Patrik Laine Part V: The Man with the Golden Stick

[Kaako Kappo]

Matthews has gone through two longer periods of a "slump", does that make Babs a poor coach or poorer coach?
Most players go through them. You have to try to be good at other things when the other part of your game isn't working. Consistency is part of learning to be a pro in the NHL. Laine is young and still growing and in 3-4 years will be owning the boards and not losing the puck there so often and putting up better numbers than this year. I'm not worried about him whatsoever.

Nope, but even when Matthews slumps, he contributes and looks good (with the exception of the few stinkers he had a week or so ago). The fact of the matter is, you can count the bad games Matthews has had with one hand. Laine...not sure if two hands are enough. When Laine isn't putting the puck to the net you look at him and think "How the **** does he have 34 goals?". I was referring more to how Babs handled Nylander. He put him through a pretty rough school, throwing him around the lineup and straight up saying that he needs to be better. And he is.

Maurice did put Laine into a position to succeed, which i am pretty happy about, but did it come too easily for him? I would've whined more if he didn't, but it might've been worth it in the end.


Well, I'm probably reading too much into things. He does have 34 goals in his rookie year so...pretty ****ing good. But i can't help but feel it could've been even better. I'll just have to be patient. I don't think he'll be able to get strong enough to make a difference this summer, but maybe the next.

 

[PhilJets]

Nope, but even when Matthews slumps, he contributes and looks good (with the exception of the few stinkers he had a week or so ago). The fact of the matter is, you can count the bad games Matthews has had with one hand. Laine...not sure if two hands are enough. When Laine isn't putting the puck to the net you look at him and think "How the **** does he have 34 goals?". I was referring more to how Babs handled Nylander. He put him through a pretty rough school, throwing him around the lineup and straight up saying that he needs to be better. And he is.

Maurice did put Laine into a position to succeed, which i am pretty happy about, but did it come too easily for him? I would've whined more if he didn't, but it might've been worth it in the end.


Well, I'm probably reading too much into things. He does have 34 goals in his rookie year so...pretty ****ing good. But i can't help but feel it could've been even better. I'll just have to be patient. I don't think he'll be able to get strong enough to make a difference this summer, but maybe the next.

Lol you are talking about an 18 your old kid. Was playing best on best many nights.

You know you should just be happy, instead looking at flaws all the time..

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Lol you are talking about an 18 your old kid. Was playing best on best many nights.

You know you should just be happy, instead looking at flaws all the time..

I am happy and i stated it by saying he's been pretty damn good this season. The problem with posts like the one i put out is that i should say it in the first paragraph, preferably in bold, so people won't just ignore it.

Just trying to figure out what's going on with his game right at this very moment.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Just trying to figure out what's going on with his game right at this very moment.

• He's 18
• Scorers can be streaky
• It's the NHL
• Teams are keying on him
• His line is slumping a bit
• He's 18

 

[Kaako Kappo]

• He's 18
• Scorers can be streaky
• It's the NHL
• Teams are keying on him
• His line is slumping a bit
• He's 18

His line needs change but there doesn't seem to be one in the horizon because well i don't know, i guess Maurice is already planning his vacation. Now would be an excellent time for some experimenting with the lines.

 

[winnipegger]

Getting hard-matched on the road is too much right now...I bet he will score some goals in home games. Probably not 40 this year but 35 + is alright I guess

 

[Asiantuntija]

Biggest issue with Laine is his line. Both wingers doesn't have anything to offer in board battles and Little can't make miracles himself. It's way too easy for Opponents to force them to board play and take the puck away. I'm not expecting anything from Laine as long as he plays with Little and Ehlers.

Why we can't change lineups to Ehlers - Little - Wheeler and Perreault - Scheifele - Laine? It worked much better when we had two dangerous lines. Wheeler works much better because he got the power and gives the strenght for board battles.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

With two losses in a row and our knowledge of Maurice-logic, I think we'll probably see a shuffling of the lines for next game.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

As Matthews reaches closer to Laine in points, the haters are starting to come out of their holes all around the internet. A very interesting phenomenon.

