Connect with us

Canadiens Analysis

How The Montreal Canadiens Can Avoid Benching Patrik Laine

Published

on

patrik laine montreal canadiens

Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine wasn’t the only player who had a difficult outing versus the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.



The team suffered the type of collapse that was reminiscent of the first two years of the rebuild, essentially dashing the hope and good will they had built since the holidays.

Head coach Martin St-Louis decided to bench Laine in the third period, and if we’re basing decisions on statistics, the fact that the Laine, Kirby Dach, and Alex Newhook line was being outshot by a wide margin (1-8) certainly provided all the evidence necessary to justify a change in ice time.

However, this was not the first time the line struggled at 5v5.

To be more accurate, they’ve been a poor combination at 5v5 from the very get go, which isn’t particularly surprising. Even before Laine returned to play, both Newhook  and Dach had managed to control only 41.4 percent of the shots (CF%) and 42.4 percent of the expected goals (xGF%) while playing together.

With Laine in the mix, they have controlled more shots, to the tune of a 47 CF%, and a 43 xGF%, which isn’t great, but it connotes that Laine isn’t necessarily the problem.

When evaluating the lines, it becomes quite clear that Dach and Laine is not a combination that has shown any semblance of eventually becoming useful. And we’re not talking about slightly below-replacement numbers. From a statistical standpoint, Dach and Laine are the oil and water of the Canadiens lineup.

Both players recently dealt with long-term injuries, and it’s quite clear that Laine hasn’t quite recovered from an endurance standpoint.

It also doesn’t help that Dach is a poor playmaker.

He’s producing 0.09 primary assists per 60 minutes of 5v5 ice time, which is less than defenceman David Savard (0.19). To put a fine point on it, it’s actually the lowest primary assist per 60 pace of the entire team, and among the worst results in the entire league.

That’s not an ideal situation for a player who is supposed to feed a sniper.

It’s actually the worst possible situation for both players, something I’m sure most of you picked up on simply by watching them desperately attempt to build chemistry, only to prove they’re not meant to be linemates.

If the Canadiens hope to one day have both Dach and Laine provide a positive impact on a nightly basis, the most logical  step forward is to avoid placing them on the same line for the foreseeable future.


All Montreal Canadiens statistics are 5v5 unless otherwise noted. Via Natural Stat Trick.

14 Comments
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
14 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
mikeysl

Maybe give evans the second line center role for a few games. Better face off, no nights off, doesnt take as many penaltys

Mike

or try Newhook at Center instead of wing

ForeignObjects

Tried that
Versus bottom 6 guys Evans is a standout
Versus top 6 guys he gets pounded and ground down

K-roc

I was jusr thinking that too. Evans also needs to be re-signed. The Habs have been desperate for decent centers for 20 years, you can’t let Evans go.

GHG55

Wrong. The habs have been desperate for legitimate, contender worthy top 6 Centers. Evans is at best a third line C. People seriously need to stop doing this. He’s a good player. Great defensively. Works hard. He simply is not capable of the offensive production required of a top 6 C. Not even close. He’s literally never even broken 30 points. He had one great run this year where he was producing. That’s it. He’s already stopped. He was on pace for over 50 pts because of that run, but he’s fallen off so much that he’s now barely on pace for 40 (41). Please people, stop this. He’s not a top 6 player. Why do so many fans always act like our players are just something they’re not. What contending team has a 2C that’s never even scored 30pts?!?! It’s because we had players like Evans playing top 6 roles that we “have been desperate for decent centres for 20 years”.

He’s a bottom 6 player. Which is fine. Everyone needs bottom 6 players. But please for the love of god, stop trying to turn David Desharnais into a top C. It’s not a freaking thing. Not if you want to actually contend over the long haul without having to rely on a generational goalie…

Oh, btw, desharnais was actually a MUCH better offensive producer than Evans is. Would you want that guy back like it used to be?

Stop. For the love of god, stop

ForeignObjects

The issue is simple
You got 2 guys in need of a Possession Center.
We’re in a weird spot where Dvorak isnt good enough
Evans could maybe but his lines so effective its be a negative long term

Suzuki’s the only Center Qualified to play beside Laine in my books.
Issue is there is only one Suzuki and that line is set up good already

The only Cheapish play i can think of is Pospisil from CGY who is Slaf’s Center for Team Slovak internationally who plays a Gritty Hard Nosed style that could work out for us.

Laine-Suzuki-Caufield
Slaf-Pospisil-Dach
Heineman-Newhook-Gally
Anderson-Evans-Armia
Dvo

But that’d be the on the cheaper side move.
IF we had some nuts we’d acquire Zegras
He’s on a 2 year downward spike under new coaches
Dallas Eakins left and Zegras game declined sharply
Caufield faced this under Ducharme so we fired Ducharme
ANA is not a smart group of people so they doubled down on Cronin staff.

They’ve run Zegras value into the dirt
IF Hughes got paid to take Laine
Im sure he can swing acquiring Zegras with CGY 1st this year

K-roc

I like it

Habs forever

The second line should be Evans, Armia and Laine. This combination will get more out of both Armia and Laine. Armia has suppressed scoring upside which will come out with another scoring linemate like Laine. After Suzuki, Evans is our best playmaker – think Danault.

GHG55

For the love of god, stop this. By his 6th season danault already put up totals of 40pts, 53pts, and 46pts.

Evans has never broken 30pts. He’s also older than danault was when he broke into the league. And you can argue that Evans wears on pace for just over 30 in 21/22, but danault was on pace for almost 40 in his 3rd season, which would be added to the total I put above.

Don’t “think danault”. Danault was considerable better offensively AND defensively, and he’s not a top 6C on a contender. Not any legit contender with real prospects of long term contention that doesn’t rely on a generational goalie.

Would you want this rebuild to move forward with a danault type player as the 2C through our contention window? I do NOT. We want something much better. Yet people like you want to re-sign Evans and put him with our best pure goal scorer?!?!?!

Guys, Evans is a good player, but you NEED to stop acting like he’s some vital cog in the rebuild and is the answer to offensive problems. Danault is MUCH better than Evans, and this rebuild is DOOMED of we have an age appropriate danault type player as our 2C moving forward…. And Evans, though he’s a good player, is much worse than danault….

Please please please stop overrating Evans.

Habs forever

Laine took a stick to the throat and did not look good skating off or on the bench. That might have influenced St. Louis’ thinking. Ref missed the high stick by the way.

Staylo58

Yeah Dach and Laine not a good mix. Suzuki Caufield and Laine – line lacks a winger who retrieves the puck…Evans is not a #2 slot, nor Dvorak. Not sure Zegras is a playmaker that really fits with Laine.

At this point i would try Beck Laine and Dach on wing. You need to give them 10-15 games.

Gally, Evans and Anderson
Heinemen, Newhook and Armia

Though you could easily put Heinemen and Armia with Evans. Gally and Anderson with Newhook.

Dvorak odd player out.

David

I agree this this year Dach has not been a good playmaker, but in his first year with the Canadiens he had 24 assists in 58 games which was quite good. By contrast Newhook has 24 assists in his last 107 games. So I might keep Dach and Laine together and replace Newhook with a better playmaker.

Steve

Loved the Dach trade when we got him but he is not looking like the answer at 2C. Maybe Hage in a few yrs but no 2nd line Center is a gaping hole in anyone’s lineup.

Jite

He’s on a line with two wingers that each play differently and adversely. NEwhook has how many assists in 52 games? 5? And Dach, he’s not assisting anyone either …10? Their plus/minus bare additional lack of cohesion, and Laine is supposed to flourish(??l) playing with these two,indidually selfish players?? Give us a break!!