Laine not pleased with his setup in the Peg

[lucafen4]

But Laine hasn't performed like a top line player. Top PP, sure, but not top line. He's got to earn it. Connor didn't complain when he got sent to the minors, or when he played on the 4th line. I'd say Laine's had it pretty good, compared to his 5v5 play.

I never said he was playing like one... only his comments about quality of line-mates aren't wrong.

[Belexus75]

I never said he was playing like one... only his comments about quality of line-mates aren't wrong.

im assuming he is using it as negotiating tool...and if you want to be elite and be paid by elite you should make your line-mates look better not other way around.

He sucked last year and he is blaming others...i never believed there was a chance he would leave peg (i think you called it at 30% somewhere, good call) but i now think there is low chance he is welcome back...

[tweetdrivr]

If he is trying for a trade he’s not really improving his chances by showing he’s a bad teammate. I have to think it’s a little translation issue. Even if his english is perfect, he said it in finnish and someone else (or some other translation program) translated it. It’s just another filter it passed through. I mean, the media told us Virtanen failed his physical a few days ago - which was compete bs. And that was all in english from start to finish (get it?). Ha.

[lucafen4]

im assuming he is using it as negotiating tool...and if you want to be elite and be paid by elite you should make your line-mates look better not other way around.

He sucked last year and he is blaming others...i never believed there was a chance he would leave peg (i think you called it at 30% somewhere, good call) but i now think there is low chance he is welcome back...

I think what he meant was both sides are using his linemates in negotiations... which he said two weeks ago were non-existent. At least there is a dialogue now.

[audiopile]

Am I dense or did they change the video? That link is about him but he says nothing about WPG.

[hockeymanG23]

im assuming he is using it as negotiating tool...and if you want to be elite and be paid by elite you should make your line-mates look better not other way around.

He sucked last year and he is blaming others...i never believed there was a chance he would leave peg (i think you called it at 30% somewhere, good call) but i now think there is low chance he is welcome back...

I agree with this.

For crying out loud, Laine isn't even the best player on the second line, if anyone on that line should have claim that his line mates were dragging him down it would be Ehlers.

[tweetdrivr]

I agree with this.

For crying out loud, Laine isn't even the best player on the second line, if anyone on that line should have claim that his line mates were dragging him down it would be Ehlers.

Ehlers is an elite skater and an outstanding player. But he’s given his all regularly. Yes, he would do better with better linemates. But Laine has generational level shooting ability. If he played hard and with heart he’d be on par with Ovechkin. That’s the difference I see. Unfortunately both set him apart...the talent and the indifference.

[lucafen4]

Crosby use to have Pasqual Dupuis on his line.... I mean is that guy even a top 6 winger anywhere else in the NHL?
Pretty sure he's still one of Crosby's favorite wingers of all time.
It's not just who you play with, it's how you play with them. He could just make Little look better by putting FortNight away

[hockeymanG23]

Ehlers is an elite skater and an outstanding player. But he’s given his all regularly. Yes, he would do better with better linemates. But Laine has generational level shooting ability. If he played hard and with heart he’d be on par with Ovechkin. That’s the difference I see. Unfortunately both set him apart...the talent and the indifference.

I agree that if he actually applied himself he’d be much better but effort matters and Laine doesn’t have enough of it.

Having a “bag of tricks” matters and Laine doesn’t have much in his tool kit.

Ehlers spent his offseason studying tape to improve his game despite being a very dynamic player already. When Laine talked about his offseason though we get these type comments like he’s already good enough.

I’ve never understood the Ovi comparison beyond getting setup in his office on the PP. at this point he’s trending closer to Alexander Daigle territory than generational talent IMO. Maybe he’s a better version of Brandon Pirri?

I just don’t see him having much to support his claims.

[tweetdrivr]

Some of what you say makes sense but then you compare him to Daigle and your argument loses its steam. That’s such a wildly inaccurate label for Laine. You say things like that and your whole post comes off as a little unhinged.

[FrozenInferno]

I started to see the red flags with Laine last year and cashed out as soon as the season ended while I could still get a good return (Hedman).

It's not to say he'll never grow up and put the work in to become a complete NHL player but right now he's immature, entitled, and just wants to stand on the circle and rip one timers while his linemates do all the work. The Jets coaching staff and leadership (Schiefele, Wheeler, Buff, etc) have tried to get him to buy in but he doesn't seem interested. When other young Jets like Ehlers are interviewed they talk about all the work they are putting in to get better and better and Laine just complains about his deployment. If he worked as hard as Schiefele and Wheeler at both ends of the ice he might actually get the ice time he wants with them but right now he doesn't deserve it.

Maybe he gets traded tomorrow and scores 60 on a team who doesn't care if he just floats and rips one timers. Maybe he gradually flames out and we all wonder what could have been. Either way I'm comfortable letting someone else hold him while we wait to see if he figures it out.

[2014olympicgold]

The right coach can easily cater to a player like this if Laine just skates back a bit. You can really build a whole lines game plan off a guy who only really moves if he has the puck. But you need him to move in the offensive end to get the puck.

Easily example is "dead controller Ovi". Trotz got him to add like 25% more effort and he's a completely different player. Maurice is telling him the whole 100%. Maurice isn't really teaching, he's more bossing. And modern NHLers don't seem to be great and being bossed, but much rather be worked with. However, Winnipeg is imploding a bit, and with 2RFAs where one is being vocal, and the other has always been more quiet, it's not a good look for Laine.

Right environment and coach this guy is back to fantasy god.

[hockeymanG23]

Some of what you say makes sense but then you compare him to Daigle and your argument loses its steam. That’s such a wildly inaccurate label for Laine. You say things like that and your whole post comes off as a little unhinged.

Put it this way, I understand that Daigle is an exaggeration of a comparable but no more so IMO than the Ovi comparisons that get thrown out there. Even in his laziest years Ovi was 3x the player Laine is at the moment.

Like Daigle, ego and a high draft slot will only take a player so far, while the players that buckle down and work hard through their adversity end up earning the respect and results they desire. This past year Laine was outscored at 5v5 by players like Scott Laughton! so if he wants to be treated like a first liner he should be proving that he deserves it by becoming a play driver don’t you think?

[Referee3083]

Even in his laziest years Ovi was 3x the player Laine is at the moment.

I'm not sure about that. As an Ovi owner for 12 years, I can say there were seasons / off-seasons where he was absolutely ripped on these boards and in the media for being a greater liability to his team, even despite what he brought in goals. He was frequently labelled a one trick pony (or Russian machine) who's only value was firing off one timers on the PP from the top of the circle. I can't tell you how many times I read he was "one dimensional", "lazy" and "you can't teach him or he doesn't want to do the things he needs to do to become a complete player". Most of those narratives ended once he finally had a coach who actually resonated with him.

I'm not saying Laine isn't at fault or doesn't need improvement. But the poster earlier who said that Maurice isn't helping the situation is dead on that coaching is a big part of this problem.

[2014olympicgold]

You can compare a player who acts the same even if the "talent" or "numbers" aren't there. Effort isn't the same as production and those are different from talent.