Quoting: swinny
Is it clear? Or is it that Laine is a collasal flop as a Jacket making it look so?
If the Jackets got Jets Laine, I think the discussion changes..... they are in the hunt.
none of this is even remotely true.
Laine is a snipper. He's not a playmaker, he's not a center able to control play etc... He's a snipper. He needs other people on the ice to help him get there.
But CBJ doesn't have anyone capable of doing that. They don't have 1 legit 1 or 2 C on the whole team right now. Those are just facts.
That in the end is what drives the rebuild. Has nothing to do with Laine. Even if Laine Scored 40 goals, they would still have the same problems and still not be a good team.
You don't build teams off the wing. Everyone knows this. It's why C is where the best players in the league are. It's why teams that are playoff bound tend to be strong at C.
PIT - Crosby and Malkin
NYI - Barzal
BOS Bergeron
WSH Backstrom
TOR Mathews - JT
EDM McDavid, Drai
WPG - PLD, PS
MTL - JK, NS
FL Barkov
TB Point
CAR - Svechnikov
COL MacKinnon
I mean really you got one team in VGK who is a legit contender that isn't really particularly strong down the middle.
Everyone else that has any shot of winning anything is.
So this idea that CBJs problems are caused from Laine, or that his bad play is the issue holding the team back is just pure BS.
Truth is, CBJ got the exact same Laine that WPG had. Good shot, not a playmaker, doesn't play strong defense.
That's been him since day one.
If you want to see Laine be a 40 goal scorer again, he needs help to get there. CBJ doesn't have the help to give him.
So the rebuild has to take place as they don't have the pieces needed to be competitive. Honestly, I hope they do trade Laine at some point here for a killing. Because they need that going forward.
But it's not some older player, it's 1st round picks and good prospects.