Patrik Laine‘s name has once again come up in the NHL, as The Athletic highlights the Finnish player as a possible option for the Winnipeg Jets’ offense. The Jets are in need of more firepower alongside Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor.

Laine is currently an unrestricted free agent, so a return to Winnipeg is possible. The Finnish forward started his NHL career with the Jets in 2016 and played for the team for nearly five seasons.

In Winnipeg, Laine scored 36 goals in his rookie season. As a teenager, he managed to score nearly 100 goals for the team.

– Patrik Laine became Patrik Laine in Winnipeg. There he scored 36 goals as a rookie and nearly 100 goals as a teenager, The Athletic writes.

The Athletic also emphasizes the symbolic significance of a return. Winnipeg was the place where Laine rose to prominence in the entire NHL.

– Returning home can feel really good, even if it doesn’t bring victories for the home team on the ice, the site mentions.

However, Laine’s career has taken a difficult turn since his years in Winnipeg. He has not played a full season in the NHL since leaving the Jets.

Last season, Laine appeared in just five games for Montreal. He recorded one assist in those games, after which an injury ended his season.

The 28-year-old Laine has played a total of 537 games in his NHL career.

LUE MYÖS:

Read more