Former scout opens up about Patrik Laine and says the opposite of what many others think

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Elias Adaime
August 24, 2024 (9:31)

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The trade orchestrated by Kent Hughes to acquire Patrik Laine seems to have widespread approval in Montreal.

In fact, few people believe this trade could go wrong.

However, the more pessimistic might argue that Laine is a one-dimensional player whose only notable trait is his scoring ability.

But is that really true? Grant McCagg from the site Recrutes doesn't think so.

The former Canadiens scout, in a recent post on the X network, reminded everyone that many were labeling Cole Caufield the same way before last season. Yet, Caufield finished the last campaign with no less than 37 assists, in addition to significantly improving his play without the puck.

Grant McCagg is tired of those who believe Patrik Laine is only one-dimensional

Regarding Laine, McCagg pulled out the stats to prove that, just like Caufield has become, the Finn is not just a scorer.

Over the last five seasons, the Canadiens' newcomer has averaged 37 assists per 82 games. Over a full season, this stat would be comparable to Auston Matthews' last campaign, where he recorded 38 assists in 2023-2024.

That covers his offensive contribution, which isn't as one-dimensional as some might think.

Now, let's look at Laine's defensive game.

Once again, McCagg used the stats to show that the forward brings more than just goals to a team. In his last 80 games with the Blue Jackets, Laine was on the ice for 3.36 goals per 60 minutes. During the same period, the entire team allowed 293 goals, averaging 3.66 goals per 60 minutes. So, in the end, the team was better defensively with him on the ice than without him.

Therefore, Laine should be given the chance to prove that he can bring more than just goals to a team. He even mentioned multiple times during his press conference that he was eager to contribute to the team's success in any way possible.

Seeing him openly say that he's more than just a scorer is already reassuring. Now, we'll just have to see if he can back up his words on the ice!