Laine's 'Pat trick' a sign chemistry could be brewing for Jackets

For just over 20 minutes this season, there was a lot to be excited about when it comes to the combination of Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine.
The two standout Blue Jackets forwards seemed like they'd have the potential to be a match made in heaven, as one of hockey's top assist men (Gaudreau) and one of the game's top shooters (Laine) felt like a combination that could do wonders for Columbus.

When Laine and Gaudreau seemed to have chemistry all through preseason, there was a lot of optimism how it would work out. When Laine then scored 11 seconds into the second period of the season opener at Carolina, it was easy to think the Blue Jackets were truly on to something.
It's fair to say little has gone right since then. While Gaudreau has put up All-Star numbers, Laine has been in and out of the lineup three times thanks to a pair of injuries as well as a bout with COVID. The hoped-for chemistry has moved in fits and starts, and the Blue Jackets as a team have found their way to near the bottom of the NHL standings.
There was some good news Saturday night, though, as Laine's 10th career hat trick and second as a Blue Jacket helped push the Jackets to a 4-3 win at Detroit to begin the second half. Two of Laine's goals were assisted by Gaudreau, one of them a one-timer on a picture-perfect feed across the zone, while center Jack Roslovic also had a pair of helpers.

On top of it, the trio had big advantages in shot attempts (16-8), shots on goal (12-5) and expected goals (73.2 percent) when it was on the ice at 5-on-5. It was the kind of performance one hopes for from a top line, and that recently constituted trio hopes it can build on it going forward.
"The three of us, I feel like we've had chances lately," said Laine, who is just the 17th player in NHL history with double digits in hat tricks before age 25. "Before tonight, we haven't been able to score too many goals, but I feel like this game was a step in the right direction for us. We weren't forcing it at all. We were just taking what they were giving us. Happy that we got those three goals."
While the numbers aren't quite McDavid-esque, there's a lot to like about how the three of those players could be coming together. Despite all of the team's troubles, Gaudreau is producing at right around a point-per-game pace with 12-29-41 in 42 games. Roslovic has been snakebitten when it comes to goals, but he has 14 assists in the last 21 games. And for all that has happened this year to take him out of the lineup, Laine has 12 goals in 27 games, a 36-goal pace over 82 games even after a recent nine-game stretch without a tally.
And if all can stay healthy and rolling, the hope is production will continue to follow.
"Obviously the more you play together, the more reps you get in practice, you are just going to feel more comfortable playing together," Gaudreau said. "We went through a couple of stints here, then (Laine) got hurt, had a little bit more time, and then he got hurt again, then Covid. So it was nice to play with him tonight and create some chemistry. I thought we played well the past two games on a line and hopefully keep it going."
Head coach Brad Larsen said he sees the Gaudreau and Laine combination continuing to grow, but he also understands it will take time.
"I don't think I'm there yet," Larsen said. "That's not a slight on either one of them. The circumstances of the season have been bizarre. Patty has been out a couple of times and missed some time. … What you'd like to see is a stretch where we get a little bit healthy and add some layers and some depth in our lineup and then see the support case.
"I don't think they are there yet, but we're halfway through the first season. This isn't like they've been together for three years. It takes time. Chemistry, we all want it to be instantaneous, but a lot of times it takes time."
The Jackets' signings of Gaudreau (seven years) and Laine (four) to long-term deals means there's plenty of time for the two to get on the same page. And with a burgeoning core of talented, young players -- highlighted by six first-round picks the past three seasons -- it's still easy to see a future that includes lots of goals and wins for the group.