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This topic has been pretty polarizing lately, so I’m curious as to what people think about this: Which power play unit should Patrik Laine be deployed on this season – and why?
I’d be fine with him playing on PP2…and honestly, I think the more important thing is for him to start contributing more offense 5×5.You can hear the deep-dive version of mine & Rick Stephens’ thoughts about it on the latest Canadiens Connection podcast from the past weekend…but we’ll pick some great responses from this thread to read on next week’s show, too, so let us know your thoughts on Laine!
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They have little to lose, so I have an out-of-the-box type of an idea.
Was the PP better than it was in 22–23 or 23–24?
Yes, in a way. Their PP percentage was higher, and in the end, that’s all that matters. But: they actually created less scoring chances than they did in 23–24.
Laine and Caufield’s very high shooting percentages helped quite a bit, and it’s possible that next year, the Habs will score less goals on the PP than they did this year, if they keep playing the same way.
That could be the case even with Laine playing all the 82 games and Caufield getting shot attempts out of himself on his usual rate instead of this season’s very low rate.
So why not just blow it up completely?
We know that they’ve been using the same PP formation as almost every NHL team uses, the 1-3-1 formation with Slafkovský in front of the net, Laine, Caufield and Suzuki in the middle and Hutson on the blueline.
With the new acquisitions they have, they could have a chance to try something completely new with the first unit. The second unit can still play with the old formation.
I suggest that instead of 1-3-1, the first unit should try the so-called overload formation, in which (in this case) they pack their entire unit on the left side of the offensive zone.
Demidov positions himself close tho the goal line and is ready to make plays from behind the net.
Suzuki is near the left faceoff circle to feed passes to every direction.
Behind him on the blueline, is one of the best perimeter shooters in the world, Patrik Laine.
The other blueliner is, of course, Lane Hutson.
And the last piece is the left-handed shooter they just acquired, Zachary Bolduc, whose job is to make space for himself between the faceoff dots and wait for Suzuki and Demidov’s passes.
This kind of formation opens up possibilities to change it on the fly and make the PP really move; when Demidov has the puck down low, they overload, when Hutson has it on the blueline, they can widen it up by moving Laine to his usual spot and Bolduc to the same spot on the opposite side.
No, they wouldn’t have the big net-front presence in the first unit, but if you look at the goals they scored this season, in how many of those the net-front player played an irreplaceable role?
No, Caufield wouldn’t be on the first unit, because Laine is the better shooter of the two, but doesn’t a unit with Caufield, Slafkovský and Dobson sound like a decent PP anyway?
And no, this isn’t likely to happen, because I don’t see a reality in which Caufield doesn’t play with the first unit. But it’s something I would personally try.
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Well we always encourage thinking outside the box! And moving Caufield to PP2 is definitely that! There’s been some uproar this offseason with suggestions of moving Laine off of the top unit, I can’t imagine the fan reaction if Caufield was to be bumped off the first wave 🙂 As you say, likely not to happen, but you’ve laid out a good case and considered how to use some of Hughes’ new pieces he picked up this summer as well. The problem is, can MSL get out of his own way and think outside the box, too?
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I left the numbers out of my original post, but here they are, just in case:
Laine, Caufield, Gallagher and Heineman scored 33/47 (70%) of the Canadiens’ PP goals this season. Their respective shooting percentages were 23.8, 23.8, 31.3 and 30, which all ranked in the best 25% among the forwards who played at least 50 minutes of PP. That’s likely not sustainable.
This season, the Habs in total scored 7.3 goals per 60 minutes on PP. In 23–24, they scored 6.4. In terms of scoring chances, they had 7.1 expected goals and 44.9 scoring chances per 60 minutes this season, while the same numbers in 23–24 were 7.1 and 51.6.
The effect of better finishing and/or shooting luck shows quite clearly here. It also seems that the effect of Alexandre Burrows running or not running the PP might be a little exaggerated.
