he got 44 goals idk if we can reasonably expect that type of efficiency yearly. 18% SH% overall, 30% SH% on the PP to net 44 goals in under 16.5 mins a night. Only player in NHL history (from what i can find) to score 40+ goals in under 16.5 mins a night. But the 2 years following that shot has fallen off unfortunately.

Usage is a variable that can change things quite drastically.

 

[buggs]

Usage is a variable that can change things quite drastically.

Welcome back is in order, I believe.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Connor was scared of Calgary in the 5 game series I watched him shy away from checks many times. And as soon as sheif went down he was useless.

laine scores 65 or more points with whoever he plays with. And doesn’t shy away from contact.

Both are valuable but Connor will be here long term and laine will be gone soon.

Yep Connor was not great. Laine was non-existent. I disagree that Connor was scared. He just is not a physical player and has always avoided contact when possible. I thought he made a few nice plays, I remember he made a nice pass to Demelo. Laine is the better player and if at equal value it's a no-brainer. How much more is he worth however? A million. Sure, completely do-able. 1.5, yep. 2.5? That's really pushing it. Does Laine even want to sign with the Jets long-term? As you have referred to, it seems like he doesn't.
We will only be able to answer this question when Laine gets his next contract.