Friedman: Laine and Jets top guys not on the same page

[Ippenator]

What was the team record when laine Was dropped from the first line

I think the problem that season was that Hellebuyck was pretty close to abysmal in goal, and also the defensive core wasn’t as good as the next seasons, as Morrissey was still only developing, Myers was injured or recovering from injury and Trouba wasn’t playing because of contract reasons. Also the Ehlers - Little -Wheeler -line was sucking pretty big time when they were together.

Anyway, I truly believe that if the Jets had in 2017-2018 season PSL as their first line instead of especially CSW (ESW can be really good at best, that I admit - which makes it also so weird that Maurice doesn’t like to play that line much either), the Jets would have had a true chance of winning the Stanley Cup. We will of course never know about it for sure.

 

[Neutral Hockey Fan]

What was the team record when laine Was dropped from the first line

The jets record improved SIGNIFICANTLY once laine got demoted off Scheifele’s line. That much is not up for debate. Not sure why all these Finnish fans want the jets to purposely make the jets a worse team by rewarding laine with ice time he doesn’t deserve? It’s mind boggling

 

[JetsHomer]

That would absolutely laughable, as those two have been the worst team players for the last two seasons for the Jets. They steal constantly for their offence and are hemmed at their own end with chaotic and reckless defensive play as well. Sure they have scored a lot of goals, but seriously with so much stealing for their offence that they have nothing on anyone when talking about playing the real team game.

Lmao. Do you actually believe this drivel??

 

[Ippenator]

Lmao. Do you actually believe this drivel??

Read the Jets site and you should realize that a lot of the Jets fans agree with me. But keep on your Wheeler glasses by all means, if it makes life clearly more tolerable for you.

 

[JetsHomer]

The jets record improved SIGNIFICANTLY once laine got demoted off Scheifele’s line. That much is not up for debate. Not sure why all these Finnish fans want the jets to purposely make the jets a worse team by rewarding laine with ice time he doesn’t deserve? It’s mind boggling

It's annoying after all these years to still have 'Jets fans' that only care about Laine's personal numbers and literally nothing else

Read the Jets site and you should realize that a lot of the Jets fans agree with me. But keep on your Wheeler glasses by all means, if it makes life clearly more tolerable for you.

Oh yes all the huge 'Jets fans' with Finnish usernames that all started posting 3 years ago

 

[Ippenator]

It's annoying after all these years to still have 'Jets fans' that only care about Laine's personal numbers and literally nothing else


Oh yes all the huge 'Jets fans' with Finnish usernames that all started posting 3 years ago

Nope, most of them happen to be good ol’ Canadien boys. But you can of course by all means continue being in denial and fooling yourself. It obviously makes the world a better place for you.

 

[JetsHomer]

Nope, most of them happen to be good ol’ Canadien boys. But you can of course you all means being in denial and fooling yourself. It obviously makes the world a better place for you.

Aren't you the guy that was posting constantly for years about how Laine is going to be a Selke winning 110 goal scoring 200 point forward?

 

[Leonhard Euler]

Aren't you the guy that was posting constantly for years about how Laine is going to be a Selke winning 110 goal scoring 200 point forward?

Haha, I don't know who the poster was. But it makes me chuckle remembering it. It even seemed like that person wasn't trolling.

 

[Ippenator]

Aren't you the guy that was posting constantly for years about how Laine is going to be a Selke winning 110 goal scoring 200 point forward?

Nope, I have never said anything like that. I have seen his potential in his prime with maybe 60 or in best development and ideal situation as even over 70 goals and something clearly over 100 points. But I never claimed that he was very close to that kind of level yet. And I have never had any talks also about him being any kind of a Selke candidate ever. I despise that trophy anyway, So I wouldn’t even wish for any player to get it. I don’t know why you are spewing this kind of BS really.

Laine has for sure his weaknesses that are mostly physical and especially have to do with his weakish and non explosive legs, weak back and pretty weak stamina. But they can still be all developed to a point, but that development takes time and last season he clearly had a setback, as his back was bothering him even more than before. He has in fact had unfortunately some back problems through all his professional career years, and that is the most pressing need for him to fix physically.