Source: NaturalStatTrick
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Well we always encourage thinking outside the box! And moving Caufield to PP2 is definitely that! There’s been some uproar this offseason with suggestions of moving Laine off of the top unit, I can’t imagine the fan reaction if Caufield was to be bumped off the first wave As you say, likely not to happen, but you’ve laid out a good case and considered how to use some of Hughes’ new pieces he picked up this summer as well. The problem is, can MSL get out of his own way and think outside the box, too?
with the additions of Demidov and Dobson to the mix, MSL is gonna have some very interesting options to play around with… while I agree with HabsFinn that the shooting % that some guys had last year on the PP is likely unsustainable, they should be able to have two very effective powerplay units that don’t necessarily require such high ratings. I’m not sure what the exact composition of both units will be but fans shouldn’t be appalled if Caufield for example is placed on the 2nd unit, the point is to have the most chemistry and generate as many scoring chances as possible, so if having him there results in having a more effective powerplay, then everyone should be happy about it (although I think he’ll remain on the first wave lol).
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Well we always encourage thinking outside the box! And moving Caufield to PP2 is definitely that! There’s been some uproar this offseason with suggestions of moving Laine off of the top unit, I can’t imagine the fan reaction if Caufield was to be bumped off the first wave As you say, likely not to happen, but you’ve laid out a good case and considered how to use some of Hughes’ new pieces he picked up this summer as well. The problem is, can MSL get out of his own way and think outside the box, too?
with the additions of Demidov and Dobson to the mix, MSL is gonna have some very interesting options to play around with… while I agree with HabsFinn that the shooting % that some guys had last year on the PP is likely unsustainable, they should be able to have two very effective powerplay units that don’t necessarily require such high ratings. I’m not sure what the exact composition of both units will be but fans shouldn’t be appalled if Caufield for example is placed on the 2nd unit, the point is to have the most chemistry and generate as many scoring chances as possible, so if having him there results in having a more effective powerplay, then everyone should be happy about it (although I think he’ll remain on the first wave lol).
That’s also a good point! The goal should absolutely be to form the most effective power play units, regardless of what names are assigned to those units and in which order they come over the boards. I agree that Caufield would likely remain on PP1, but really – whatever generates the best offense and the best results is what should be used…and that goes for ANY aspect of the team and roster!
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That’s also a good point! The goal should absolutely be to form the most effective power play units, regardless of what names are assigned to those units and in which order they come over the boards. I agree that Caufield would likely remain on PP1, but really – whatever generates the best offense and the best results is what should be used…and that goes for ANY aspect of the team and roster!
indeed…
I definitely don’t want the summer to be over yet but I gotta say I’m pretty excited to see this edition of the habs in action, I have a feeling they’re going to be very entertaining to watch ????
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indeed…
I definitely don’t want the summer to be over yet but I gotta say I’m pretty excited to see this edition of the habs in action, I have a feeling they’re going to be very entertaining to watch ????
Yes – and training camp will be super competitive with new guys and players trying to get promoted from Laval!
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Well we always encourage thinking outside the box! And moving Caufield to PP2 is definitely that! There’s been some uproar this offseason with suggestions of moving Laine off of the top unit, I can’t imagine the fan reaction if Caufield was to be bumped off the first wave As you say, likely not to happen, but you’ve laid out a good case and considered how to use some of Hughes’ new pieces he picked up this summer as well. The problem is, can MSL get out of his own way and think outside the box, too?
with the additions of Demidov and Dobson to the mix, MSL is gonna have some very interesting options to play around with… while I agree with HabsFinn that the shooting % that some guys had last year on the PP is likely unsustainable, they should be able to have two very effective powerplay units that don’t necessarily require such high ratings. I’m not sure what the exact composition of both units will be but fans shouldn’t be appalled if Caufield for example is placed on the 2nd unit, the point is to have the most chemistry and generate as many scoring chances as possible, so if having him there results in having a more effective powerplay, then everyone should be happy about it (although I think he’ll remain on the first wave lol).
