RW Patrik Laine - Tappara, Liiga (2016 Draft) II

[thomast]

How is his chance of making team Finland at WHC? Or Pulju..

Doubt it. They need to be on fire rest of the season to get invite to the camp.

 

[Loffer]

Doubt it. They need to be on fire rest of the season to get invite to the camp.

Anyways - in theory - one of these rascals puju/laine could indeed win it all this season: wjc, liiga, u-18, whc - and even chl?? (is tappara out of the last competition already?)

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Anyways - in theory - one of these rascals puju/laine could indeed win it all this season: wjc, liiga, u-18, whc - and even chl?? (is tappara out of the last competition already?)

Tappara has been eliminated in CHL for a while so Laine's and Tappara's CHL games are over.
But Puljujärvi will play in CHL final kärpät facing Swedish team named Frölunda February 9th in CHL final.

In U18 WJC's Puljujärvi and Laine won't play there because of FEL playoffs are going on same time.
And Laine and Pulju doesn't have a clause into their FEL contracts to release them U18 WJC's.

And also what comes to IIHF 2016 men's world championships. Laine and Puljujärvi has a chance to play there.
But it depends that how many NHL and KHL players Finland gets that tournament.
And does Laine and Pulju get invited Finland's men's world championships training camp

 

[HockeyHistorian]

In U18 WJC's Puljujärvi and Laine won't play there because of FEL playoffs are going on same time.

Tappara and Kärpät aren't guaranteed a spot in the finals you know. There's a good chance that at least one of Puljujärvi and Laine could be available for the U18.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Tappara and Kärpät aren't guaranteed a spot in the finals you know. There's a good chance that at least one of Puljujärvi and Laine could be available for the U18.

If Finland really gets Laine or Puljujärvi or even both in U18's it'll be jackpot for Finland.

But honestly said Laine and Puljujärvi are proved their potential in U18's already.
And Finland has other talented prospects in 98's and 99's so Finland's medal chances are still really good without Laine and Pulju.

 

[FinProspects]

If Finland really gets Laine or Puljujärvi or even both in U18's it'll be jackpot for Finland.

But honestly said Laine and Puljujärvi are proved their potential in U18's already.
And Finland has other talented prospects in 98's and 99's so Finland's medal chances are still really good without Laine and Pulju.

Who cares, another gold+dominant performance would be amazing.

That said, I've hard time seeing any other team than Kärpät winning the championship in Liiga, especially if they get Pitkänen on-board. So its bye bye for Pulju, but Laine could be in.

But I do think Laine-Aho-Puljujärvi should be invited to either some eurohockeytour-tournament or then to the first WHC-camp.

Who knows, if Pulju+Laine will continue the ppg-pace, they could be in WHC. Aho seems like a semi-lock at this point anyway.

 

[joey16]

Who cares, another gold+dominant performance would be amazing.

That said, I've hard time seeing any other team than Kärpät winning the championship in Liiga, especially if they get Pitkänen on-board. So its bye bye for Pulju, but Laine could be in.

But I do think Laine-Aho-Puljujärvi should be invited to either some eurohockeytour-tournament or then to the first WHC-camp.

Who knows, if Pulju+Laine will continue the ppg-pace, they could be in WHC. Aho seems like a semi-lock at this point anyway.

It would be cool to see this line again, at WHC this time.. I know it will depend on how many Finns from the NHL will be available but why not play them at least as a 4th line (plus some PP time).. I even think that line could be a difference maker.. the talent is there

 

[Ippenator]

It would be cool to see this line again, at WHC this time.. I know it will depend on how many Finns from the NHL will be available but why not play them at least as a 4th line (plus some PP time).. I even think that line could be a difference maker.. the talent is there

I think it would be absolutely crazy from Kari Jalonen to at least not try the whole kidline at least in EHT. The line has of course huge talent as individuals, but I believe that a big part of their success at WJC was the great chemistry and good combination of different roles. Just a very skilled and balanced line altogether. They were so overpowering against the best young players in the world and most of the opponents were anyway older and more matured than them, so why not at least try how well their style would work against adult men. Could be even quite a surprise to many, how well it could work after all. And if it clearly wouldn't work, then so what? It's just EHT. Means practically nothing if the team doesn't do well there.

 

[Stavros]

That line would get destroyed, dont like the idea. Maybe giving a change playing with some more experienced, defensilvely aware players.

 

[Ippenator]

That line would get destroyed, dont like the idea. Maybe giving a change playing with some more experienced, defensilvely aware players.

Can you still give a reason why not to try at least in EHT games? Could be as well that you are even wrong. Super talents have in most cases done considerably well in international hockey tournaments, if their coaches have been brave enough to take some young enthusiasm to the team also. In my opinion Finland has played it's best hockey always, when some really young prodigy players have been bravely granted a spot in the team. 1992 (Lehtinen) 1993 (Koivu, result was seen more in 1994 and 1995) and 2011 (Granlund). It is boring and even a bit coward way of thinking that national team should only consist of very mature and experienced and proven players. Too many of them and the team lacks the spark, enthusiasm, creativeness and the bravery that is needed to have a very good team and team spirit. This is at least how I see it.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Who cares, another gold+dominant performance would be amazing.

That said, I've hard time seeing any other team than Kärpät winning the championship in Liiga, especially if they get Pitkänen on-board. So its bye bye for Pulju, but Laine could be in.

But I do think Laine-Aho-Puljujärvi should be invited to either some eurohockeytour-tournament or then to the first WHC-camp.

