Patrik Laine III: We’ve got questions, he’s got answers

[KJ Dangler]

not hard to see why Laine struggled badly .. glad the Torts experience is over…

 

[CBJWerenski8]

not a big fan of these comments

 

[CBJx614]

not a big fan of these comments

He's not wrong though. As a coach, you need to recognize your players strengths and weaknesses, and it's pretty clear his strength is his offensive ability. A player with his talents you have to loosen the leash a little bit.

 

[Monk]

not a big fan of these comments

I'm not a big fan of Twitter-translated comments taken out of context

 

[Monstershockey]

not a big fan of these comments

Its comments like these that make me want to believe Portzline saying some players want him gone. To play like garbage, and then blame it on the coach is a joke. He was tried with pretty much everyone and played bad. He must never look in a mirror.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

I'm not a big fan of Twitter-translated comments taken out of context

The real question is the translator taking them out of context or are you?

 

[LetsGOJackets!!]

All I will say is that Laine needs good coaching. The guy scored 40 goals almost a pt a game in 17 & 18. He is 6'5" with a rocket wrist shot. If you can get two guys to replicate their earlier years (Cam & Patrik) you have the start of some offense, and it takes some pressure off Bjorky.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Its comments like these that make me want to believe Portzline saying some players want him gone. To play like garbage, and then blame it on the coach is a joke. He was tried with pretty much everyone and played bad. He must never look in a mirror.

Everyone played like crap and the coach coached like crap this season, but it's easy to blame the new guy for everything.

 

[Monk]

The real question is the translator taking them out of context or are you?

I'm not taking them out of anywhere

 

[LJ7]

Nothing he said surprised me. Neither Torts or Laine held up their end of the bargain last season.

Larsen has talked alot about maximizing individual strengths, and Laine seems excited to play next season. We'll see what he's really got for better or worse. I'm excited to see him in Larsen and Vincent's hands.

As for the "players want him traded" angle, Torts was and still is beloved in that locker room by many of the players. Any doubt on if at least some amount of players on the team want Laine out is crazy to me. How many players and how much it even matters is debatable though.

 

[Monstershockey]

Everyone played like crap and the coach coached like crap this season, but it's easy to blame the new guy for everything.

The only thing I am blaming Laine for is playing bad, not everything. There is nothing in my post where I blame the new guy for everything. I'm not giving Torts a pass either, he ended up not being let go, and should have done a better job. I thought he quit and was disappointed how he handled it. In all reality though, he should have been let go when he asked out, but it still isn't an excuse. I won't say everyone played like crap, as some guys did play hard. Laine clearly didn't, and that's on him. Blaming the coach to friendly media overseas is a cop out.

 

[KJ Dangler]

The fact Larsen has made it such a talking point , utilizing players strengths , scheming around their strengths , tells you all you need to know about what he and the front office knew to be the problem. Same reason Jarmo didn’t extend Torts. He’s been drafting skilled players , and knew that he would need a new coach to utilize that talent . What sucks is they wasted half a season , and should have gotten a head start on this

 

[KJ Dangler]

I'm not a big fan of Twitter-translated comments taken out of context

Are you saying Sala is translating out of context ?

 

[Monk]

Are you saying Sala is translating out of context ?

I'm saying I don't know who Saila is, I don't know if she's good at translating, I don't know what question Laine was asked to prompt those quotes and/or what caveats he used directly before/after those quotes.

I enjoy these quotes and I appreciate them being posted, but I take them with a massive grain of salt.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

He's not wrong though. As a coach, you need to recognize your players strengths and weaknesses, and it's pretty clear his strength is his offensive ability. A player with his talents you have to loosen the leash a little bit.

Yes but “I am who I am. Im not like everyone else” implied he just wants to stand around and shoot pucks with minimal defensive responsibilities. That’s not a player you build around.

If we had a panarin or someone to do the heavy lifting then you can kinda turn a blind eye to him as long as he’s doing his one trick. But that’s not what we wanted when we got him. And his potential is far greater than that. From these quotes, which again are just quotes, he feels content with being “good”

 

[majormajor]

He's not wrong though. As a coach, you need to recognize your players strengths and weaknesses, and it's pretty clear his strength is his offensive ability. A player with his talents you have to loosen the leash a little bit.

He's probably not wrong but he should still keep those thoughts private. I don't want players complaining about their coaches in public.

