Player Discussion: Patrik Laine Part VIII: Eliitti! Mod Warning Post #571

[Gm0ney]

Well these aren't as nice as Harmonica1's but I thought I'd give it a shot. Gifs grabbed from Hokinaittii's YouTube highlights (Hokinaittii)

2017-11-18 - Goal 10 vs. Devils

2017-11-16 - Shootout goal vs. Flyers

2017-11-11 - Goal 9 @ Coyotes

2017-11-10 - Goal 8 @ Golden Knights

2017-11-06 - Goal 7 @ Stars

2017-11-06 - Goal 7 @ Stars, alternate view

I'll post a few more later...

Click to read more...

 

[Gm0ney]

2017-11-04 Goal 6 vs Canadiens

2017-11-02 Goal 5 vs. Stars

2017-10-20 Goal 4 vs. Wild

2017-10-20 Goal 3 vs. Wild

2017-10-12 Goal 2 @ Canucks

2017-10-07 Goal 1 @ Flames

And now we're all caught up...

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Going forward: someone should please create a thread devoted to the subject if they want to continue the 1st / 2nd line discussion.

I've created a new thread to enable continued discussion of the 1st vs. 2nd line / Schief vs. Little pairing. It leaves no room for any other discussion in this Laine thread.

You're welcome to continue the discussion, but please do it in a dedicated thread. Any further discussion of those lines here will get moved or deleted. Here's the new thread:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/1st-vs-2nd-line-time-to-split-up-ell.2413075/

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

Insert Reddit Copypasta here.

 

[Trilliann]

Well these aren't as nice as Harmonica1's but I thought I'd give it a shot. Gifs grabbed from Hokinaittii's YouTube highlights (Hokinaittii

I'll post a few more later...

Thank You for doing this!

 

[Howard Chuck]

I love goal 6 where three very interesting things happen. Laine sees a play developing, so pushes the Habs player's stick out of the way, Wheeler loses control of the puck. Laine is completely ready for it and takes the shot from the bobbled stickhandling of Wheeler.

That really took some foresight for all of that to happen, and makes it a pretty incredible goal.

 

[DashingDane]

Those Dallas snipes are mind blowing!

 

[Lomac]

more goals please and thank you

 

[Afterburner]

I will never get tired of watchin that boy score

 

[Aavco Cup]

Where did everyone go? Threadbanned?

Love the GIF's

 

[PhilJets]

I think from here til end of the year.
Laine avg a point a game.

 

[RageQuit77]

Season 2017-18. After 20 games played.

Whole career. After 93GP.

EDIT: If someone knows/recalls what game was missed by Patrik sometimes during march 2017 (to flu or something), please inform me. He missed 8 games to that concussion, but 82GP-8GP=74GP and he played only 73GP last season.

Yes, it's minor detail, but...

 

[Aavco Cup]

Laine missed the game March 26 vs Canucks due to illness.

 

[Daximus]

I really wish Laine would have worked more on skating and less on strength this off season. His lack of explosiveness is really hindering his overall game. His top speed isn't bad but even then... has he even ever had a breakaway in the NHL yet? If he had the speed to get past defenders he definitely has the hands to finish. Seems all of his goals are slot shots, one timers and wristers from far out and tip ins.

 

[StatisticsAddict99]

I really wish Laine would have worked more on skating and less on strength this off season. His lack of explosiveness is really hindering his overall game. His top speed isn't bad but even then... has he even ever had a breakaway in the NHL yet? If he had the speed to get past defenders he definitely has the hands to finish. Seems all of his goals are slot shots, one timers and wristers from far out and tip ins.

I sure hope he trains on that aspect for the next couple off seasons, but the thing about the Scheifele and Ehlers line is that it hides that major flaw of his game because of they’re speed and explosiveness(and Scheifele’s transition and 2-way game extremely helps).

 

[Psych0dad]

I think the lack of breakaways for him is by design at the moment. He is obviously being asked to think defense first and when you are defensively 100% responsible, you are never going to be available for a stretch pass behind opponents defense.

He is the guy who gives the long stretch passes, not the one who receives them. In this current role anyway.

He had some breakaways in Liiga and juniors but his role was different then. He was the target rather than playmaker.

Of course I agree that his acceleration needs work, he is so big that it's only going to come with time and hard work, like Barkov. Laine is a better skater than Barkov was at 19. Today Barkov is a fantastic skater. Laine could follow that pattern.

Just wanted to point out that lack of breakaways is a positional preference instead of skating issue.

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

I agree that Laine’s acceleration and skating should be his main focus this offseason, and a few after that.

