Patrik Laine’s tenure in Columbus has gotten off to a rocky start to say the least. Filling the skates of a departed (and disgruntled) Pierre Luc-Dubois, the Jackets had high hopes that Laine would be able to add another dynamic to the offence.
While that is still definitely true, his development on the team was quickly stunted when he reportedly mouthed off to an assistant coach and was benched for the end of a 2nd period and the entire 3rd.
That is sometimes the John Tortorella way, just ask Dubois.
The story of Patrik Laine’s ice time got a little stranger on Thursday when the recent acquisition finished the game as the leader in ice time among Jackets’ forwards. Laine was the only forward to cross 20 minutes on the ice, and he finished with 20:23 total.
Beat reporter Jeff Svoboda lists his ice time as 20:03, but NHL.com and another cross-checked website have 20:23. Regardless, Laine led the way.
Whether or not this was done on purpose in a showing of trust or an opportunity for redemption isn’t clear. It could have just been how the cookie crumbled.
Laine finished the game with one assist on fellow-acquisition Jack Roslovic’s goal.
(H/T Jeff Svoboda)