Its comments like these that make me want to believe Portzline saying some players want him gone. To play like garbage, and then blame it on the coach is a joke. He was tried with pretty much everyone and played bad. He must never look in a mirror.

He blames himself plenty. This is more like "also the coaching didn't help", which is probably fair, though not his place to say publicly, in my opinion.

All I will say is that Laine needs good coaching. The guy scored 40 goals almost a pt a game in 17 & 18. He is 6'5" with a rocket wrist shot. If you can get two guys to replicate their earlier years (Cam & Patrik) you have the start of some offense, and it takes some pressure off Bjorky.

I would be a lot more hopeful for that if we had top quality playmaking with our bevy of pure shooters. These guys can't turn each other into 40 goal scorers, you need playmakers for that. Laine isn't in a great position to succeed here.

Everyone played like crap and the coach coached like crap this season, but it's easy to blame the new guy for everything.

There's playing like crap and there's playing like whatever Laine did last year. I could tell you what I saw but the numbers make it much easier to see. The Jackets were close to even with Laine on the bench and outscored 2 to 1 with him on the ice. Not everyone should be given the same verdict for that season. It strikes me as unfair to Robinson and Bjorkstrand and the consistent hard-working players who did well to say that everyone sucked.

Yes but “I am who I am. Im not like everyone else” implied he just wants to stand around and shoot pucks with minimal defensive responsibilities. That’s not a player you build around.

If we had a panarin or someone to do the heavy lifting then you can kinda turn a blind eye to him as long as he’s doing his one trick. But that’s not what we wanted when we got him. And his potential is far greater than that. From these quotes, which again are just quotes, he feels content with being “good”

He's not a player you build around regardless of what he says or thinks, that we already ought to know. I don't find these quotes particularly revealing though. It doesn't necessarily mean "I want to stand around more". We don't know exactly what Torts was telling Patty. Perhaps Torts was keeping him in a more cautious stationary position high in the zone where he could backcheck more easily, and perhaps that's why Patty so rarely got himself into scoring position.

 

[CBJx614]

He's probably not wrong but he should still keep those thoughts private. I don't want players complaining about their coaches in public.

I get that. And under normal circumstances I would agree, if Torts was coming back this would not fly. But from all accounts Torts wasn't taking the season as seriously as we know he can. If we're gonna call out PLD for up and quitting on the team, we need to give Torts some shit too.(I know I know not the same thing) But its just as much on Torts to come back, even though he didn't want to, as much as it's on Jarmo for not firing him once it was evident he wasn't pushing the team in the right direction.

 

[VT]

Its comments like these that make me want to believe Portzline saying some players want him gone. To play like garbage, and then blame it on the coach is a joke. He was tried with pretty much everyone and played bad. He must never look in a mirror.

Sorry but I don't see any words which blame Torts. He only said Torts didn't do so big freedom. Besides, play isn't only goals, points. And after the season he said he played bad.

 

[VT]

He's probably not wrong but he should still keep those thoughts private. I don't want players complaining about their coaches in public.



He blames himself plenty. This is more like "also the coaching didn't help", which is probably fair, though not his place to say publicly, in my opinion.



I would be a lot more hopeful for that if we had top quality playmaking with our bevy of pure shooters. These guys can't turn each other into 40 goal scorers, you need playmakers for that. Laine isn't in a great position to succeed here.



There's playing like crap and there's playing like whatever Laine did last year. I could tell you what I saw but the numbers make it much easier to see. The Jackets were close to even with Laine on the bench and outscored 2 to 1 with him on the ice. Not everyone should be given the same verdict for that season. It strikes me as unfair to Robinson and Bjorkstrand and the consistent hard-working players who did well to say that everyone sucked.



He's not a player you build around regardless of what he says or thinks, that we already ought to know. I don't find these quotes particularly revealing though. It doesn't necessarily mean "I want to stand around more". We don't know exactly what Torts was telling Patty. Perhaps Torts was keeping him in a more cautious stationary position high in the zone where he could backcheck more easily, and perhaps that's why Patty so rarely got himself into scoring position.

I don't agree. There're two things, offense and defense. If defense, the team need a system. If offense, creative players need any freedom. And he said about it. Not only about scoring but creativity in offense. Besides he can be a very good playmaker too, creative chances under forchecking.
IMHO we can build a team around him. But it's important to don't do only a sniper for him but use all his offensive qualities. What nobody did in Winnipeg and here. Probably Larsen knows why he said he wants to build a team around him. It doesn't mean he don't want to play around the boards etc.
Btw IMHO he had good chemistry with Dunne and Foudy what is enough interesting.

