a

Observations:

May 2017 – I don’t know if Laine can truly be considered a prospect any longer after his phenomenal rookie season, which saw him not only net 36 goals as an 18 year old in the NHL, but also saw him a finalist for the Calder Trophy for the league’s rookie of the year. Laine looked good throughout the season, living up to his reputation as a natural scorer thanks to his quick release.

Laine looks to be a player who will be one the leading goal scorers on a yearly basis in the NHL. With his size, skill and natural abilities the only thing that can hold him back from putting points on the board at this point is injury. – David Dickenson

October 2016 – After a solid outing at the World Cup of Hockey, Laine was able to assert himself enough in Jets' camp to earn himself a spot on Winnipeg's opening day 22-man roster for the 2016-17 season. – David Dickenson

September 2016 – It's hard not to love this kid. He is hungry to be one of the best in the game and can be borderline cocky in the way he goes about it. He's a natural scorer and should be a sniper for years to come in the NHL. To top it all off, he was the youngest player on a solid Finland team in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, where roster spots were limited. He has superstar written all over him. – David Dickenson

June 2016 – Laine has been drafted 2nd overall in the 2016 Entry draft by the Winnipeg Jets. The top goal-scorer of the draft should make the jump to the NHL right away and there are top-six winger spots and powerplay minutes openly available for the Finnish sniper. 

February 2016 – Laine has seen his game develop even further in his draft year playing pro hockey against men for Tappara. Already considered a top five pick heading into his draft season because of his NHL ready size and goal scoring prowess, Laine had a dominant showing for Finland at the WJC where he scored seven goals and 13 points in seven games.  His greatest asset is his shot; release is very fast and requires no set up time. He has pinpoint accuracy and a lot of power behind it. Laine uses his size very well in puck protection as well as in board battles. Hockey sense and vision are strengths as well as he has Brett Hull like ability to sneak into open ice at precisely the right time to receive a pass for a one-timer opportunity. Peter Harling

Fantasy Outlook: A+

There’s little doubt he’ll be one of the top goal scorers in the NHL for years to come. He’s already being compared to Alexander Ovechkin in terms of his long-term fantasy value.

Footage:

Patrik Laine Highlights:

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Patrik Laine Stickhandling:

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