The Winnipeg Jets could use some good news - couldn’t we all? - and it doesn’t get a lot better than this in late January: rookie sensation Patrik Laine’s back.
Paul Maurice said it simply enough, stating that “he’s in” for Tuesday’s game against the San Jose Sharks.
Winnipeg lost its game against the Ducks on Monday while the Sharks rode Patrick Marleau’s magical third period to a decisive win versus Colorado on that same night, so getting a burst from Laine is a pretty nice bonus for a Jets team that feels like it’s just sort of hanging on.
Laine’s been sidelined since Jan. 7 with a concussion thanks to a hard Jake McCabe hit that even the Jets considered “clean.”
He’s likely out of the upper ranks of the Calder race at this point, although who knows?
Laine already has 21 goals and 37 points in 42 games, so it’s probably foolish to say that the young sniper can’t pull something off.