The Montreal Canadiens have lastly welcomed Patrik Laine to the lineup after a protracted, 25-game wait. Together with his arrival, Montreal has been capable of ice a totally wholesome lineup for the primary time in head coach Martin St. Louis’ tenure.
First time that Martin St-Louis had a full lineup (no injured gamers) since he took the pinnacle coach job in MTL. He didn’t have that ‘luxurious’ in his first 225 video games start de bench. @CanadiensMTL
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) December 4, 2024
That is the primary time anybody acquired to see what normal supervisor (GM) Kent Hughes had in thoughts for this season. The group regarded extra harmful, and Laine’s return has brought about a ripple impact, permitting the teaching workers to place gamers into extra appropriate roles. One participant is not going to get the Canadiens into the playoffs, however it would present a view of the scoring depth supposed for the group by administration.
Canadiens Impacted by Laine
Whereas St. Louis needed to wait 255 video games earlier than getting a wholesome lineup, Laine needed to wait 355 days between NHL video games. From the joy seen from a rabid fanbase on the Bell Heart, they had been additionally impatiently ready and wished to see the pure talent he may present. They didn’t go away the sector dissatisfied that evening as Montreal defeated the New York Islanders with Laine scoring his first aim in a Canadiens sweater.
The roar of the gang was deafening, and the Bell Heart vibrations may most likely have registered on the Richter Scale. Not solely did Laine rating a aim in every of his first two video games with the Canadiens, however his mere presence appears to have reinvigorated the group.
rien de moins qu’é𝗽𝗮𝘁ant
Oh my Laine#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/s3ADLQ1Lht
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 6, 2024
A wholesome serving of persistence will probably be so as, bear in mind, he has solely performed one sport in practically a full calendar yr, and it’ll take time for him to regain his conditioning. However the influence Laine supplies is extra than simply some flashy performs that may promote tickets. As talked about above, his arrival supplies assist in a number of areas. First scoring depth, as including a sniper takes the strain off of Cole Caufield who has been the singular focus of opposition defences.
Associated: Montreal Canadiens Can Be taught from Senators’ Errors in Their Rebuild
It isn’t simply because he’s one other sniper that should be defended, it’s that having him on a separate line forces coaches to separate focus. Montreal has been a one-line group for a while, having a scoring line with the Nick Suzuki and Caufield duo. Now, they should sport plan for 2 traces as Laine has been positioned with Kirby Dach and Juraj Slafkovsky. St. Louis may need one thing constructive with that line as they’ll deliver talent and have dimension as they’re all above 6-foot-3. Logically, this may finally make life simpler on the highest line as Caufield retains himself among the many NHL’s high aim scorers and it will probably additionally help Slafkovsky as he’s going through second pairing defenders extra usually, permitting him to rediscover his sport.
PATRIK LAINE IS A MONTREAL CANADIEN 🗣️🗣️🗣️ pic.twitter.com/0zphuMiFY5
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 4, 2024
Secondly, Laine’s presence improves the facility play (PP). The opposition penalty killers have been capable of focus the vast majority of their vitality on defending Caufield’s shot. Whereas seven of his first 16 targets this season got here off the PP, including one other shooter will drive groups to open up. The Laine PP aim is ideal proof of that as Caufield cuts to the center within the bumper place, and that forces the penalty kill (PK) to give attention to him for a break up second, giving Laine extra time to get his shot off.
Future Upgrades Nonetheless to Come
However wait, there’s extra! As spectacular because the Canadiens’ PP is trying to be this season, there’s extra scoring depth on the horizon, and that’s going to be coming as soon as 2024 fifth-overall choose Ivan Demidov makes his soar to North America. The Laine impact will probably be felt right here as properly, as with him and Caufield being within the high six, there gained’t be a have to rush Demidov into that position, permitting him to ease into the extra bodily and faster-paced NHL by enjoying on the third line.
His playmaking skill makes him tough to defend on a second unit PP, the place he can fill in on the half wall the place Suzuki at the moment performs on the highest unit. In time, Demidov will graduate up the lineup. For just a few of his teammates with SKA St. Petersburg, it’s inevitable that he turns into a serious star within the NHL, and shortly. Lately, a few of them had spoken to Russian journalist Sergey Demidov of RG.org.
A lot has been mentioned about Demidov’s misuse by his coach within the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), giving him inconsistent messaging, ice time and simply plain odd behaviour. Nonetheless, former NHLers Evgeny Kuznetsov, Mikhail Grigorenko and Tony DeAngelo are all praising the younger Russian’s constructive outlook and are stating categorically that Demidov will probably be a star.
How cool it’s to look at KHL Rookie of the Month Ivan Demidov in motion?
Da. pic.twitter.com/IT40NMb0Lb
— KHL (@khl_eng) October 7, 2024
For them, Demidov’s talent, his skill to take care of adversity and his work ethic set him aside. The excessive reward continued from 2009 St. Louis Blues third-round choose Sergei Andronov.
“Reality is, we haven’t had gamers like him in our league for a very long time. He is aware of learn how to beat you, and his one-on-one play is phenomenal. However what’s actually particular is his willingness to work and study.”
– Sergei Andronov
Including one other participant who thrives in a strain market, and who needs to be in that highlight is greater than fascinating, it’s essential as Montreal is maybe essentially the most pressure-packed setting in hockey. The highlight shines brilliant on the errors, however even brighter on successes. Followers are additionally keen to miss some deficiencies in a participant, particularly if they’ll deliver the elite talent degree Laine has, or what is anticipated of Demidov. A lot has been mentioned in regards to the rebuild, however the puzzle didn’t have sufficient items in place to offer a real illustration of what stage it had reached, but now followers can begin to see it, because of Laine’s return.
