Whats up with Laine?

[Deen]

That seems to the typical refrain (excuses or deflection). A lot of resistance to any kind of criticism towards Laine. I mean, we're at the point now where the spin doctors are explaining away his lack of production/effort with some fairy tale of two-way play and "efficiency." Lol.

Laine does a lot of his work on the power play. If those guys aren't producing, it is going to affect Laine's output.

 

[34]

Nothing is wrong with him. Just a little bit of a slow start. His game should pick it up.

So many desperate knee jerk responses on here. Player plays 5 games, OMG, best player in the universe, superstar better than Crosby.

Proven 40 goal scorer Laine has a bit of a slow start, and the walls are caving in.

Knock the bs off.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

Nothing is wrong with him. Just a little bit of a slow start. His game should pick it up.

So many desperate knee jerk responses on here. Player plays 5 games, OMG, best player in the universe, superstar better than Crosby.

Proven 40 goal scorer Laine has a bit of a slow start, and the walls are caving in.

Knock the bs off.

It's a common theme. You should see the contrast between threads on a star player at the beginning of the season vs nearing the end.

 

[34]

It's a common theme. You should see the contrast between threads on a star player at the beginning of the season vs nearing the end.

Oh I know. I am not even a Jets fans, but I will say Laine is a stud. One of the best snipers in our game today. He is elite.

 

[KingBogo]

Because he's still on ELC? And personal "actual good skating coach" is pricey?

He has also hit on $2.65 M in performance bonuses each of the last 2 seasons. The cost of a skating coach has nothing to do with it.

 

[93LEAFS]

Because he's still on ELC? And personal "actual good skating coach" is pricey?

I’m not trying to get in on piling in on a player for a slow start, but your comment ignores the reality of the NHL. Simply put, agencies will invest in that stuff if this is the case because it helps there long term return.

 

[Gargyn]

Guy has an outstanding shot but other than that he’s not spectacular in any other area. He’s going to want a big payday and I think the Jets and their fans will regret it.

 

[204hockey]

Watching Laine's game, it looks like he has actually regressed during the post-season. There are no improvements to his speed / agility at all to be found, and his shot is not the same anymore. Not a good times to be Jets fan.

huh ? we are finally contenders.. how is it not a good time to be a jets fan ? even if laine stalls to what he is hes a 40 goal scorer.. are you being sarcastic or ? if laine doesnt pan out we have ehlers connor vesalainen etc.. some ppl have such unreal expectations and hot takes

 

[204hockey]

I’m not trying to get in on piling in on a player for a slow start, but your comment ignores the reality of the NHL. Simply put, agencies will invest in that stuff if this is the case because it helps there long term return.

and not to mention he made over 3 mill each of his seasons with bonuses.. but ill chime in here it was said that they wanted to build his strength foundation first and then explosivness. like many other young players he was weak now that he has his foundation he can work on skating and fundementals next off season ppl forget how young these kids are their prime is from 23-28 usually

 

[93LEAFS]

and not to mention he made over 3 mill each of his seasons with bonuses.. but ill chime in here it was said that they wanted to build his strength foundation first and then explosivness. like many other young players he was weak now that he has his foundation he can work on skating and fundementals next off season ppl forget how young these kids are their prime is from 23-28 usually

Yeah, like its expensive but not crazy expensive. OHL players work with high-end skill coaches. McDavid worked with Roberts and Bio steel as soon as he entered the OHL. Matthews worked with Belfry since he was 17.

I think Laine worked on stuff, and did work with respected trainers. Now, I also know some people dispute the training approach he has taken, but I don't think economics and access to coaches played any part in it. Agencies will cater to high-end talent, and some even have high-level people within the industry in as skill-consultants. To say he can't pay for it due to being on an ELC borders on absurd. One, agents will cover it. Two, if a person helps Laine make significant strides on his skating, word spreads and players will go to them, similar to what happened when Dawn Braid improved Tavares skating, and now has a full-time roll with the Coyotes (after many other players went to her). Or Darryl Belfry who made his name with Patrick Kane, and now has a rollodex of NHL superstars who use him (Crosby, MacKinnon, Tavares, Matthews, etc).

 

[Maylo]

I’m not trying to get in on piling in on a player for a slow start, but your comment ignores the reality of the NHL. Simply put, agencies will invest in that stuff if this is the case because it helps there long term return.

I'm just guessing, comparing it to how much goalies spend on off season training, goalie coach, condition/video guy, rink renting.. etc etc...

 

[93LEAFS]

I'm just guessing, comparing it to how much goalies spend on off season training, goalie coach, condition/video guy, rink renting.. etc etc...

He's an NHL player, the best of the best want to work with elite players. It helps sell their brand in the future. As pointed out, look at what the reputation of improving Tavares skating has done for Dawn Braid's career, or Belfry as Patrick Kane's skill coach. Plus, if you incorporate yourself all this stuff could most likely be written off as a business expense, considering his profession relies on these skills.

