Patrik Laine looked confident in his introductory press conference after the Montreal Canadiens acquired him from the Columbus Blue Jackets. He sat in a secluded area in a backyard, telling the media about his plans to rebound from a horrendous couple of seasons. He aims to reach career highs in goals and be a mentor for the younger prospects in the organization. It's one thing to say all those things and it's another to put the plan into action when training camp begins in September. However, in the hours after the Laine trade, people must be happy with the acquisition.
Below are some of Laine's best quotes from his introductory press conference:
“I know the city, how much they care about the team, how passionate the fans are. For some people, it might not be the easiest place to go but I’ve always liked being in the spotlight on the ice…I’m super excited about the opportunity that I’m getting here.”
“(Kent) seems like a super nice guy. I don’t think (I needed much convincing) to come to MTL. It’s the biggest hockey market…I’ve played in Canada before & I loved every minute of it. I miss being where hockey is number one and people genuinely care about the team and the players.”
“It’s a great organization, new really good head coach, a lot of young talent. I’m at a point in my career where I can guide these young guys…be helpful in the locker room, on the ice, bring my expertise & bring the Stanley Cup to Montreal, that’s my goal for now.”
(on Saku Koivu:) "I'm going to try my best to be as good as he was in Montreal"
“I don’t want to come back as a 30-goal scorer, I want to come back with 40-50.”
Laine seems like a player that understands the expectations of the Montreal market and isn't afraid of the pressure. He excelled in Winnipeg under immense expectations when he had 36, 44, and 30-goal seasons. It's been six seasons since he eclipsed that mark, but I won't bet against him to do it again.
If Laine backs up his comments from this press conference and comes into training camp with a clear mindset, there is no limit on how far his game can elevate.