Who knows, if Pulju+Laine will continue the ppg-pace, they could be in WHC. Aho seems like a semi-lock at this point anyway.

Another junior world championships gold medal this year would be huge thing for Finnish junior hockey.
But USA has dominated U18 WJC's last 7-8 years and they are been gold medal game every year. So to me USA is gold medal candidate number1.

As we know Kari Jalonen said Laine, Aho and Puljujärvi could be Finland's roster in men's world championships and their ages isn't problem.
But if old merits are again one criteria to get spot in the team there will be those same old faces ( Immonen,Aaltonen,Kontiola, Pesonen,Pihlström etc) as every year.

So i really wish that Laine,Aho and Puljujärvi will be in the team.
And maybe some AHL players example Rantanen and Kapanen ( if Toronto Marlies gets eliminated AHL playoffs)

 

[JimboA]

After yesterday's hat trick performance, Laine answered questions about the speculated move to center in Jatkoaika's article.

- I don't think I have ever played even one shift as a center. You have to defend too much there, the winger's role suits me much better. And I can't even take faceoffs at all, so it would be quite hard.

- But you never know. If I'd start practising it, maybe I could master it. But for now it's probably better that I just keep myself at wing.

- This season I have played almost fully at left wing. It's my thing, I prefer to speed there. You could challenge the D-men better from there. But I can to the other wing as well, if the coach wants to put me there. I play where I'm told to play, even as a D-man.

Good. It's getting tiresome with all this center obsession (or what you wanna call it). Great to see some potential elite wingers too, and not only centers.

 

[Lonny Bohonos]

Pulju is much more center-like in his play anyways.

 

[IceHockeyDude]

Is there any chance the kids-line could be tried in EHT games or will there be u18 tournaments at the same time. Won't be a problem for Aho but just to see these kids together before getting an NHL contracts would be huge for Finnish fans.

 

[FinPanda]

I can't see Puljujärvi or Laine getting any EHT games.

 

[Loffer]

I can't see Puljujärvi or Laine getting any EHT games.

They are for scrubs. You are quite right.

 

[Ippenator]

I can't see Puljujärvi or Laine getting any EHT games.

I'm practically sure that both get EHT games unless they get injured, or the U18 world's prevents it, or they play a very bad end of the season (this I don't believe will happen). EHT is exactly where these kind super talents are tried. Last year already Rantanen got to play in several men's national team's games. He was even considered to the world championships team, but was dropped from the team as one of the last ones. I don't see any reason Pulju, Laine and Aho not getting the same chances or even better ones, as they are having at least as good or even better season's than Rantanen last year.

It's so sad how so many people really underestimate and devalue the usefulness of world top class youth players in men's international games. I see it clearly that these top prospects bring the right kind of spark, offensive mind and creativity, which too "safely" built national teams seriously lack. At least they should be given the chance to show what they can do in "who cares"-kind of tournaments like EHT. And if they would really shine there, then I wouldn't see any reason why they shouldn't even be chosen to final world championships team. Best possible team should be built, and age should be really totally irrelevant thing if a young player plays really well.

 

[LoveNHL]

Laine is currently at 1+1 in the 3:rd period.

 

[FinPanda]

Ovechkin-like onetimer on the PP.

 

[Tiger24]

Ovechkin-like onetimer on the PP.

 

[Jussi]

Who cares, another gold+dominant performance would be amazing.

That said, I've hard time seeing any other team than Kärpät winning the championship in Liiga, especially if they get Pitkänen on-board. So its bye bye for Pulju, but Laine could be in.

But I do think Laine-Aho-Puljujärvi should be invited to either some eurohockeytour-tournament or then to the first WHC-camp.

Who knows, if Pulju+Laine will continue the ppg-pace, they could be in WHC. Aho seems like a semi-lock at this point anyway.

I think it would be absolutely crazy from Kari Jalonen to at least not try the whole kidline at least in EHT. The line has of course huge talent as individuals, but I believe that a big part of their success at WJC was the great chemistry and good combination of different roles. Just a very skilled and balanced line altogether. They were so overpowering against the best young players in the world and most of the opponents were anyway older and more matured than them, so why not at least try how well their style would work against adult men. Could be even quite a surprise to many, how well it could work after all. And if it clearly wouldn't work, then so what? It's just EHT. Means practically nothing if the team doesn't do well there.

Is there any chance the kids-line could be tried in EHT games or will there be u18 tournaments at the same time. Won't be a problem for Aho but just to see these kids together before getting an NHL contracts would be huge for Finnish fans.

I can't see Puljujärvi or Laine getting any EHT games.

We already went though this, there's little time to test them before the WJC. If not both but at least one of Kärpät and Tappara is likely to play in the final and that basically eliminates one player's opportunities to play in the last double-header games agaisnt Russia.

 

[FinProspects]

Laine is currently at 1+1 in the 3:rd period.

Will go in top2 in the draft. Not the best game by him, but still two points. That tells a lot of his game at the moment.

 

[BusQuets]

Ovechkin-like onetimer on the PP.

More like Kovalchuk. Ovechkin doesn't let the knee touch the ice.

 

[bob27]

More like Kovalchuk. Ovechkin doesn't let the knee touch the ice.

So you are saying that Laine will be a KHL player at best?

 

[BusQuets]

So you are saying that Laine will be a KHL player at best?

No, i'm saying Laine's shooting style is more like Kovalchuk's than Ovie's.