Nice try btw, to get the attention away from a lot of Canadien Jets fans in fact agreeing with me about Wheeler and Scheifele playing, especially when together, reckless and bad team play with constant stealing for their offence. Really a nice try from you, that I have to admit for sure.

 

[RorschachWJK]

The jets record improved SIGNIFICANTLY once laine got demoted off Scheifele’s line. That much is not up for debate. Not sure why all these Finnish fans want the jets to purposely make the jets a worse team by rewarding laine with ice time he doesn’t deserve? It’s mind boggling

Wrong. I for example have never said anything about ice time.

Finding suitable linemates and a competent coach on the other hand...

 

[RorschachWJK]

It's annoying after all these years to still have 'Jets fans' that only care about Laine's personal numbers and literally nothing else


Oh yes all the huge 'Jets fans' with Finnish usernames that all started posting 3 years ago

Never said I am a Jets fan. I am not a fan of any club team, NHL or elsewhere. Also did not start posting 3 years ago.

 

[bruins2012]

“60-70 goals for Laine”


“Laughable”

- Jesus


C’mon man. Laine is an excellent player but he clearly had a very negative impact on the Jets last year. I could see that all the way from Taiwan.

Jets should trade Laine or collect draft picks. Their cap situation is already fooked up and the outlook isn’t bright. Little is fine, but they need an upgrade and that D is starting to look thin, and got to pay LW Connor next year.

Save the $ and collect picks for Laine. Get a bounce back year from Conor H and pray for a long playoff run.

 

[Ippenator]

“60-70 goals for Laine”


“Laughable”

- Jesus


C’mon man. Laine is an excellent player but he clearly had a very negative impact on the Jets last year. I could see that all the way from Taiwan.

Jets should trade Laine or collect draft picks. Their cap situation is already fooked up and the outlook isn’t bright. Little is fine, but they need an upgrade and that D is starting to look thin, and got to pay LW Connor next year.

Save the $ and collect picks for Laine. Get a bounce back year from Conor H and pray for a long playoff run.

I don’t think you will find anyone who will deny him having a poor season last season. He had most of the season his back bothering him clearly (he has said it himself too) and it was very visible with how he played compared to his previous NHL seasons. He for example avoided almost completely using his lethal wrister, which has been in the past his clearly greatest skill. Not his one-timer, which some clueless people seem to always make as his only great quality. He scored in his two first seasons more goals with his wrister than with clear onetimers - and by a boatload more of them really. But last season he almost never even tried to shoot a wrister, and when he rarely did it, it was much weaker, less accurate and looked clearly awkward compared to his previous seasons.

Of course it is laughable to think that last season’s Laine with back problems would get anywhere close to 60-70 goals ever. And for sure if he will not get his clear physical weaknesses fixed, he will never be that kind of a player that could get close to 60 goals or even over 50 goals. But to believe that his real talent level is what he did last season is complete nonsense and really wishful thinking by the numerous Laine haters that these boards seem to have.

But is it really that easy to forget how he scored already 44 goals in a season when he was still mostly under 20 years old, played only 16 minutes per game mostly with a center that doesn’t even do much of great playmaking? He didn’t have as bad back problems that season, although he has said that there were some even then, and also that he had some of them even in his 1st NHL season at some point. Of course he was still physically very raw before, as he still is unfortunately. But to write him really off as the player that he was last season is really naive and short sighted in my opinion.

 

[Trojien]

As a Jets fan neither from Canada nor Finnland I have to say that all three of them (Scheifele/Wheeler/Laine) played below my expectations. In fact, the only player who constantly surpassed my expectations was Morrissey.

Last season was a collective shortcoming in effort and desperation and the Blues showed us that those 2 can easily beat talent and that not just 1 player but the team is the deciding factor.

 

[Crazed Fan]

All of these overreactions. Laine was fighting injury all of last season, still potted 30.
105 goals in 3 seasons is hardly the type of player you trade or let go of. His "one dimmensional" play is the type of play that 30 other teams would kill for. He can still tighten up his defensive play with upcoming seasons and in the meantime rack up more goals.
Also, Laine is as Rfa as any other rfa player unsigned. Why no doom and gloom for all of them?
Seriously, this thread is absolute garbage. Here is a hot take. Laine re signs with the Jets. Laine scores a bunch of goals. Everyone complaining goes "oh yeah, he does this so well".