 

[majormajor]

I don't agree. There're two things, offense and defense. If defense, the team need a system. If offense, creative players need any freedom. And he said about it. Not only about scoring but creativity in offense. Besides he can be a very good playmaker too, creative chances under forchecking.
IMHO we can build a team around him. But it's important to don't do only a sniper for him but use all his offensive qualities. What nobody did in Winnipeg and here. Probably Larsen knows why he said he wants to build a team around him. It doesn't mean he don't want to play around the boards etc.
Btw IMHO he had good chemistry with Dunne and Foudy what is enough interesting.

I'll hold off on talking about chemistry in short samples.

It's really not the case that Winnipeg didn't try to develop him. In 2019-20 he played 3/4 of the season with Connor and Scheifele, and that is what led everyone to say that he could pass as well as shoot. His shooting just wasn't great that year, more good than great, and the overall results with him on the topline weren't better than they were with Wheeler in that position. The Jets really tried to use Laine in a lot of ways and found that the best role for him was a bit further back in the lineup, which is what led to the trade. In any case, my point here was that Larsen won't be the first coach to try to get a well-rounded offensive attack out of him.

 

[VT]

Are you saying Sala is translating out of context ?

Saila is Finnish.

 

[VT]

I'll hold off on talking about chemistry in short samples.

It's really not the case that Winnipeg didn't try to develop him. In 2019-20 he played 3/4 of the season with Connor and Scheifele, and that is what led everyone to say that he could pass as well as shoot. His shooting just wasn't great that year, more good than great, and the overall results with him on the topline weren't better than they were with Wheeler in that position. The Jets really tried to use Laine in a lot of ways and found that the best role for him was a bit further back in the lineup, which is what led to the trade. In any case, my point here was that Larsen won't be the first coach to try to get a well-rounded offensive attack out of him.

He showed he can do it with not so good players too. Of course if he is a sniper a coach tries to use his shot more. But again he can more. But I hope he knows he must fight about the puck around the boards, work in defense too. Although he said only about offense.

 

[KJ Dangler]

He's probably not wrong but he should still keep those thoughts private. I don't want players complaining about their coaches in public.

Torts certainly didn’t hold his criticisms of Laine private , I’m guessing he’s a pretty prideful player , and now that Torts was let go from the team , and the season is over he’s venting his frustration, and giving some insight to the fact that he didn’t lose his skill within games of being traded here , but rather he was badly mismanaged , which we all know to be true, and getting his mind right to make sure next season isn’t a repeat .

 

[Cyclones Rock]

not a big fan of these comments

Neither am I, but allowing forwards a bit of "cheat" space wouldn't be a bad policy for a player like Laine.

I think he's a disaster-in-waiting for the team who goes long term with him. Inconsistent and, from my perspective, probably a bit too moody and mentally weak.

 

[stonec]

He's not wrong though. As a coach, you need to recognize your players strengths and weaknesses, and it's pretty clear his strength is his offensive ability. A player with his talents you have to loosen the leash a little bit.

I don't think these translations are very complicated or out of context (I can't access the full article as it's behind paywall, otherwise I would attempt to translate it here). Laine talks about allowing offensive players to cheat. It doesn't mean literally "cheat". It means forwards are allowed certain liberties in the offensive game, such as looking for a breakout pass instead of back-checking in certain situations, joining in on the rushes even if it sometimes leads to loss of puck and goal in the other end, etc. This is the way Tampa Bay and many of the current top teams play, they have a system, but within that system there are certain liberties for players like Kucherov and Stamkos.

The Tortorella style that he became known for in Rangers and Vancouver is all about defense. I remember around 2017 Tortorella claimed in some interview that he has changed and reduced "control" of his players, as you have to allow for mistakes to increase creativity. I think he did attempt to do that for a short while until last season and also 2020 to some extent, when it seems he went more back to his old tried and true strategy of less liberties and more focus on defense. This is just my interpretation of things.

I'm not a huge fan of these articles with Laine talking to his favorite Finnish reporters who are often let's say a bit too uncritical of him, but I do think he is not wrong with saying Tortorella doesn't allow liberties in the offense.