Just gonna ignore how much he struggled this past year?

Teams started closing the gap on him and he wasn't willing to get to harder scoring areas. If he plans on continuing to score goals, he's gotta go to the net.
- Tomahawk

It was just one season, not going to look too much into it. He still had 30 goals last season. I wouldnt put too much stock in the just 20 assists. He is a pure shooter, a lot of the assists are going to come from rebounds.

Bananas, Laine would be a very welcomed addition. Now the price is the issue. As for what does he bring when not scoring= room and space for everyone else.
- coffee junkie

Not necessarily.

He's not going to hurt you if he doesn't have the puck, and he's not the guy that's going to dig in his own end to go get it, so if you take away time and space from the other guys to get him the puck, you don't have to worry about him.

I think the Jets should demote Laine to 3L RW, and overpay a sniper to take his place. Hmmmm that concept sounds familiar.
- PLindbergh31

That WAS part of the issue too... they had him on the 4th line at times last season.

I'm surprised that the area around West Chester can support another rink. I used to work near Ice Line and would occasionally play open hockey during my lunch break there. As I recall they had 3 or four rinks. I usually played at places like Wintersports, Old York Road and Wissahickon. IceLine was like a palace compared to those places.

Remind me....was Ward seeking close to $10MM per on that :limited" skill set he had? I don't disagree with your premise that a pure snipper can be on a team to balance it but...

He hasn't established that he is a consistent high end sniper yet and he wants to be paid like he's one on the top players in the league...and be paid like that right now while there are questions.
- juiced

JVR just got a boatload of money for being a 30 goal scorer. Laine has been over 30 goals every season of his career, how has he not proven he is an effective scorer? I get that the brutal half season can raise a couple of questions, but then he put up 4 points in 6 games in the playoffs.

He's only 21, if you want to lock someone up like him long term it's going to cost money.

That WAS part of the issue too... they had him on the 4th line at times last season.
- BINGO!

I will agree with you that Laine is an interesting case. To me he is somewhere in between Alex Kovalev and Petr Klima in terms of the type of player he is. I think Laine is so skilled offensively, you somewhat gameplan your team around him. If that means that you have to shelter him ala late career Selanne, it's totally worth it because the offensive skill he can provide you in situations. I still think anyone who can have a bad year and score 30 and in a good year eclipse 40 is a net positive no matter what underlying metrics say.

JVR just got a boatload of money for being a 30 goal scorer. Laine has been over 30 goals every season of his career, how has he not proven he is an effective scorer? I get that the brutal half season can raise a couple of questions, but then he put up 4 points in 6 games in the playoffs.

He's only 21, if you want to lock someone up like him long term it's going to cost money.
- 2sticks1puck

Yea but Laine is an RFA so WPG has more leverage than he does. JVR was a UFA. Laine will get more than JVR once he hits UFA status

Except that Ovechkin, even as a young guy, was driving play. Laine doesn't do that. He's a cannon.
- BINGO!

As a young player, Ovechkin was hitting everything that moved and forechecking like a bloodhound. After some injuries and through getting to the latter part of his prime, he started to conserve more energy and became more of an elite shooting specialist only.

JVR just got a boatload of money for being a 30 goal scorer. Laine has been over 30 goals every season of his career, how has he not proven he is an effective scorer? I get that the brutal half season can raise a couple of questions, but then he put up 4 points in 6 games in the playoffs.

He's only 21, if you want to lock someone up like him long term it's going to cost money.
- 2sticks1puck

Sure, and I think a bridge deal around $6.5-7 for Laine is probably fair. But you can understand why a team would be hesitant to lock him up long term at the $9+ million he seems to be wanting, right? He hasn't really gotten better as he's gotten older.

I'm surprised that the area around West Chester can support another rink. I used to work near Ice Line and would occasionally play open hockey during my lunch break there. As I recall they had 3 or four rinks. I usually played at places like Wintersports, Old York Road and Wissahickon. IceLine was like a palace compared to those places.
- Dkos

Talent wise it can’t. Plenty pLaying ice now though

Eklund: Who is better, Kyle Conner or Travis Konecny?

JVR just got a boatload of money for being a 30 goal scorer. Laine has been over 30 goals every season of his career, how has he not proven he is an effective scorer? I get that the brutal half season can raise a couple of questions, but then he put up 4 points in 6 games in the playoffs.

He's only 21, if you want to lock someone up like him long term it's going to cost money.
- 2sticks1puck

Didn't say wasnt effective scorer...said its unknown if he is an elite scorer. Based on your comments to date, its clear you have the acumen to know that. The whole conversation stems from people speculating a team should trade a boatload for him...then sign him to top 5-10 type money and then Hope he scores at elite pace and his other deficiencies get better or don't hurt you.

That is just a lit to ask of a team that is at the point we are at. we aren't one player away.....yet. If this was a debate centered around if the Peg should pay him...then maybe im more in line with you.

Sure, and I think a bridge deal around $6.5-7 for Laine is probably fair. But you can understand why a team would be hesitant to lock him up long term at the $9+ million he seems to be wanting, right? He hasn't really gotten better as he's gotten older.
- BINGO!

I get the point he hasn't gotten better as he's gotten older, but it's hard to really improve when you hit the ground running. Sure, he could go from a 30-40 guy to a 40-50 guy, but if he's really just a 35-40 guy that's good enough.

