At this point in time, we need to start questioning what specific development plan Maurice and the Jets have been using for Laine. He is the most important asset in Jets 2.0 history. The development plan is not working. He is a worse hockey player today than when he entered the league two years ago.
If the tools that the Jets are using to help him are going to be benchings and willy nilly in game utilization decisions about for example now you are off the power play, ok now its a very high risk situation so you are back on the powerplay, then I don't think it's going to be effective to help him get out of his slump. Even his one trick of standing in Ovi's spot and firing pucks that are spoon fed to him is failing him as he keeps blasting it often high and wide.
Maybe it is all on Laine for him to go figure it out on his own, stay out and take extra shots at practice and go pick up all the pucks and put them in the bucket and come back to the locker room alone. But that doesn't seem like the kind of approach that an organization that likes to pride itself as a draft and develop organization should be proud of.
I'll use your post as a jumping off point since it discusses some of the things I've been thinking (right or wrong).
Development plan - I feel like however Maurice is coaching Laine has sucked all of the fun and enthusiasm out of him. Without knowing positively, I'll bet it's all defence. He's the first one back covering for a pinching D, and sometimes on the forecheck he's not even on the TV screen because he's covering D again. This isn't how he's played his entire career to this point. I'm not saying that he doesn't have to learn D, but let the guy play his game to some extent. I remember very good coaches saying that you learn in practices but eventually you just have to go out and play, because you don't have time to second guess every move you make, and that's exactly what this year (and part of last year) looks like to me. He doesn't look like the same player from 3 nd 4 years ago. I hope we're not trying to make him something that he's not.
Patrik's play - He looks like he is having exactly zero fun out there, not exactly the way to bring your A game. In the D zone, he's mostly standing in the open waiting for a quick pass from the boards (I have to think that's coaching telling him this because it's not like him usually). Zone entries, he won't dump and chase to get the puck deep (Not sure why?) and if he tries to carry in, there never seems to be a linemate around to pass to, so he goes it alone. Other lines seem to go in 3 wide or close to it, why is Laine entering the zone with no linemates?
I hope he's having open and honest conversations with Maurice and they both understand what the plan is for him and his place on the team and they both see the same end game, that we won't know here. Ultimately Patrik has to fight for his spot on the team and for pucks and for time and space, that's on him, but I'll bet he hears the coaches voice in his head with every decision instead of just doing.
Upcoming Contract - Chevy knows from talking daily to Laine himself, coaches and players, exactly what he has in Laine. He is going to use the knowledge that we don't have access to, to make the right decision for the team. I have complete faith in Chevy for that.