 

[RyderRocks73]

Nope, I have never said anything like that. I have seen his potential in his prime with maybe 60 or in best development and ideal situation as even over 70 goals and something clearly over 100 points. But I never claimed that he was very close to that kind of level yet. And I have never had any talks also about him being any kind of a Selke candidate ever. I despise that trophy anyway, So I wouldn’t even wish for any player to get it. I don’t know why you are spewing this kind of BS really.

Laine has for sure his weaknesses that are mostly physical and especially have to do with his weakish and non explosive legs, weak back and pretty weak stamina. But they can still be all developed to a point, but that development takes time and last season he clearly had a setback, as his back was bothering him even more than before. He has in fact had unfortunately some back problems through all his professional career years, and that is the most pressing need for him to fix physically.

Nice try btw, to get the attention away from a lot of Canadien Jets fans in fact agreeing with me about Wheeler and Scheifele playing, especially when together, reckless and bad team play with constant stealing for their offence. Really a nice try from you, that I have to admit for sure.

You would never even wish the Selke Trophy on your worst enemy?

 

[King1s]

May I interest you in some grit, leadership and character for yout problem kid?

Oilers has something you really want

 

[Ippenator]

You would never even wish the Selke Trophy on your worst enemy?

Hahaha! I made it of course kind of a hyperbole. But the truth is that I’m a fan of the real offensively superb kind of hockey. Of course there should be a certain balance with offence and defence in the way that you don’t really blatantly and constantly steal from your defensive play for good offence. But also done in the correct way very offensive play can still be the best defence as well. I truly believe in this. Kucherov, McDavid and Draisaitl, Kane, Aho and the Colorado 1st line are great examples of this kind of play.

But my point was really that when a player that I really follow with great interest practically always has great offensive skills, I never wish for that kind of player to play in the way that usually gives Selke awards, as I believe that it will always take too much away from that player’s true optimal offensive skills. Barkov is a great example of this. When he finally last season quit playing overly defensively and passively with his offence, he absolutely flourished and became by the end of the season one of the best players in the league. He was an absolute beast then and I absolutely loved watching him play. I was never a big fan of his before though, but if he will continue playing like he did the latter half last season, I can say that he has then become one of my absolute favorite players.

 

[RyderRocks73]

Hahaha! I made it of course kind of a hyperbole. But the truth is that I’m a fan of the real offensively superb kind of hockey. Of course there should be a certain balance with offence and defence in the way that you don’t really blatantly and constantly steal from your defensive play for good offence. But also done in the correct way very offensive play can still be the best defence as well. I truly believe in this.

But my point was really that when a player that I really follow with great interest practically always has great offensive skills, I never wish for that kind of player to play in the way that usually gives Selke awards, as I believe that it will always take too much away from that player’s true optimal offensive skills. Barkov is a great example of this. When he finally last season quit playing overly defensively and passively with his offence, he absolutely flourished and became by the end of the season one of the best players in the league. He was an absolute beast then and I absolutely loved watching him play. I was never a big fan of his before though, but if he will continue playing like he did the latter half last season, I can say that he has then become one of my absolute favorite players.

You don't lose offence by forechecking, stickchecking, anticipating passes, closing gaps, poke-checking on a fly-by, reverse-hitting. It didn't hinder Yzerman or Modano to start playing that way. You could gain a decent chunk more points by being more risk-tolerant and some players are certainly so risk-averse that it also hinders their game, but when your play is so brash that it costs your team games when you're not scoring or sometimes even when you are...

well, there's your player like Drouin. Barkov is actually a good example of the opposite. He converts on plays because of his two-way play. He obviously broke out this year, but he still stayed in the Selke conversation.

I don't think I have to tell you which player Laine is. He had one tool and the league figured it out.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I would separate them. Wheeler goes to make something work with Little, they used to play well together. Laine plays with Scheifele. Try things that have previously worked and make adjustments as needed.