Yes – and training camp will be super competitive with new guys and players trying to get promoted from Laval!
yup, should be interesting to see guys battle it out. I remember once upon a time when Nikita Scherbak was the team’s best prospect… oh how things have changed, and for the best! ????
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As Pat mentioned, significant additions this year, Dobson, Demidov and also Bolduc.
I think you need to split Caufield and Laine, not have them on the same unit. That is the beginning of having 2 strong units. What that looks like, I am not sure, the real challenge is who is your 2nd PP center? Dach? Newhook? We have that hole on the 2nd center that keeps coming back to the forefront. Or are the double-shifting Suzuki?
My best guess:
I think you keep the 1st line together, with Hutson and Bolduc.
Second unit, I think you start with Laine-Dach=Demidov line, and Dobson. The question is do you want a different look, such a heavy shot shoot from the point (ie: WiFi), or continue with a 4th forward/distributor (such a Newhook).
This set up depends on how well Laine-Dach-Demidov gel together, and if Dach is not injured 37 seconds into the season.
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yup, should be interesting to see guys battle it out. I remember once upon a time when Nikita Scherbak was the team’s best prospect… oh how things have changed, and for the best! ????
“He should have been a star, best 1st round pick of the draft” – QP
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I definitely don’t want the summer to be over yet but I gotta say I’m pretty excited to see this edition of the habs in action, I have a feeling they’re going to be very entertaining to watch ????
For the last few years, I have been more excited about the things HuGo have been doing off the ice / in the summer to build the team and organization.
This is the first year in a while where I am more interested to see what the team can do on the ice… trying to keep my expectations realistic, but this team is coming together nicely.
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and if Dach is not injured 37 seconds into the season.
Could be one of the most important factors for the makeup of the whole team to start this season!
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This set up depends on how well Laine-Dach-Demidov gel together, and if Dach is not injured 37 seconds into the season.
oy vey…
????not to state the obvious but staying healthy is gonna be key for that guy if he wants to prove everyone wrong.
at this point the expectations are so low that if he does stay healthy and plays well it’ll become a pleasant surprise for the team… perhaps at that point they’ll want to trade him before he loses all of his value again lol.
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at this point the expectations are so low that if he does stay healthy and plays well it’ll become a pleasant surprise for the team… perhaps at that point they’ll want to trade him before he loses all of his value again lol.
Seems obvious there was not a second line center on the market, or for a price that HuGo was willing to pay.
Giving Dach another shot seems like a good call – they made the playoffs without him last year, afterall – punting getting a 2nd C down the line until later in the season or next summer when they have more cap room / better idea of how things shake out with the current roster seems wise. I like the patience of the Habs management team.
Staying healthy for Dach is the first stop. If he can work with Laine and Demidov and provide some level of secondary scoring, that would make things more interesting down the road. I still think Dach is better on the wing than at center, but that is another issue for another day.
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I still think Dach is better on the wing than at center, but that is another issue for another day.
agreed, even if things don’t work out for Dach at center it doesn’t mean he’s completely useless to the team… you also have to consider that playing with a guy like Laine must not always be obvious, part of Dach’s success on that line will be how Laine manages to improve his play 5 on 5.
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Laine manages to improve his play 5 on 5.
He remands me of Kovalev – in the sense plays when he wants to play, will do something defensively if he feels like it (not often), but can electrify the crowd.
And loves to stand still in the same place on the PP (unlike Kovalev).
I hated Kovalev with a passion, more than Karl Alzner or Drouin combined.
Laine is not at that level of hate yet, but if we see the same garbage again this year, I will be more than happy he will be gone sooner than later.
If he steps up, as you state, then that is a completely different discussion. But does he do it because it is a contract year (and likely his last contract coming up)?