One of the better quotes:

"You have to do more than stand around looking for one timers in todays NHL. Was anyone (outside Finland and Winnipeg) surprised by this?"

 

[Crocket]

As Matthews reaches closer to Laine in points, the haters are starting to come out of their holes all around the internet. A very interesting phenomenon.

One of the better quotes:

"You have to do more than stand around looking for one timers in todays NHL. Was anyone (outside Finland and Winnipeg) surprised by this?"

That's actually pretty funny.

 

[TobeMessier]

This is Little's fault???
Laine Ehlers and the D have no fault???
We need to put him on the LW and try Armia on RW with Scheif.

Yep. Little struggles in his own end especially against bigger forwards, lacks strength in the offensive zone and is not near the playmaker Scheif is. As I linked in the article above from the Hockey Writers Laine and Scheif are a dynamic duo - add Ehlers and it is one of the hottest lines in the NHL.


http://thehockeywriters.com/scheifele-and-laine-a-dangerous-duo/

The article also notes how hot Ehlers was with that line and when he was switched to the Little line (when he was with Wheeler) his PPG% took a nosedive.

 

[Crocket]

That is totally nuts man. Ehlers/Laine have been a dynamite duo & will be in future as well.

Can't help it if Maurice has been neutering Laine at every opportunity (putting him on his off wing, breaking up lines like Scheif-Laine-Ehlers when they are super hot, putting him on PP2, and now the ultimate insult - putting him on his offwing on the PP).

Agreed. I think Maurice is in desperation mode, which he reverts to very quickly. His lack of confidence is reflecting on the team.

 

[Crocket]

Perhaps Laine has learned from Trouba that the best course of action is to smile and nod during your ELC and wait till you're an RFA to become an ass hole.

We don't know the correspondence between the Jets and Trouba's team. It is possible the Jets were *******s too. Just remember, it takes 2 to tango. Trouba's agent is an *******, but I'm not sure the Jets were super fair in that negotiation either.

 

[Crocket]

Yep, that's so typical Maurice. Have one of the most productive lines in hockey -- you break them up the moment they cool off & rarely ever try them again. Have a top-scoring rookie who is dynamite on the PP -- first you move him to the second PP unit to decrease his ice-time & then you move him to his off side so that his one-timer is less effective.

What ever happened to the fire Maurice thread -- I guess we've all got so used to his neutering his most talented players that we've just come to expect it already.

Not only is his one-timer less effective, his passing is less effective from the right side, which he's good at as well. Maurice has no confidence in what he is doing. You're right, he overreacts.

 

[Crocket]

I don't know why Laine isn't out on the PP for 1 min + every time. He is always shortchanged in PP time by guys like Adam Lowry. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, and Maurice is not playing his most dangerous weapon as often as he can. Not buying an argument from authority that Maurice knows what he's doing. I don't think he does.

Ya and it's not super difficult. If your PP sucks, just watch Washington and how they setup Ovechkin, with Oshie in a support position on the same side, they play the close one timer from Ovie or often the high tip etc. Just copy the good teams, no shame in that if you suck. Copy what successful people do, not what unsuccessful people do.

 

[Lempo]

As Matthews reaches closer to Laine in points, the haters are starting to come out of their holes all around the internet. A very interesting phenomenon.

One of the better quotes:

"You have to do more than stand around looking for one timers in todays NHL. Was anyone (outside Finland and Winnipeg) surprised by this?"

I'm prone to think he had had them quite worried there already. What is it, 8 games to go?

Not many but our special boy can bust at 34 goals mark.

 

[winnipegger]

Perreault Scheif Laine
Ehlers Little Wheeler

Is what I would end the season with. It's too bad for Armia that he doesn't play LW, I would love to see Armia Little Wheeler I think there is a lot of defensive ability and puck protection there for a 1b line.

