Patrik Laine didn’t set the world on fire in his first test at the World Cup of Hockey 2016.
The 18-year-old forward, chosen second overall by the Winnipeg Jets at this summer’s NHL Draft, was held pointless Thursday afternoon and didn’t record a shot on goal in Team Finland’s 3-2 overtime win over Sweden in pre-tournament play in Helsinki.
But at 6-4, 205 pounds, it was easy to notice the smooth-skating winger, even when he wasn’t doing anything particularly special.
He skated on a line with a pair of Florida Panthers — centre Aleksander Barkov and winger Jussi Jokinen — and got some time playing the point on the Finnish power play.