Player Discussion: Patrik Laine

[Halberdier]

He'll struggle against premium teams - they are not giving him any space / time and he isn't able to make his own - yet.
Stick to the program and get better at all aspects of hockey - including quickness and strength which will help him against teams like the Caps.

Laine struggled against the Caps? I take this you didn't watch the game. It wasn't his stick where the puck died almost every single time. They are both playing right hand down, but Laine is a bit longer and is having #29 instead of #55 (or #26) on his jersey.

Laine was playing really well against the Caps and was able to win puck battles, shake his opponent of his back like a rag doll (Caps defenceman #2, that was funny), find seam passes. And all for nothing as the play died if not on #26 stick yet, finally at least on #55 stick.

I'm really wondering what's going on with Fefe right now. He was TOP-3 player on this league early season and for eg. his Corsica rating was all time high that time, and as last 120 games are counted (with recency bias) he is still at #5 center or #12 skater, but that's a huge drop(*) considering where he was. I guess it's mostly just getting wear and tear, physically and mentally due to high TOI and responsibility every single game.

(*) Obviously Laine had about thrice that drop compared to Scheifele during his 2 month slump and also due to early season mismanagement. Laine sits somewhere as #71 or so player instead of those #10-20 where he used to be. But I guess everyone knows that already, so no news here.

 

[LowLefty]

Laine struggled against the Caps? I take this you didn't watch the game. It wasn't his stick where the puck died almost every single time. They are both playing right hand down, but Laine is a bit longer and is having #29 instead of #55 (or #26) on his jersey.

Laine was playing really well against the Caps and was able to win puck battles, shake his opponent of his back like a rag doll (Caps defenceman #2, that was funny), find seam passes. And all for nothing as the play died if not on #26 stick yet, finally at least on #55 stick.

I'm really wondering what's going on with Fefe right now. He was TOP-3 player on this league early season and for eg. his Corsica rating was all time high that time, and as last 120 games are counted (with recency bias) he is still at #5 center or #12 skater, but that's a huge drop(*) considering where he was. I guess it's mostly just getting wear and tear, physically and mentally due to high TOI and responsibility every single game.

(*) Obviously Laine had about thrice that drop compared to Scheifele during his 2 month slump and also due to early season mismanagement. Laine sits somewhere as #71 or so player instead of those #10-20 where he used to be. But I guess everyone knows that already, so no news here.

Yes, I caught the game -

I didn't see anything special about the line all night - I did notice they don't cycle much any more and that's likely impacting Scheif's game.
And yes, I did see Laine "rag doll" a player - it was wonderful.

 

[PhilJets]

Yes, I caught the game -

I didn't see anything special about the line all night - I did notice they don't cycle much any more and that's likely impacting Scheif's game.
And yes, I did see Laine "rag doll" a player - it was wonderful.

Cycling game should not impact Scheifele game as much.
He once led the league for a brief moment nd was top 5 for a while when he was more into counter attack and high slot plays.
He should benefit more as he will not get physically pounded as much s well.

He is just getting a lot of physical beating right but he will bounce back.

Back to Laine and Wheeler, if they are engage physically this line will be hard to stop.

 

[LowLefty]

Cycling game should not impact Scheifele game as much.
He once led the league for a brief moment nd was top 5 for a while when he was more into counter attack and high slot plays.
He should benefit more as he will not get physically pounded as much s well.

He is just getting a lot of physical beating right but he will bounce back.

Back to Laine and Wheeler, if they are engage physically this line will be hard to stop.

He's taking a lot of cheap shots right now which account for most of the abuse
As for the cycle, he can handle himself in traffic.
He is a counter attack player but he is also a cycle player and it used to work well on the line.
Personally, I'd like to see him back on the ozone possession game - and I think he misses it as well.

 

[Gotaf7]

I was told Laine would start filling the net if only he could play with Sheifs…..still waiting!

 

[wabagee]

I was told Laine would start filling the net if only he could play with Sheifs…..still waiting!

I just wish are top six would all play good for once. It seams we always have at least one in a slump, If they ever click just look out!

 

[Halberdier]

I was told Laine would start filling the net if only he could play with Sheifs…..still waiting!

1.00 PPG doesn't satisfy your needs? Add in excellent overall play.

Some guys just love to hate.

 

[grieves]

He's taking a lot of cheap shots right now which account for most of the abuse
As for the cycle, he can handle himself in traffic.
He is a counter attack player but he is also a cycle player and it used to work well on the line.
Personally, I'd like to see him back on the ozone possession game - and I think he misses it as well.

They have been cycling plenty. Wheeler just mentioned a few games ago how Laine is learning the cycle game, and if you watched the games, you saw plenty of cycling from that line. Last game was pretty bad (tons of flubbed passes), but overall they have been cycling plenty.

I am not sure why you are advocating for CSW. Weren't they the worst first line in the league or something like that? Ehlers is the only real choice for the top line if we need changes, which we don't at the moment. Maybe it changes.

 

[Maukkis]

1.00 PPG doesn't satisfy your needs? Add in excellent overall play.

Some guys just love to hate.

Your definition of the word 'excellent' is a bit off. Since last season, Scheifele and Wheeler have been just about positive in possession metrics together. Add Laine to that mix, and everything craters to a horrifying level of play.

A lot of our problems sure can be traced to Laine. Worrying.

 

[Ukkosenjumala]

Scheifele's defensive efficiency has sucked all season and CSW has struggled if we go by any advanced statistic but the guy who's had a handful of games on the 1st line, been aknowledged as the best player on that line by multiple commentators and analysts and is PPG....ist the problem. Right.

 

[Gotaf7]

1.00 PPG doesn't satisfy your needs? Add in excellent overall play.

Some guys just love to hate.

1 goal 5on5 that was banked in off his knee pad! Some guys like to see what they want to see!

 

[Fire Chevy]

I still am waiting for the day to see 27-55-29 man that line was good

 

[LowLefty]

They have been cycling plenty. Wheeler just mentioned a few games ago how Laine is learning the cycle game, and if you watched the games, you saw plenty of cycling from that line. Last game was pretty bad (tons of flubbed passes), but overall they have been cycling plenty.

I am not sure why you are advocating for CSW. Weren't they the worst first line in the league or something like that? Ehlers is the only real choice for the top line if we need changes, which we don't at the moment. Maybe it changes.

Wheeler did mention Laine is learning the cycle game but has a long ways to go before he has it down and that's a far cry from "plenty of cycle".

CSW was a very impactful line at one point - I don't think they were ever the worse line in the league but keep up the dialogue - it's makes for healthy debate.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

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