Patrik Laine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patrik Laine
Laine in 2017
Born	(1998-04-19) 19 April 1998 (age 27) Tampere, Finland
Height	6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight	206 lb (93 kg; 14 st 10 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shoots	Right
NHL team Former teams	Montreal Canadiens Tappara Winnipeg Jets Columbus Blue Jackets
National team	Finland
NHL Draft	2nd overall, 2016 Winnipeg Jets
Playing career	2014–present

Patrik Laine (born 19 April 1998) is a professional ice hockey player from Finland. He plays as a right winger for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL). Patrik was picked second overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2016 NHL entry draft. He has also played for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Early Life and Hockey Start

Patrik Laine started playing hockey when he was four years old. At first, he was a goaltender, but his dad told him to switch to playing forward. When he was 16, he left school to focus completely on hockey.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting with Tappara (2015–2016)

Patrik began his hockey journey with a team called Ilves at age four. He soon moved to a rival team, Tappara. He made his first appearance in the top Finnish league, Liiga, at just 16 years old during the 2014–15 season. He played six games and scored one point. The next season, he scored 17 goals and 16 assists, totaling 33 points in 46 games.

Before the NHL draft, many hockey experts thought Laine was one of the top young players. His strong play with Tappara and his great performance at the 2015 IIHF World U18 Championships helped him move up the draft rankings. At that tournament, he scored eight goals in seven games.

After a fantastic performance at the 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, more scouts and fans noticed Patrik. By January 2016, he was seen as the clear second-best player for the upcoming draft. Experts said he had a "dynamic" way of playing and was a "pure goal scorer."

Laine with Tappara in March 2016

By February 2016, some even thought Laine could be picked first overall, challenging Auston Matthews. Scouts had to think hard about who was better. Some felt Laine was "right there" with Matthews. One scout said, "Laine is right there. A lot of our European scouts who see these guys think Laine is better."

In April 2016, Patrik's time with Tappara ended. His team finished third in the Liiga standings and made it to the playoffs. He was a key player in the semifinals, scoring six goals in a seven-game series. He even scored three last-minute goals to tie games, including one with just one second left! With this goal, he broke the Liiga record for most goals by a rookie in the playoffs.

Laine and Tappara won their semifinal series and moved on to the 2016 Liiga Finals. Patrik played a big role in the final series, helping Tappara win the Liiga championship title in six games. He was also named the playoff MVP, scoring ten goals and five assists in 18 playoff games.

Joining the Winnipeg Jets (2016–2021)

After being picked second overall by the Winnipeg Jets, Laine signed a three-year contract on 3 July 2016. This marked the start of his career in North America.

NHL Debut and Early Records

On 13 October 2016, Patrik played his first National Hockey League (NHL) game. He scored a goal and an assist against the Carolina Hurricanes. On 19 October, he scored his first career hat-trick (three goals) in a 5–4 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. At 18 years and 183 days old, he became the youngest player born outside North America to score at least twice in one NHL game.

On 7 January 2017, Laine got a concussion and missed eight games. Even with the injury, he was chosen to play in the 2017 NHL All-Star Game. On 14 February, he scored his third NHL hat-trick. On 21 February, Laine broke the Jets' rookie record for most goals in a season, previously held by Ilya Kovalchuk. By the end of the year, Laine had 36 goals and 28 assists for 64 points. This was the second-highest point total for a rookie in franchise history.

More Milestones and Records

In his second NHL season, on 25 February 2018, Laine scored his 30th and 31st goals. This made him one of only seven teenagers in NHL history to score 30 goals in two seasons in a row. On 6 March, he scored his fourth NHL hat-trick, becoming the third teenager ever to have four hat-trick games before turning 20.

On 15 March 2018, Laine set a new NHL record for the longest point streak by a teenager, reaching 14 games. His streak ended at 15 games. At the end of the 2017–18 season, Laine was second in the league for goals scored with 44. He became the first teenager in 30 years to score a total of 80 goals in his career, passing Sidney Crosby's 75.

Patrik scored his first playoff goal in Game One against the Minnesota Wild. This helped the Jets get their first playoff win ever. He was also the youngest player in Jets history and the youngest Finnish player in the NHL to score a playoff goal.

Five-Goal Game and 100th Goal

After a slow start to the 2018–19 season, Laine scored his fifth career hat-trick during the 2018 NHL Global Series in his home country, Finland. On 24 November 2018, Laine scored an amazing five goals in one game against the St. Louis Blues. He was the first player to do this since 2011. He scored five goals on only five shots, which was a rare feat. A few days later, on 29 November, Laine scored his 100th NHL goal. He was the fourth-youngest player in NHL history to reach 100 regular season goals.

The 2019–20 season was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Laine had a great season, scoring 63 points in 68 games. However, he got a wrist injury early in the playoffs, and the Jets were eliminated.

Time with the Columbus Blue Jackets (2021–2024)

In January 2021, Laine was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets along with Jack Roslovic. In his first season with Columbus, he scored 10 goals and 11 assists in 45 games.

In July 2021, