The Finnish hockey nation received pleasant news on Saturday, when the Jääkiekkoliitto announced the Columbus Blue Jackets Patrik Laine joining the MM group in May.
The 25-year-old player is a particularly interesting name in Leijon in the sense that he last played in the national team shirt in the fall of 2016 at the World Cup. In the spring of the same year, he played in his only World Cup tournament so far.
Sports expert Ismo Lehkonen is excited about Laine’s arrival at the home games in Tampere.
– The national team gets a good leader. We know that special situations play a big role in goal games. Laine is by far the kind of player that not many grow up on our planet, says Lehkonen.
Laine last played a month ago against the Washington Capitals. He was absent from Columbus’ last regular season games due to injury.
Because of this, Laine’s participation in the World Championships was considered a question mark. However, the participation decision says that the Finnish star is healthy.
– The team is the reigning world champion, so guys like that don’t join if they’re not healthy, Lehkonen reminds.
Before the World Championships, Laine will play for the Czech EHT.
– When it’s been more than a month since the previous games, there are enough games before the real games start. The game system and your friends also become you. There’s plenty of time for a guy like that.
Smart bet from Jalose
When Laine last played at the World Cup level, his career was on a strong upswing. The 2015–2016 season was his breakthrough to the elite of Finnish ice hockey.
The wave sparkled like a hard splash of paint. At the turn of the year World Youth Championships in Helsinki, he was leading the Young Lions to the world championship with seven goals.
The Laine drug continued in the ranks of Tappara in the SM league. In the playoffs, he had ten hits and 15 points. Tappara, on the other hand, celebrated the Finnish championship after a 13-year break.
At the time, the 18-year-old player’s momentum continued in the World Championships, where he hit top power 7+5. He was chosen as the tournament’s most valuable player and the best attacker when the Lions won silver.
According to Lehkonen, Laine has changed a lot as a player since the 2016 version. The pressure around Laine, who has already played seven seasons in the NHL, has been intense all along.
– He is incredibly manly. Sometimes there have been storms and sometimes there has been calm. He has been able to complete it, however, and he doesn’t flinch at a small thing.
According to Lehkonen, Laine’s fading is From Jukka Jalose smart bet.
– He knows how to take some of the pressure on his shoulders. It makes the team easier.
Scary model
Even though the season was difficult for Columbus and a bit challenging for Lainee herself, she still played almost at a point per game rate (22+30). Lehkonen compares Laine’s situation To Joel Armiawho played at a good level in last year’s gold team.
Armia scored a goal in, among other things, the World Cup final.
– Mentally, the season was definitely really tough. Because of that, getting to Leijon is good for Lainee. Last year, Montreal had a difficult season, but in the World Cup, Armia emerged as a completely different player and he got a good feeling.
Can the people of Finland expect Laine to score the same goals as seven years ago at the World Cup in Russia?
– Maybe not necessarily, but we will see a much more mature and adult Laine. I don’t feel like going to throw a lot of goals at him.
– It is enough that he is one of the Lions’ players who performs. However, he is able to take quite a lot of attention when other enemies mark him very carefully. Then there will be room for others, Lehkonen estimates.
Before his injury, Laine was played as a center in Columbus. In Lehkonen’s opinion, nothing similar happens in Leijon.
– He doesn’t play as a center. He will be released to where he is at his best, which is to play on the wing. In Columbus, there was a shortage of centers, so because of that, Laine had to be a bit of a substitute sufferer. Still, he was able to play at a point-per-game pace.
You look at the Finns of Dallas
Laine is Leijoni’s fourth North American confirmation so far. At least the St. Louis Blues also play in the team Kasperi Kapanenof the Detroit Red Wings Olli Määttä and played on the AHL side this season Sakari Manninenwhich decided last year’s championship for Finland.
In terms of NHL confirmations, the situation is interesting less than three weeks before the start of the World Cup. Next, Lehkonen turns his eyes to the NHL’s first playoff round.
– Yes, you think about it yourself, who would be freed from there. Hordes of underdogs can become hungry players. If a pre-favorite drops out, there will be really motivated guys.
Lehkonen highlights the Dallas Stars, whose playoff series against Minnesota is now tied at 2–2. Defensive backs play in Dallas Miro Heiskanen, Jani Hakanpää, Esa Lindell and attackers Roope Hintz and Joel Kiviranta.
Among them, especially Heiskanen and Hintz, who are playing a top season, would be really delicious players for the Lions.
– Minnesota is playing so well. However, Dallas has three decks that are all world-class guys. All of them fit their roles in Leijon without fail. Roope Hintz and Joel Kiviranta are not bad guys either.