They did not sign a contract as a package deal, they are not the Sedin twins. Imho they should play the role that they are most useful in, not how and who with they want. They've never been anything special as a line, who are we kidding? If their desire to play together overrides the good of the team, then trade Wheeler.

You must really think highly of Wheeler if he can elevate a bum like Little. I guess the same logic applies to Scheifele and Laine?

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Did you watch the playoffs? Where was that elite player all last season, especially towards the end. I remember where his season ended, in the penalty box. Don't excuse a captain just because seniority, he really did nothing all season long. Even further disappeared from positive moments in the playoffs. He should be demoted because he can't produce a better goals for/against ratio as Laine can in that spot. How many 20 goal seasons does Wheeler have in him? How many 50 goal seasons Laine has in him? Goals win games. The more shooting chances your best shooters get, the more goals your team scores.

Which Jet did you feel had better playoff performance than Laine? Interesting take.

Let me know when Laine actually scores 50. Or did you mean points? He did hit that mark this year.

 

[flying v 604]

I can't believe Finnish homers are still bringing up this tiny sample that they use to project Laine as some 200 point player as if this hasn't been throughly debunked. It was a tiny sample that meant little. Scheifele and Laine have since played more together on the PP than they did together at 5v5 and they haven't even been able to replicate the success they had with a man advantage.

Getting hot for a few games 3 years ago doesn't mean Laine is going to become some uniquely talented offensive beast. I find a lot of Finnish posters are very delusional about Laine and he success he has actually had

Has anyone else noticed that Finns seem to be the most polarizing of all hockey players? Not all but large chunk of them seem to be aholes. Laine, pool-party, Kakko (based on interviews I have heard) even Joulevi, who I am quite high on, seem to be very aloof and a bit entitled. People talk a out the Russian factor, which I find to be crap since for the most part the ones who bail seem to be the ones who are not elite, or didn't live up to the hype. Laine seems like a complete douche bag just like JP. All things considered, id draft any other Nationality before a Finn if all things are equal.

 

[Eyeseeing]

Wheeler, Scheifele and Laine are all good players with very different skill sets.
The problem isn’t them , the problem is the less than optimal use of this roster under Maurice.
Not just the 3 aforementioned but Ehlers as well.
Laine was our best forward in the playoffs and no I’m not a Finn.
Ridiculous to write him off.

 

[PhilJets]

Scheifele and especially Wheeler are hyper competitive athletes. Laine seems especially chill from what I’ve seen.

I could see there being conflict. Laine played himself off of that top line, it’s no ones fault but his own.

To be honest, I side with Scheifele and Wheeler on this one.

Watching the 6 game playoff against the blues.

Laine was the super hyper competitive athelete doung everything for the Jets.

Schiefele and Wheeler was chilling all 6 games except that o.t. goal.
But they gave up that back breaking game 5 last minute goal to the blues.

To be honest i side with Laine.


If your leaders tells coach they want to play with just certain players.
Thats not leadership.

If an older specially a captain like Wheeler who is 13 yrs senior gets affected by Laine.
Instead of playing with who ever gives the team the best chance the most.
Then something is wrong with him.

A leader will take the boy wonder and play in the same line with him. Show him the way....

By the way each time Laine played on the top line

May it be

Ehlers Schiefele Laine
Or
Laine Schiefele Wheeler


Laine was always the best player on that line. Game in game out.

Its mind boggling that Laine is the guy that is always get drop down. Him and Ehlers actually.

Laine never played himself off the top line.


If Kane Trouba now Laine , and Roslovic are having trouble staying.
You got to look at the other side and maybe there is something wrong with the leadership there.....

 

[PhilJets]

Laine might need to grow up a bit. i am going to guess most leadership groups around the NHL are hard-driving guys at Friedman puts it. Not sure if simply getting out of WPG will help him escape that, if that is presumably the disconnect

All of us do...

At 18, 19,20 yrs old.

I believe he will.

If Jets leadership group cant handle a teenager 20 yr old young man.

Then Jets are toast.