The final roster Forward Eric Fehr, defenceman Andreas Borgman claim final spots,
Jets sophomore was neck and neck with Matthews in rookie race last season
WINNIPEG— Patrik Laine says he has a new trick up his sleeve for his second year in the NHL, which should be enough to send chills down the spines of goalies across the league.
But he also joked about an idle summer, so you never quite know what’s really up when interviewing the rare NHLer who’s not afraid to show a sense of humour.
“I’m smaller. I just played a lot of golf. I didn’t work out at all,” he deadpanned, before allowing that he is bigger and in fact worked out a great deal. “Everyone is superexcited the season is going to start. It was a long summer. Finally we get to go back and play.”
The NHL schedule-maker, too, might have had a sense of humour, pitting Laine and the Jets against Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs in the season opener.
Laine has finished second to Matthews in all NHL-related matters: Drafted second overall in 2016, second in rookie scoring last season and second in voting for rookie of the year.
But Laine was at his best against the Leafs last season, scoring five goals in two games.
It could be a fun rivalry, but the players don’t play along — “He’s a great guy.” Matthews said — and Leafs head coach Mike Babcock wouldn’t even acknowledge it. When asked about the Matthews-Laine matchup, the coach said: “I thought the Leafs were playing Winnipeg.”
So if sense of humour counts, Laine leads 1-0.
Of course, it’s on the ice that matters. And Laine had a wonderful rookie year, scoring 36 goals last year in an injury-shortened 73 games. Most of his goals were eye-popping in nature, with a heavy shot that might actually be getting more dangerous.
“He seems to be shooting the puck harder,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “His game was really in a linear progression last year. He got better 5-on-5 with the reads of the game. He came to camp right on that path and continues to get better.”
The Jets missed the playoffs last year. They added Steve Mason in net, hopefully addressing long-standing goaltending issues, and are counting on their core of young players, with Laine the focal point among the likes of Nikolaj Ehlers, Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey.
“It’s fun. I enjoy doing this job,” said Laine. “It doesn’t matter if they’re counting on me. I try to score as many goals as possible.”