Speculation: Laine Mega Thread

[Hunter368]

Your bar is pretty low if you consider a puff popularity piece on Sportsnet as great journalism. Agreed Laine is popular with kids in Winnipeg, but the piece doesn't even attempt to take even the briefest glimpse at anything other than popularity and hurt feelings. While I'm a Jets fan and want all the best for Laine, the truth is Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler as a line is much better than Connor-Scheifele-Laine is. Even just glancing at basic underlying numbers:

Connor/Scheifele/Wheeler 53.76 CF%, 57.14 GF%, 47.98 xGF%
Connor/Scheifele/Laine 47.00 CF%, 48.39 GF%, 43.45 xGF%

Scheifele is a cycler who is great at gaining possession in board battles with an extremely quick stick and great body positioning. Wheeler and Connor are able to support that and Connor excels with in tight scoring chances generated off the cycle. Laine is a bad possession player, and generates scoring off the rush and on the PP. In all honesty he is not a good fit with Scheifele at this point and Scheifele as a ultimate hockey nerd knows this thus his preference for wingers he works better with.

Absolutely correct. That article/video was brutal representation of the facts......typical fan click bait.

 

[KingBogo]

Jets have Stastny back, so I’m expecting Laine to get to 40 plus on his wing.

Agreed, I think Stastny is a much better fit for Laine and agree he should help bring up Laine's goal totals, assuming Laine's shooting % starts inching up top where it was during his 1st couple seasons. In a couple of years if Laine and the Jets are able to find a middle ground and he remains a Jet I see Perfetti as being potentially a perfect fit as Laine's center. A true playmaker with elite vision who will give Laine the puck over and over again in scoring positions.

 

[Atoyot]

Like McDavid bringing his lucky skating every night and Laine bringing his lucky shot in.

Yes, you have cracked the code. They're luckier than others. Has nothing to do with their hard earned abilities, all just down to randomness and how favorable absolute randomness somehow treats chosen ones as if it had a will to decide.

Not into magical things but thx

What does luck have to do with magic?

 

[CLW]

Your bar is pretty low if you consider a puff popularity piece on Sportsnet as great journalism. Agreed Laine is popular with kids in Winnipeg, but the piece doesn't even attempt to take even the briefest glimpse at anything other than popularity and hurt feelings. While I'm a Jets fan and want all the best for Laine, the truth is Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler as a line is much better than Connor-Scheifele-Laine is. Even just glancing at basic underlying numbers:

Connor/Scheifele/Wheeler 53.76 CF%, 57.14 GF%, 47.98 xGF%
Connor/Scheifele/Laine 47.00 CF%, 48.39 GF%, 43.45 xGF%

Scheifele is a cycler who is great at gaining possession in board battles with an extremely quick stick and great body positioning. Wheeler and Connor are able to support that and Connor excels with in tight scoring chances generated off the cycle. Laine is a bad possession player, and generates scoring off the rush and on the PP. In all honesty he is not a good fit with Scheifele at this point and Scheifele as a ultimate hockey nerd knows this thus his preference for wingers he works better with.

Yep, Laine really is not a good fit with the Jets. Statsny is a bandaid. Perfetti is years away from being a solid 2C even with ideal development. Time for management to bite the bullet and trade him since it's obvious he wants out.

 

[KingBogo]

Yep, Laine really is not a good fit with the Jets. Statsny is a bandaid. Perfetti is years away from being a solid 2C even with ideal development. Time for management to bite the bullet and trade him since it's obvious he wants out.

That would depend on a fair return. With 3 years of team control you don’t sell for pennies on the dollar.

 

[jrs]

Dunno. Global warming sounds pretty awesome to a Winnipegger until you remember how much of Manitoba would be underwater if sea level rises a bit.

Winnipeg will become a tropical seaside resort town

 

[tntkid]

Yep, Laine really is not a good fit with the Jets. Statsny is a bandaid. Perfetti is years away from being a solid 2C even with ideal development. Time for management to bite the bullet and trade him since it's obvious he wants out.

The jets have lightning in a bottle and know it.

Where is the quote that said laine actually wants out of wpg by laine.

I have yet to see it.

 

[CLW]

That would depend on a fair return. With 3 years of team control you don’t sell for pennies on the dollar.

Sure, but control and return are two different things. Laine is up for a new contract next summer/off season. It could easily lead to a Marner/Nylander situation with protracted negotiations taking a long time to get sorted. Then it's suddenly only a year and half left.

 

[CLW]

The jets have lightning in a bottle and know it.

Where is the quote that said laine actually wants out of wpg by laine.

I have yet to see it.

I don't think he has officially asked for a trade yet, but there are clearly rumblings below the surface, like the agents are hinting at here. And who would be surprised if he openly asked for a trade next summer before signing if Maurice is still the coach?

 

[tbcwpg]

Sure, but control and return are two different things. Laine is up for a new contract next summer/off season. It could easily lead to a Marner/Nylander situation with protracted negotiations taking a long time to get sorted. Then it's suddenly only a year and half left.

I'll take a year and a half of Laine if the trade return is not ideal.

 

[CLW]

I'll take a year and a half of Laine if the trade return is not ideal.

Yep, but the closer you get to his UFA status the less trade value he will have. The 'less than ideal' moves quickly to 'none'. Now he still has serious value, but not insane value. Nobody trades a young surefire top 6 C/top young D for a winger unless they are stacked, and which team is?