I will say this though, he seems to be on a similar performance path as last season, having a poor stretch of games mid to late November of last season. He had a 9 game stretch with 1 goal and 1 assists, and I recall saying the exact same thing then as this season, he looks slow, no jump to his game, standing still many times.

It wasn’t until December when he began skating better, moving faster. He had his best stretch of games from mid December up to the Buffalo game and his injury.

I do expect him to pick his game up in December and get to full throttle in January, but unlike last season, he stays healthy. He will need to be on Scheifeles line though, to get his game there.

 

[10Ducky10]

Laine is slow?
He kept up with Kessel stride for stride and Kessel is no slouch.

 

[Festinator]

Laine is far from a defensive liability, but let's not get silly and day Wheeler is not the better player. Wheeler is a top 5 RW in the league. We have two #1 RW's, but Wheeler is in fact the better one.

Also, turnovers are bad, but you can't look at turnovers as a way to judge a player negatively.

Why do you guys think the best defensemen and many of the best forwards in the league constantly have the most turnovers? They are constantly driving the play and always have the puck on their stick. They'll give the puck away more than others, but they also create a lot more at the same time.

Burns and Karlsson had the most giveaways among defensemen last season, Gaudreau, Marchand and Pavelski and Tavares led the forwards. All 6 are elite (Pavelski close enough anyways).

And btw? Laine and Ehlers led the jets forwards in giveaways last season, Wheeler right behind them. So don't be so quick to chastise Wheeler for giveaways, especially when he's currently a more effective overall player than both Laine and Ehlers.

Source by the way.

 

[Psych0dad]

Wheeler is better at some things. Mainly puckbattles and acceleration. Just a stronger man at this point in time and it shows on those.

There isn't one hockey skill that Wheeler is better at, and in shooting the difference is massive.

 

[Festinator]

Wheeler is better at some things. Mainly puckbattles and acceleration. Just a stronger man at this point in time and it shows on those.

There isn't one hockey skill that Wheeler is better at, and in shooting the difference is massive.

Laine's actual hockey skills are superior to Wheelers, correct. The thing that makes Wheeler better is the fact that he's no slouch in the skills department himself and he knows how to use his skills to better himself and the players around him. That is why he can remain so effective no matter where you place him in the lineup, whereas Laine, not so much.

Does that mean Wheeler deserves to be on the first line? Yes. Does that mean Wheeler SHOULD be on the first line? Absolutely not. It suggests they should put Laine where he would be able to actually use his skills to their full extent, as a player like Wheeler would could probably make Hendricks and Thorburn 15 goal a year players if put on a line with them a full year, so they can place him a line down and still not lose too much offense, while gaining a lot more offense from Laine.

But yeah, Wheeler is the better and more effective player until Laine gets a few more years experience.

 

[JetsFan815]

Wheeler is better at some things. Mainly puckbattles and acceleration. Just a stronger man at this point in time and it shows on those.

There isn't one hockey skill that Wheeler is better at, and in shooting the difference is massive.

WOW! Wheeler is arguably a top 3 winger in this league. There is no shame in being worse than him at certain things for a 19 year old player.

 

[RageQuit77]

Pate is still several years from his expectable prime years. Why we can't just chill and enjoy his playing and development?

At least I'm following fellow Finn hockey player. Not seeking Marvel superhero, though Pate has all potential to become NHL-Superhero, and his character would fit pretty well in the Marvel universe too with some minor changes.

 

[Psych0dad]

WOW! Wheeler is arguably a top 3 winger in this league. There is no shame in being worse than him at certain things for a 19 year old player.

You are right and I listed the things Wheeler is better at. Do you disagree?

 

[Treskov]

Laine is far from a defensive liability, but let's not get silly and day Wheeler is not the better player. Wheeler is a top 5 RW in the league. We have two #1 RW's, but Wheeler is in fact the better one.

Also, turnovers are bad, but you can't look at turnovers as a way to judge a player negatively.

Why do you guys think the best defensemen and many of the best forwards in the league constantly have the most turnovers? They are constantly driving the play and always have the puck on their stick. They'll give the puck away more than others, but they also create a lot more at the same time.

Burns and Karlsson had the most giveaways among defensemen last season, Gaudreau, Marchand and Pavelski and Tavares led the forwards. All 6 are elite (Pavelski close enough anyways).

And btw? Laine and Ehlers led the jets forwards in giveaways last season, Wheeler right behind them. So don't be so quick to chastise Wheeler for giveaways, especially when he's currently a more effective overall player than both Laine and Ehlers.

Source by the way.

Can you find giveaways from this season somewhere? I´m hoping for improvement.