One last kick for Patrik Laine?
NHL Media: Billy Jaffe and Jamison Coyle talk about free agent forward Patrik Laine. Sure, he could score 20 if healthy and on the power play, but is he too much of a one-trick pony? He may get one more shot.
** NHLRumors.com transcriptions
Coyle: “Speaking of a guy who can really specialize in things, how about a guy like Patrick Laine out there? Put this guy on the power play, it feels like he’s gonna score 20 goals a season.”
Jaffe: “Yeah…”
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Coyle: “But how do you see, we didn’t see him on the ice a whole lot in Montreal this year. When he was, he could score, but we haven’t quite seen what we saw early in his career.”
Jeffe: “Well, right, and it isn’t really about, like you need reliability. You know, you want some predictability, Jamo, from players. And yes, he can absolutely bomb the puck. I mean, there’s no question about it.
But just five games played this year. Last year, 52 had 20 goals in that time. Bevy of him on the power play. I go back to you know he hasn’t, he’s only been in the playoffs once in the last like six years, I think it is, five years. Some you got to also look at the team like it’s not, it’s not the players’ fault.”
Coyle: “Right.”
Jaffe: “But is he too much of a…”
Coyle: “One trick pony.”
Jaffe: “One trick pony right now. Is that it. And again, we are seeing a game increase in pace and different style than what this is. And can teams afford to have that one player that they utilize, like a DH, you know what I mean, to be on the power play?
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We were talking in our production meeting. I, I think he gets one more crack at it somewhere for a simple one-year deal to see if he can prove it. It’ll be interesting to see.”
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