 

[ProspectsSTC]

He still leads the league in goals and points!!!! In case you don't know how to use proper grammar, you spell all names with a capitol letter first and last. How did patrick laine do his last game?

Capital*
Patrik*
Oof

 

[RorschachWJK]

I wouldn't write him of for the season quite yet, it's just a handful of games. He does need to produce a fair bit more, that's clear. It'll be interesting to see whether the Jets management makes a move to find someone who would have better chemistry with Laine than Little does (i.e. probably just about any other other center in the NHL).

Equally interesting, from a human psychology point of view, is to watch the worst gloaters and homers do their thing. It's a kind of a vampirism I suppose: try to suck some feelgood into one's own rather miserable existence. By any means possible.

 

[Subway Schenn]

What should he be doing instead?

I guess I operated under the assumption that 'in theory' it should be very challenging for a pro athlete to maintain a daily video game habit.

As a 9-6er who does enjoy video games, for me generally it's just work and the daily grind, and having even a reasonable semblance of a life means that there's no way I can even fathom turning on the PS4 daily.

I suppose at the end of the day he's just a kid!

 

[LAINEC]

Laine is elite sniper and he needs good linemates nothing wrong with that and he is 20 years old.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

I guess I operated under the assumption that 'in theory' it should be very challenging for a pro athlete to maintain a daily video game habit.

As a 9-6er who does enjoy video games, for me generally it's just work and the daily grind, and having even a reasonable semblance of a life means that there's no way I can even fathom turning on the PS4 daily.

I suppose at the end of the day he's just a kid!

I don't understand this line of thinking... If you take any leisure activity that you do in your spare time and just slot playing a video game into that time slot I really don't see how this is some otherworldly unfathomable thing...

What else should Laine be doing in his spare time that it's unreasonable that he has time to play his favorite video game for 1 or 2 hours a day?

 

[Subway Schenn]

I don't understand this line of thinking... If you take any leisure activity that you do in your spare time and just slot playing a video game into that time slot I really don't see how this is some otherworldly unfathomable thing...

What else should Laine be doing in his spare time that it's unreasonable that he has time to play his favorite video game for 1 or 2 hours a day?

I get a couple times a week, sure, when he's on the road/hanging out on an off-day or something but it seems crazy to me that a professional athlete can get away with it being a part of his daily life (and from a quick browse of his games log, he does play every day). Maybe I'm just getting old. And it obviously hasn't negatively impacted him.

 

[6 Karlsson 5]

Laine is elite sniper and he needs good linemates nothing wrong with that and he is 20 years old.

When people constantly compare him to a young ovi, needing linemates is a problem

 

[Flair Hay]

When people constantly compare him to a young ovi, needing linemates is a problem

Hes never going to be that but that's a fair point. I think people have had enough time to observe the differences.

 

[grieves]

When people constantly compare him to a young ovi, needing linemates is a problem

I don't think anyone has said that they have similar play styles, they are quite different in fact. Also, people can develop at different paces. If you look at teenage Ovie, he didn't post numbers that were even close to Laine in the Russian league. He had a massive leap of development in a very short period of time. That usually doesn't happen.

Ovie has his strenghts and Laine has his. But to just say one more time, not a single person in the history of this league has been as efficient a goal-scorer than Laine as a teenager. Not a single one. Ever. Part of that could be due to circumstances of course, but the other part is what is so promising. Ovies numbers certainly were not impressive as a teenager due to unknown reasons.

But players are different and develop at different paces. They should be complete products by the time they are 23-24yo so until then we can just estimate what is going to happen.

But the Ovie-Laine comparison doesn't really make sense because they are so different. Both have great shots but Ovie is more of a volume shooter.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

I get a couple times a week, sure, when he's on the road/hanging out on an off-day or something but it seems crazy to me that a professional athlete can get away with it being a part of his daily life (and from a quick browse of his games log, he does play every day). Maybe I'm just getting old. And it obviously hasn't negatively impacted him.

But again.... What exactly should he be doing rather than playing?

I work 2 jobs and I still find some time to play some video games every day. He's made it part of his routine, it's not like it's something that's throwing off his life. Before it was Fortnite it was just a different video game.

 

[Neutral Hockey Fan]

Yet another scoreless (and pointless) game from laine tonight, bringing his total to 5 games without scoring a point, in 9 games played

Quite interesting to say the least

 

[canucks20]

Yet another scoreless (and pointless) game from laine tonight, bringing his total to 5 games without scoring a point, in 9 games played

Quite interesting to say the least

Don't get why Leafs fans do this. Yes everyone in the world would rather have Matthews right now. Laine is definitely struggling and needs a centre other than Little. Zero chemistry there.

But Laine is a heck of a talent who will go on a hot streak eventually.

 

[Gurilla]

Yet another scoreless (and pointless) game from laine tonight, bringing his total to 5 games without scoring a point, in 9 games played

Quite interesting to say the least

He's saving his goals for wednesday