Columbus Blue Jackets’ Patrik Laine searching for scoring touch

On Feb 21, 2023

Jan 21, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Patrik Laine (29) rips a shot during the third period of the NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

When it comes to the art form of self-deprecation in the NHL, Patrik Laine is unmatched.

Nobody is quicker to offer criticism of his play, nobody is harsher doling it out and there are times when nobody within earshot can believe what tumbles out of his mouth. Take, for example, Laine’s thoughts this past weekend about Blue Jackets teammate Kirill Marchenko, who has rapidly climbed to second in the NHL rookie goal-scoring ranks with 14 in 34 games.

“It’s definitely not easy to score in this league and he’s been scoring quite a bit,” Laine said. “He’s been finding the right areas and sometimes getting the right bounces … but it gets harder when you score a lot.”

Eight goals shy of 200 in just his seventh season, Laine ought to know.

“I’ve been there,” he said, a day before blasting one of his patented one-timers to force overtime Sunday in Arizona. “I’m not anymore, but I used to be … when I actually scored goals.”

The small group of reporters huddled around him in Dallas when he said that couldn’t help but chuckle, knowing what the 24-year old Finnish forward is capable of doing while on a goal bender. Laine’s search for more consistency is ongoing, but he’s the same guy who netted 36 goals for the Winnipeg Jets as rookie in 2016-17 and followed it up with 44 the next season.

He’s the same dude with 10 NHL hat tricks, including one this season, and who ripped off a scorching stretch last year of 16-11-27 in 17 games. Laine scored only one goal in a nine-game span before scoring Sunday, which is what prompted his lament.

“It just gets harder and harder,” he said. “Teams are going to pay attention to you more, so at that point you’ve just got to work on your toolbox and try to create more ways to score.”

Laine has done that the past two seasons with the Blue Jackets by utilizing his playmaking skills when goals aren’t happening. He still launches shots in high quantities, but he is again creeping up on a point-per-game average with 16-19-35 in 42 games. Since Jan. 10, he’s averaging more than a point per game with 7-12-19 in 18 games.

He’s just not scoring as many goals, which is eating at him based on his droll reply to an inquiry about whether he’s feeling frustrated.

“No, not at all,” Laine deadpanned. “I used to be a goal-scorer. That was fun, back in the day.

“I’ll still score every now and then, but, I mean, sometimes it goes in and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s been one of those years, but it’s not going to come without the work. So, I’ve got to put the work in. You can’t just wait for somebody to give it to you.”

Columbus Blue Jackets improving puck possession

The Blue Jackets are still leaning on their goalies, but they’ve begun to help Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins with better puck possession.

Since losing to the Washington Capitals 4-3 in overtime Jan. 31, they’ve ranked 19^th in the NHL with a 48.7% Corsi (5-on-5 attempts) and 16^th with a 50.3% Fenwick (unblocked attempts). They’ve also put more shots on goal (188-179), broken even in goals (13-13) and posted a 3-2-2 record despite continued disadvantages in scoring chances (154-176) and high-danger chances (54-71).