 

[tntkid]

Yep, but the closer you get to his UFA status the less trade value he will have. The 'less than ideal' moves quickly to 'none'. Now he still has serious value, but not insane value. Nobody trades a young surefire top 6 C/top young D for a winger unless they are stacked, and which team is?

Laine is an RFA.

We are not desperate to move anyone and especially Laine.

 

[CLW]

Laine is an RFA.

We are not desperate to move anyone and especially Laine.

Not talking desperation here but asset management.

 

[tbcwpg]

Yep, but the closer you get to his UFA status the less trade value he will have. The 'less than ideal' moves quickly to 'none'. Now he still has serious value, but not insane value. Nobody trades a young surefire top 6 C/top young D for a winger unless they are stacked, and which team is?

It might be better for the Jets to use him for 3 years than accept a lesser return.

 

[Mr Positive]

He probably wants big cash, and that the only question in his mind about whether he's worth it is just because he doesn't get the kind of opportunities he imagines he'd get on another team.

If he goes to another team, that team would likely be in that same problem: happy to have him but the cash has to be a tier below the top players. He'd probably suck up his pride and sign it then, and it's a bit sad that it might take a move for him to realize what he is worth in this league. More like 7-8.25 million rather than 9+

 

[CLW]

He probably wants big cash, and that the only question in his mind about whether he's worth it is just because he doesn't get the kind of opportunities he imagines he'd get on another team.

If he goes to another team, that team would likely be in that same problem: happy to have him but the cash has to be a tier below the top players. He'd probably suck up his pride and sign it then, and it's a bit sad that it might take a move for him to realize what he is worth in this league. More like 7-8.25 million rather than 9+

I don't think it's about big cash as much as about not respecting the coach and frustration. If he has made it clear to management he wants out, but nothing happens, why not ask for the moon if he is stuck there?

 

[Mr Positive]

I don't think it's about big cash as much as about not respecting the coach and frustration. If he has made it clear to management he wants out, but nothing happens, why not ask for the moon if he is stuck there?

the reason I really think it is about money is because of the way he plays. When you rack up points on the PP and you don't see domination 5 on 5, it just feels wrong to put elite dollars there. However, all players who can put up 40+ goals demand elite dollars.

 

[Snowman]

For the offers in this thread the Jets are far better off keeping Laine for 2 years and moving him then if need be. 2 years of Laine and then a Trouba like return are better than the offers we are seeing here.

 

[Guffman]

Regarding trade proposals for Laine, everyone seems fixated on what were the perceived short term holes on the Jets...top 4 LHD and a second line centre.

2C is patched this year. Perfetti may secure the spot in the future. Samberg and/or Heinola may earn that top 4 LHD position as early as this year.

Perhaps we’d take a top 6 winger (with some adds) on a more modest contract if we can’t get Laine happy and on a reasonable long-term contract next offseason.

 

[Dache]

Yep, but the closer you get to his UFA status the less trade value he will have. The 'less than ideal' moves quickly to 'none'. Now he still has serious value, but not insane value. Nobody trades a young surefire top 6 C/top young D for a winger unless they are stacked, and which team is?

Even if it’s the trade deadline before he is UFA, his trade value will not be “none” players half as good return a 1st and a prospect/player at that point.

 

[CLW]

Even if it’s the trade deadline before he is UFA, his trade value will not be “none” players half as good return a 1st and a prospect/player at that point.

'None' referred to when he walks as an UFA. And the return depends on the size and structure of his next contract I guess, if teams can/want to take it on. It might benefit Laine to take the max contract he can get next season and just wait until he hits UFA. If he can get a lot of money out of the Jets, he can take a longer, lower contract later to fit with a team he likes better when he hits UFA.

This situation can turn messy next year. No wonder the agents are hinting it's best to solve it amiably now.

 

[GaryPoppins]

Regarding trade proposals for Laine, everyone seems fixated on what were the perceived short term holes on the Jets...top 4 LHD and a second line centre.

2C is patched this year. Perfetti may secure the spot in the future. Samberg and/or Heinola may earn that top 4 LHD position as early as this year.

Perhaps we’d take a top 6 winger (with some adds) on a more modest contract if we can’t get Laine happy and on a reasonable long-term contract next offseason.

tbh, we need a legit 1/2 D.. preferably RHD. That’d be the start of my ask.

 

[Groo]

Winnipeg will become a tropical seaside resort town

 

[Finnflash]

Reading through this again as a jets fan reinforces my thoughts.

I’m really not feeling panicked at all for the jets to make a trade. If it happens it happens.

Second thing is reflection and knowing the hockey gods are with us. We were lucky to get Laine at a good time for our franchise, and lucky to get Connor. Then lucky to get Perfetti.

Seems to be a pattern when we need it.

 

[Easternbull]

I have ALWAYS stated that Connor and Laine are too similair and look for the same soft spots on the ice and having them both on the same line is overkill IMHO.

You must have low stadards on the defensive play of your top line players if you think Connor's and Wheeler's defensive game was good during last season.

27 55 29 would have been the best way to go IMHO.

Reynolds has actually done some research and shows some real emotion, unlike other sportsnet "journalist" like Tim & Sid and Steve Dangle, who sometimes do nothing more than cover up their aparent lack of work, with fake emotional outbursts.

Reynolds puts forth an argument I have been trying to get across on this forum for a long time, if the jets want a kings ransom in return for an elite scorer in Laine, then waht the he%& is he doing playing on the second line?

He also shares my view in that Patrick got his chance to play on the first line due to Little's injury and as soon as Eakin was jet Laine was back on the second line.

It was in an interview after this that 55 was gushing over the Joy of playing with wheeler again.