The Winnipeg Jets selected Patrik Laine with the second overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft on Friday.
Patrik Laine
Position: LW/RW
Height: 6-4
Weight: 206 pounds
Age: 18
Club: Tappara Tampere (Liiga)
Nationality: Finnish
| GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | 17 | 16 | 33 |
Laine was can't-miss programming in the latter portion of his inspired, fervid, and impassioned crusade toward the draft floor. This is a prospect that made it his mission, on the ice and on the mic, to unseat Auston Matthews as the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft.
This is a supremely talented, exceedingly dynamic, NHL-ready scorer with the skill set pundits liken to Alex Ovechkin, and who's as physically prepared to take on the challenge at the next level as any lottery pick. His robust frame, elite shot, and underrated vision and passing capability makes him a terror in the offensize zone. His one flaw, at least in an attacking capacity, would be his average skating ability compared to other top prospects.
He was a national force over the last calendar year for three separate teams. Laine helped Finland win gold at U-18 and U-20 tournaments before being named to the senior team for last month's World Championship. There, he scored seven goals and five assists in 10 games, earning MVP honors in a competition saturated with elite NHL talent.
Laine totalled 33 points in 46 regular-season games at the club level before absolutely exploding in the playoffs. He spliced together a personal highlight tape (see below) with 10 goals and five assists in 18 games, and was named, unsurprisingly, playoff MVP as Tappara Tampere captured the Liiga title.
The decorated sniper immediately becomes the best prospect in Winnipeg's loaded system, and jump to the front of the line, factoring on opening night.
