Is Laine going to surpass Ovechkin?
- Thread starter illpucks
- Start date
- Status
... Can HfBoards please be less hyper-projectionist?
Juicy Pop
BONK
ProspectsSTC
Registered User
- Jul 12, 2014
- 3,474
- 2,021
LondonKendrick
Registered User
- Jun 18, 2016
- 1,532
- 122
i dont think anyone from this generation will pass Ovechkin.
Stamkos was the best shot, Laine now. It's really hard to score goals in this league. Ovechkin was putting up 50+ like clockwork. It would be huge just to hit 40 every year now
Stamkos was the best shot, Laine now. It's really hard to score goals in this league. Ovechkin was putting up 50+ like clockwork. It would be huge just to hit 40 every year now
Surpass Ovechkin? What's your definition?
I wouldn't be at all surprised if Laine outscored Ovechkin this season and especially in the upcoming seasons. Surpassing Ovechkin in his prime? That'll be more difficult to do but Laine has far more dimensions to his game so I'd say that it's withing the realm of possibility.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if Laine outscored Ovechkin this season and especially in the upcoming seasons. Surpassing Ovechkin in his prime? That'll be more difficult to do but Laine has far more dimensions to his game so I'd say that it's withing the realm of possibility.
Sky04
Registered User
- Jan 8, 2009
- 29,209
- 18,375
It's harder for non-pure goalscorers to score 40-50 anymore, the guys with the elite shots will produce similar numbers in any year.
Ovechkin scored 50 these last couple years but it's not like those would be magically turned into 60 goal seasons if it were 2007/2008, he has a shot that you just can't stop with defensive structure and interference. He scored 50 goals last year and 52 in his rookie season, but he was 10x's more dynamic in 2006 than 2016.
Stamkos as well, he's putting up 40 goal seasons despite being a worse player than he was in 2009-2012.
Sky04
Registered User
- Jan 8, 2009
- 29,209
- 18,375
lol what "dimensions"? Ovechkin in his prime was an all out offensive force as well as a physical force, his passing was underrated because he was the best goalscorer in the league but had 4 50+ assist seasons in his first 6 years.
Skating, passing, shooting, stickhandling, deking, hitting, Laine will likely not surpass Ovechkin in any of those areas. He'll probably have a better defensive game but I don't see anything else.
Plural
Registered User
- Mar 10, 2011
- 33,733
- 4,901
Yup. Although Laine is showing very promising signs of playmaking and his ability to pass the puck might reach similar levels as Ovechkin's best. But that's "if all goes perfectly" kind of prediction.
Vasilevskiy
The cat will be back
Yeah, this.
Good for him to score two hat tricks but Ovy looked and was twice the player Laine is in their rookie seasons.
He is not going to surpass Ovy in any regard, because Ovechkin is probably a top 3 goalscorer ever
Loffer
Registered User
- Sep 22, 2011
- 3,936
- 421
Laine is a wave in Finnish but let's add bhoys: Not any wave, not even tidal wave of an ocean but a frigging freak of nature in the class of waves and dat is a ****ing tsunami.
So, anything is possible for this kid. Hasn't he surpassed Ovy in all the relevant stat categories so far also. So why not to continue the havoc? Ovechkin is just a porridge eating child of God, not the god itself; not even McJesus.
So, hell yeah Laine can and probably will
So, anything is possible for this kid. Hasn't he surpassed Ovy in all the relevant stat categories so far also. So why not to continue the havoc? Ovechkin is just a porridge eating child of God, not the god itself; not even McJesus.
So, hell yeah Laine can and probably will
3 Harts and 6 Rockets, maybe not. Ovechkin also got case for best goal scorer ever. One more Rocket would do good for that, though.
Why are people always so premature with these questions and threads? It's not like I don't want to admit that Laine could surpass Ovechkin's totals. It's just that I feel awkward discussing this after 14 games. Let's at least wait until the end of the regular season to discuss this. Even if he has a good season, it's just one good season. What made and still makes Ovechkin so great is his consistency. To reach Ovechkin's heights you need more than just a few good seasons. You need an all-time-great career.
However, I can see the parallels between the discussions about Ovechkin and Laine. I remember that a few years ago you could also read these "let's wait a few years" statements for Ovechkin. Now these years have passed and people have no argument anymore to "wait a few years" to judge Ovi. That's why he's regarded as an indistpued all-time great nowadays. Of course this could also be true for Laine one day.
Also, simply going by the eye: When Ovechkin entered the league, people quickly started to realize that he was more than just your next star player. People arguing that Laine has "more dimensions" to his game forget how dynamic Ovechkin was until a few years ago. He does and combines so many things you wish from a forward. From what I've seen, Laine is not (yet) on the same level, except shot-wise.
However, I can see the parallels between the discussions about Ovechkin and Laine. I remember that a few years ago you could also read these "let's wait a few years" statements for Ovechkin. Now these years have passed and people have no argument anymore to "wait a few years" to judge Ovi. That's why he's regarded as an indistpued all-time great nowadays. Of course this could also be true for Laine one day.
