How The Habs Should Handle Patrik Laine

At the very least Laine should be given a chance to show what he can do to earn a contract in the NHL, as during his time in Montreal he hasn’t ever been able to be at full health at all. When asked about how things will go regarding Laine the rest of the season, general manager Kent Hughes mentioned that it will be up to Martin St. Louis whether he gets into the lineup. This is where we discuss what is the best way to use Laine going forward.

Once he’s ready to return to action, Laine may have difficulty breaking into one of the top three forward lines, but there may still be a spot for him on the 4th line with Josh Anderson and Phillip Danault temporarily. There is no denying that Brendan Gallagher has slowed down a lot over the last year, and it wouldn’t be a bad thing to give him a night off once in a while down the stretch so that he can rest and be fresh for the playoffs. Giving Gallagher a few nights off, it allows Laine to have a spot in the lineup where he can still prove that he has some worth to the Canadiens.

Hockey skills coach Jack Han has mentioned on the Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro in the past that he would like to see Laine play with Danault because not only is the veteran centre able to cover for Laine’s defensive efficiencies, but he also can be a playmaker and set up Laine for offensive chances at 5-on-5. One of the biggest issues with Laine’s centres at even strength since he has arrived in Montreal is that there hasn’t been someone who could be a strong defensive pivot while also being a good playmaker.

The issue with Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook is that neither are great centres, which really hurt the transition of their line offensively as they would often get stuck in the defensive zone. Whereas with Jake Evans, he doesn’t have the offensive skills to be able to get the puck over to Laine in the offensive zone where he can be effective. The reality is Laine needs someone to feed him the puck so that he can take his wicked shots, whether it be on the power play or at even strength.

Since there is no way that the top line gets broken up so that Laine can play with Nick Suzuki (the best playmaking centre), Danault really is the next best option. Similar to Gallagher, some of the foot speed has gone for Danault as he approaches the last few years of his NHL career, but he still has the passing ability that allowed him to record 34+ assists on 4 separate occasions in the NHL. With that being said, he could get the puck in the right areas for Laine to get off a high-danger opportunity at even strength.

If Laine does prove that he belongs in the lineup regularly, it could affect someone like Zack Bolduc’s spot in the lineup, as he hasn’t been doing enough lately to truly stick in the lineup. However, that may result in Gallagher going to play with Evans and Dach so that Laine can stay with Danault. Now that Laine is here to stay, finding different opportunities for him to succeed should be in the Canadiens’ best interest.

What would you do with Patrik Laine for the rest of the season if you were in charge?