Laine takes first strides back

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This article was published 19/01/2017 (2652 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Through the first half of his first NHL season, everything seemed to come easy for Winnipeg Jets rookie Patrik Laine.

He scored his first goal in his first regular-season game, finishing with two points in a 5-4 overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Three games later, Laine provided the late-game heroics, scoring in extra time to register his first career hat trick in a victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs (while also outduelling Auston Matthews, the No. 1-overall pick).

By the midway mark of the season, Laine, 18, led the Jets in goals (21) and was tied for the points lead (36); his name cemented in the running for the Calder trophy, which is awarded to the league’s top rookie.

Laine looked primed to continue his dominance as the Jets arrived in Buffalo Jan. 7 to begin the second half of their season.

He had combined for five points in convincing wins over the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers earlier in the week, while playing on the Jets top line with Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers.

It was against that backdrop Jets fans watched nervously as Laine lay unresponsive on the ice at KeyBank Center following an open ice hit from Sabres defenceman Jake McCabe. He was diagnosed with a concussion shortly after returning to Winnipeg, with an uncertain timeline for his return.

That picture got a little bit clearer Friday as Laine joined his teammates for practice for the first time in nearly two weeks, and just days since feeling symptom free.

“Just the headaches and I was kind of tired all the time,” said Laine, speaking to reporters for the first time since the hit. “Just focusing, it was kind of hard.”

Limited by a yellow non-contact jersey, Laine took part in a number of drills, including a rare stint on the penalty kill.

He said his mind and body felt good, adding it’s been tough not being able to contribute. In the six games Laine has been out, the Jets have won just twice.

“I hope that they know I’m missing them,” said Laine. “I think they’ve played pretty well even though they haven’t won (much).”

Asked about the hit, Laine was unable to remember much. He did remember getting a pass from Scheifele near the Jets blue line, he said, but that’s where his memory became blurred.

“I got the puck and that’s it,” he said. “I can’t remember anything else.”

Jets head coach Paul Maurice was unable to determine when Laine could return to game action. Friday was the third time he had been on the ice since the injury.

The other times came in a one-on-one session Wednesday with the team’s fitness director, Dr. Craig Slaunwhite, and again Thursday when the Jets were given the day off.

“There’s no extra skate after (Friday),” said Maurice. “And then he comes back in (today) and if he’s right where he left off and felt good, we would start to push the heart rate a little bit and kind of gradually work up from there.”

“He’s got some testing that he’ll have to go back through again and we’ll just kind of wait,” added Maurice. “So if he feels good he’ll get some light bumps in. But the next phase, you’ll know it because the colour of sweater will change.”

As for Laine, he looks forward to returning, but with plenty of hockey ahead of him, he said he’s not going to rush back until he’s ready.

“I played half the season before the hit so I think it was a good couple of weeks break, so I have a lot of energy when I come back,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter how long you’re out of the games, I’m still young and I have a lot of games ahead of me so I don’t have to rush anything.”

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jeffkhamilton