Regardless, I do not think he is back next year.
As a side note: I’d rather see a second line of Bolduc-Dach-Demidov, but I do not see that happening.
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I hated Kovalev with a passion, more than Karl Alzner or Drouin combined.
???????? That’s some pretty deep feelings!!
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He remands me of Kovalev – in the sense plays when he wants to play, will do something defensively if he feels like it (not often), but can electrify the crowd.
And loves to stand still in the same place on the PP (unlike Kovalev).
I hated Kovalev with a passion, more than Karl Alzner or Drouin combined.
Laine is not at that level of hate yet, but if we see the same garbage again this year, I will be more than happy he will be gone sooner than later.
If he steps up, as you state, then that is a completely different discussion. But does he do it because it is a contract year (and likely his last contract coming up)?
Regardless, I do not think he is back next year.
As a side note: I’d rather see a second line of Bolduc-Dach-Demidov, but I do not see that happening.
it’s safe to say that Laine won’t ever be recognized for his backchecking or his defensive awareness, but the bar is so low right now I feel it wouldn’t take much for us to notice some kind of improvement, so I do have some hope left in his case lol.
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That’s some pretty deep feelings!!
he probably still has nightmares about Drouin’s left column…
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As a side note: I’d rather see a second line of Bolduc-Dach-Demidov, but I do not see that happening.
and I definitely could see that happen if things don’t work out with Laine, I mean why not try that combination, it does sound interesting…
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he probably still has nightmares about Drouin’s left column…
Years of heavy rehabs, and my neck is finally working properly now!
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Years of heavy rehabs, and my neck is finally working properly now!
…
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and I definitely could see that happen if things don’t work out with Laine, I mean why not try that combination, it does sound interesting…
I’d want to do it more to see if Bolduc could push his game to that level.
Plus, he is a lot more defensively aware and uses his body well to protect/dig out the puck, in those respects an upgrade over Laine, which could help the line be more consistent.
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I’d want to do it more to see if Bolduc could push his game to that level.
Plus, he is a lot more defensively aware and uses his body well to protect/dig out the puck, in those respects an upgrade over Laine, which could help the line be more consistent.
yeah, I haven’t seen a whole lot of Bolduc’s play but from what I’ve been hearing I think he’ll immediately be very appreciated by the fanbase, guys that work hard and put in the effort are usually beloved in MTL.
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yeah, I haven’t seen a whole lot of Bolduc’s play but from what I’ve been hearing I think he’ll immediately be very appreciated by the fanbase, guys that work hard and put in the effort are usually beloved in MTL.
I’m also interested on how they will set up the bottom 6.
Bolduc-Evans-Anderson could be a fun line too, perhaps the main defensive line on the team that could add some additional scoring.
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I’m also interested on how they will set up the bottom 6.
Bolduc-Evans-Anderson could be a fun line too, perhaps the main defensive line on the team that could add some additional scoring.
replace Evans with Dach and you could get a very interesting combination there as well…
I thought he was older but Bolduc is only 22, so he might have some untapped potential going on there for sure.
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I thought he was older but Bolduc is only 22, so he might have some untapped potential going on there for sure.
In the beginning, I was not, but I have become a pretty big Evans fan.
I think he can do more with good wingers… and still be defensively responsible, hence Anderson and Bolduc.
Will be interesting to see what MSL does with the lineup.
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In the beginning, I was not, but I have become a pretty big Evans fan.
I think he can do more with good wingers… and still be defensively responsible, hence Anderson and Bolduc.
Will be interesting to see what MSL does with the lineup.
oh I also like Evans, I just find he lacks a bit of offensive awareness to his game at times but I remember seeing flashes of it where he would score a really nice goal and I’d be like “hey, he should do that more often..!” lol.
and yeah, if MSL wanted to move further towards what he calls “hard coaching”, I think he’s definitely starting to have the pieces in place to do it… if a guy can’t do the job, there will be another player waiting in line to grab the opportunity, he shouldn’t be stuck with having a player in the wrong chair by default for lack of a better option.