Also, simply going by the eye: When Ovechkin entered the league, people quickly started to realize that he was more than just your next star player. People arguing that Laine has "more dimensions" to his game forget how dynamic Ovechkin was until a few years ago. He does and combines so many things you wish from a forward. From what I've seen, Laine is not (yet) on the same level, except shot-wise.
Johnny HFBOARDS
Trade you!
kelsier
Registered User
- Aug 17, 2013
- 4,280
- 1,741
Surpass Ovechkin this season? Perhaps not. If Laine can somewhat sustain some of this productivity while still making the transition into NHL, he might give Ovechkin run for the scoring title. But I think the odds for that are slim. After closely watching Laine evolving as a hockey player these past years I would never say never at this point. Laine can surprise you (in a positive way) when your least expecting it. If we compare their rookie seasons, the thing to remember is Laine is 18 yeards old while Ovechkin entered the league at the age of 20. That's a huge deal breaker.
As a complete player throughout their careers? Definitely yes. While he may never achieve the dynamic side of Ovechkin's game and be the most explosive skater on the ice, in my opinion Laine is the smarter player of the two and has more layers in his game. Laine currently leads NHL in goals while being 18 years old with 14 games behind. That's beyond impressive, and also if you look at his goals, none of them are flukes. He's shown he can score in variety of ways while possessing one of the best shooting arsenal out of all the active players in the game. If you've seen his games, you can see his passing (and in general, the talent to find other players on the ice) is not far behind his ability to shoot the puck. He'd have a lot more assists if his team mates had more luck cashing in the tape-to-tape passes, especially in the recent games. If he can accomplish all this while playing his first games across the pond (while still adjusting and learning), who can say what this kid looks like in a few years? The potential is through the roofs and I don't think everyone still understands the kind of a ceiling this guy has.
Right now he's reminding the Finns why we raved about him (from what 14-15yo onwards?), how he won the MVP titles as a 17-18 year old in FEL playoffs and in the WHC (both extraordinary/historical deeds), breaking all sorts of records and proving most of the doubters that his game can and will translate into smaller rinks.
There'll be ups and downs this season and it's not going to be a fairy tale all the way up until the end, but he's got the ability to finish the season in a memorable fashion. No question about it. He will be there with Ovechkin and the rest of the best of the players when he's done growing and learning.
As a complete player throughout their careers? Definitely yes. While he may never achieve the dynamic side of Ovechkin's game and be the most explosive skater on the ice, in my opinion Laine is the smarter player of the two and has more layers in his game. Laine currently leads NHL in goals while being 18 years old with 14 games behind. That's beyond impressive, and also if you look at his goals, none of them are flukes. He's shown he can score in variety of ways while possessing one of the best shooting arsenal out of all the active players in the game. If you've seen his games, you can see his passing (and in general, the talent to find other players on the ice) is not far behind his ability to shoot the puck. He'd have a lot more assists if his team mates had more luck cashing in the tape-to-tape passes, especially in the recent games. If he can accomplish all this while playing his first games across the pond (while still adjusting and learning), who can say what this kid looks like in a few years? The potential is through the roofs and I don't think everyone still understands the kind of a ceiling this guy has.
Right now he's reminding the Finns why we raved about him (from what 14-15yo onwards?), how he won the MVP titles as a 17-18 year old in FEL playoffs and in the WHC (both extraordinary/historical deeds), breaking all sorts of records and proving most of the doubters that his game can and will translate into smaller rinks.
There'll be ups and downs this season and it's not going to be a fairy tale all the way up until the end, but he's got the ability to finish the season in a memorable fashion. No question about it. He will be there with Ovechkin and the rest of the best of the players when he's done growing and learning.
Gsus
MVP
Time for this thread when Laine is a few seasons in. Ovy currently has 616 goals in the NHL. That would be 12 52g years for Laine to pass Ovy's current numbers. Some perspective there. If you play with the thought, Laine would be 30 from 12 years from now. Probably not too much declined.
And then back to reality again. Most probably won't be happening. Never say never though but definitely don't expect it. Reality just happens to be that Ovy is probably the best goal scorer hockey has ever seen.
I like the Ovy shot comparison to Laine, but not much else. Ovy has his footspeed and hits with a force of three loaded trucks. I think the Ovy comparison goes south because Laine is defensively very reliable and is usually the lowest forward there. That's something Laine can already be happy w/ compared to Ovy. But the work continues.
And then back to reality again. Most probably won't be happening. Never say never though but definitely don't expect it. Reality just happens to be that Ovy is probably the best goal scorer hockey has ever seen.
I like the Ovy shot comparison to Laine, but not much else. Ovy has his footspeed and hits with a force of three loaded trucks. I think the Ovy comparison goes south because Laine is defensively very reliable and is usually the lowest forward there. That's something Laine can already be happy w/ compared to Ovy. But the work continues.
blue425
Registered User
- Status
Ad
Latest posts
-
-
-
-
GDT: WCF | GM1 | Edmonton Oilers at Dallas Stars | 7:30PM CT | TNT- Latest: Three On Zero
