Canadiens: Four Nations Faceoff a Chance for Patrik Laine to Reset in midst of Uncertain Future

The Canadiens knew what they were getting into when they acquired Laine, and they are seeing it first-hand. When it’s good (like the stream of powerplay goals and the hat-trick at the start) its good, and when its bad (like forgetting to backcheck or skate for that matter) its really bad. As I stated in the intro, Laine is who he is, and he’s past the point where he will ever change. Again, this is something Canadiens management was (or at least I hope was) aware of prior to acquiring him, and with one-year left on his deal at around roughly $8.7 million, Montreal needs to figure out what they have in Laine before things reach a point of no return. His performance in the Four Nations thus far is a good sign, and I think, as stated, its what's best for him right now in terms of his confidence, but there's a thing about Laine's confidence, that is partly what's garnered him his reputation as a difficult player to deal with.

It ia a difficult situation to deal with when one' confidence and belief in his own abilities no longer match with his actual abilities. The NBA has seen it time and time again with former stars pissed they aren't playing while shooting 32% from the field, and it's something that’s been evident at times with Laine. Don't get it twisted, Patrik Laine is still an immensely talented NHL player, and what he expects out of himself, when he's thriving, rubs off on those around him. In some instances, it can be good to have a player who holds a high standard for his own play, but when he starts slowly blaming everyone around him for not being able to produce to that high standard, the problem starts to become more about him than the rest of the team. Obviously, it goes without saying that the Canadiens supporting cast offensively has been putrid at parts this season, especially from some of their other supposed “Top” prospects. Laine has had to work with some less than ideal linemates, and there is a question as to why St. Louis hasn't tried him out alongside Caufield and Suzuki.

I mean, Alex Newhook has seemingly fallen off a cliff and then another cliff in terms of his production, constantly running around the ice with no direction like a swarm of bees are chasing him, and Hughes is having to grapple with the idea that Kirby Dach might just be not be very good as opposed to simply recovering from an injury. So yes, all of these players not being very good at hockey has probably played a bit into Laine's struggles recently, but another thing that plays into those struggles is just well, what makes Patrik Laine... Patrik Laine.