I'm the worst when it comes to predicting contracts, but I see 7+. If Konecky signs soon, I think he easily eclipses that and I think Travis will get close to 6.

I get the point he hasn't gotten better as he's gotten older, but it's hard to really improve when you hit the ground running. Sure, he could go from a 30-40 guy to a 40-50 guy, but if he's really just a 35-40 guy that's good enough.

I'm the worst when it comes to predicting contracts, but I see 7+. If Konecky signs soon, I think he easily eclipses that and I think Travis will get close to 6.
- 2sticks1puck

Long term, yeah, it should be higher, but on a one or two year "Show me last season was a fluke" type deal, I wouldn't go much beyond 7.

Eklund: Who is better, Kyle Conner or Travis Konecny?


- SuperSchennBros

he didn't really ask that did he? Wow....

Didn't say wasnt effective scorer...said its unknown if he is an elite scorer. Based on your comments to date, its clear you have the acumen to know that. The whole conversation stems from people speculating a team should trade a boatload for him...then sign him to top 5-10 type money and then Hope he scores at elite pace and his other deficiencies get better or don't hurt you.

That is just a lit to ask of a team that is at the point we are at. we aren't one player away.....yet. If this was a debate centered around if the Peg should pay him...then maybe im more in line with you.
- juiced

I wouldn't put him elite yet, but in terms of trade value, gotta figure a guy who is only 21 and 30 goals is his worst year is going to cost a ton. I'm kind of with you the Flyers aren't in that position yet to gut their team for one guy. I think they have to identify who they are building this around first and then fill the blanks.

Bananas, Laine would be a very welcomed addition. Now the price is the issue. As for what does he bring when not scoring= room and space for everyone else.
- coffee junkie

To fit his likely cap number, you'd probably need to trade Provorov or Konency + Sanheim.

It was just one season, not going to look too much into it. He still had 30 goals last season. I wouldnt put too much stock in the just 20 assists. He is a pure shooter, a lot of the assists are going to come from rebounds.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

18 of those goals came in 1 month (5 in one game). What was he doing for the rest of the season? Not very much.

Look, if he was on his ELC still and the Flyers could just flip Nolan Patrick or something for him, I'd be all for it. Goal-scoring is the most difficult thing to do, yada yada yada.

But 'going all in' on Laine means not only giving up a bundle of assets (1st & top-prospect+), but you also have to cave to his Auston Matthews-level contract demands... it's a non-starter. If this were young OV or Matthews or young Crosby, who make their teammates better and will do anything to win, then it may be worth it. But Laine's impact isn't worth all the trade and opportunity costs.

Long term, yeah, it should be higher, but on a one or two year "Show me last season was a fluke" type deal, I wouldn't go much beyond 7.
- BINGO!

It's going to set a benchmark for sure. Not to argue in circles, but again if a bad year is 30 or even becomes his average, eh I'd pay him 7-8 all day even on a 1-2 year deal. We can agree 30+ guys don't grow on trees.

18 of those goals came in 1 month (5 in one game). What was he doing for the rest of the season? Not very much.

Look, if he was on his ELC still and the Flyers could just flip Nolan Patrick or something for him, I'd be all for it. Goal-scoring is the most difficult thing to do, yada yada yada.

But 'going all in' on Laine means not only giving up a bundle of assets (1st & top-prospect+), but you also have to cave to his Auston Matthews-level contract demands... it's a non-starter. If this were young OV or Matthews or young Crosby, who make their teammates better and will do anything to win, then it may be worth it. But Laine's impact isn't worth all the trade and opportunity costs.
- Tomahawk

Yeah 100% this, the price for him would just be too much for his specific skill set

Pronman of the Athletic ranks the Flyers farm system #7 in the NHL. Frost and Farabee are “High End” prospects. Myers, Brink, and Ratcliffe are “Very good “. York is on the bubble between the two categories. The Flyers do not have any prospects in the “Elite” category. FWIW.

Pronman of the Athletic ranks the Flyers farm system #7 in the NHL. Frost and Farabee are “High End” prospects. Myers, Brink, and Ratcliffe are “Very good “. York is on the bubble between the two categories. The Flyers do not have any prospects in the “Elite” category. FWIW.
- Djapana

I probably agree with that, any context on the elite category though? example of a couple prospects?

I probably agree with that, any context on the elite category though? example of a couple prospects?
- ClaudeFather

He's only rated a handful of bubble elite players (Zegras, Hayton, Necas, Cozens) so far across 24-teams, no pure elites. Guessing the Hughes brothers and Kakko might be the only ones who qualify after all is said and done.

I probably agree with that, any context on the elite category though? example of a couple prospects?
- ClaudeFather

Hughes and Kakko would be elite prospects. He's probably has a couple names in the wrong places, but he's probably right in not giving many guys in general that elite ranking. Not just in hockey, but this whole everyone's top prospects are going to be stars is overblown a ton.

He's only rated a handful of bubble elite players (Zegras, Hayton, Necas, Cozens) so far across 24-teams, no pure elites. Guessing the Hughes brothers and Kakko might be the only ones who qualify after all is said and done.
- Tomahawk

Frost>Hayton