 

[kanadalainen]

Perreault Scheif Laine
Ehlers Little Wheeler

Is what I would end the season with. It's too bad for Armia that he doesn't play LW, I would love to see Armia Little Wheeler I think there is a lot of defensive ability and puck protection there for a 1b line.

Great lines, would like to see this happen.

 

[portamoral]

laine-scheif-ehlers
perre-littls-wheels

just go back to this. was the only combo where both lines were clicking at the same time. any other arrangement had one line not clicking

 

[10Ducky10]

The biggest issue with Laine???
What issue? He is 18 and blowing the doors off of what almost anyone expected. Probably the biggest surprise for me next to Morrissey.

 

[PhilJets]

Laine is an 18 year old monster
Ehlers is a 60+ point producer in his 2nd year
Scheifele the GUY is elite, enough said
Trouba - all around #1 D , give him more he gets better
Morrissey - really really smart great skater

If Trouba and Morrissey gets activated more than Buff next year, they should get more points.

Hellybuyck - It also has to do with him but , i need to see him in front of a better system and complete D for once.
Lowry - don't understand some people exposing him. He is the only !$~! in the top 9. 15 goals for a 3rd C is good in today's NHL
Petan - odd man out but if JETS keeps him, he should help down the road in scoring

Wheeler, Buff, Little, Enstrom, Perrault and Myers - should be the supporting role next year not the lead. As much as i love those guys, this is now the young guns team.

OH LAINE - it is too bad that Laine Schiefele and Ehlers line was not kept. But, still great season for an 18 year old kid. Hope he gets around 37-38 goals for the year and 69 points.

GO LAINE GO

 

[PhilJets]

For Some reason Matthews in now again superior to LAine with same points in 7 more games.

hmmmm..

Yeah Laine needed to have at least 7 to 10 points lead. As the ROY was anointed to Matthews at the start of the year.

As good as Matthews - Bobcock is really playing him to get the best on all his shift. That's what great coach does.

 

[kelsier]

What's the latest on him?
Was it a flu or something more nasty?
Does he play tonight?

Too many questions while holding fingers crossed. Gah, hate it!

 

[Festinator]

What's the latest on him?
Was it a flu or something more nasty?
Does he play tonight?

Too many questions while holding fingers crossed. Gah, hate it!

Yeah he had the flu. He's travelling with the team and might play. Maybe another game time decision.

 

[Peggy]

Nope, but even when Matthews slumps, he contributes and looks good (with the exception of the few stinkers he had a week or so ago). The fact of the matter is, you can count the bad games Matthews has had with one hand. Laine...not sure if two hands are enough. When Laine isn't putting the puck to the net you look at him and think "How the **** does he have 34 goals?". I was referring more to how Babs handled Nylander. He put him through a pretty rough school, throwing him around the lineup and straight up saying that he needs to be better. And he is.

Maurice did put Laine into a position to succeed, which i am pretty happy about, but did it come too easily for him? I would've whined more if he didn't, but it might've been worth it in the end.


Well, I'm probably reading too much into things. He does have 34 goals in his rookie year so...pretty ****ing good. But i can't help but feel it could've been even better. I'll just have to be patient. I don't think he'll be able to get strong enough to make a difference this summer, but maybe the next.

If you go it, you got it. I don't know if Maurice is the right coach, but he has 34 goals

I think you're the only Laine fan that overly criticizes him
You almost sound like a Leafs/Matthews fan with the amount of little criticism he's getting
Matthews has a year of professional experience over Laine
Laine didn't get drafted to be Mario Lemieux like some people started comparing him too

He was drafted because he knows how to score goals, is 6'5
and because he played in finland he knows what defense is

Remember he's 18 and the responsibilities/expectations you're expecting from him probably aren't as expected from everyone else

"score goals and keep back checking"

Maybe now we'll see some more polishing since it's a lost season

What I'm most excited for is to see his skating get better and see what he can do with those passes

He's got top tier passing and elite shooting
What more do you want from an 18 year old winger? Not everyone's Sidney Crosby or McDavid. Not even Matthews who's like .80 points per game