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oh I also like Evans, I just find he lacks a bit of offensive awareness to his game at times but I remember seeing flashes of it where he would score a really nice goal and I’d be like “hey, he should do that more often..!” lol.
and yeah, if MSL wanted to move further towards what he calls “hard coaching”, I think he’s definitely starting to have the pieces in place to do it… if a guy can’t do the job, there will be another player waiting in line to grab the opportunity, he shouldn’t be stuck with having a player in the wrong chair by default for lack of a better option.
Will also be interesting to see if they use guys like BLais and Voleno to fill spots so that guys like Beck / Kapanenn / Mini-WiFi / Etc… play full time in Laval, at least to start the season.
Also, I think Roy will have to find another team if he wants a path to the NHL… maybe something happens, but I do not think so, too much talent in front of him now.
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Will also be interesting to see if they use guys like BLais and Voleno to fill spots so that guys like Beck / Kapanenn / Mini-WiFi / Etc… play full time in Laval, at least to start the season.
Also, I think Roy will have to find another team if he wants a path to the NHL… maybe something happens, but I do not think so, too much talent in front of him now.
very intrigued to see if/when Florian makes it to the big club, apparently he’s even more of a unicorn than his brother…
agreed on Roy, unless he comes out of the gate firing on all cylinders he’ll probably have a hard time earning a spot in the line-up, as he’s the kind of player that surely won’t be as effective if you ask him a play a role in the bottom 6.
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55 days til first pre-season game.
Lots of summer left.
good..! ????
as I was saying earlier, I can’t wait for the season to start, but at the same time I want to enjoy what’s left of the summer, I despise winter so frickin’ much lol…
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as I was saying earlier, I can’t wait for the season to start, but at the same time I want to enjoy what’s left of the summer, I despise winter so frickin’ much lol…
I will take cold 100 out 100 times over the stupid humidity.
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I will take cold 100 out 100 times over the stupid humidity.
yeah I get it… I’d definitely still take this heat over a (frank) ton of snow, but I do admit the humidity could take a break now, it’s been pretty intense lol.
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First waive in my opinion will be
Caufield, suzuki, Bolduc
Hutson, dobson.2nd waive
Laine-Newhook, Slaf
Ghule-Matheson?Bolduc on the first wave of the PP, eh? damn, good for him.
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First waive in my opinion will be
Caufield, suzuki, Bolduc
Hutson, dobson.2nd waive
Laine-Newhook, Slaf
Ghule-Matheson?Who needs Demidov….
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@ Pat : Pas trop vu le gars pour être honnête mais j’ai lu qu’il était pas mal efficace sur le pp. Je pense qu’il pourrait être plus efficace que Slaf devant le filet. On verra.
Dobson pour moi doit être sur la première vague. On aurait un tir de la ligne bleue.
ah c’est pas invraisemblable que Bolduc se ramasse sur la 1ère vague, mais c’est peut-être pas la première option qu’on va essayer…
en tout cas MSL commence à avoir un arsenal très intéressant à sa disposition, il faut que la chimie s’installe mais ya assez de talent dans l’équipe pour avoir un avantage numérique top 10 dans la ligue à mon avis.
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@Pat: D’accord avec toi, même si je pense que la ligne de centre est un peu faible. Un gars comme Demidov devrait être en mesure de changer l’allure du club à lui seul, même si j’aime beaucoup l’ajout de Dobson. Bolduc aussi à priori avec ce que j’entends.
Je pense qu’on va dans la bonne direction, on a encore de bons jeunes dans le système et des joueurs avec le grand club qui peuvent encore se développer.
Je m’attends à une saison très intéressante. Le reste sera du bonus, le CH est dans une bonne division si on est honnête. Et l’équipe demeure très jeune.
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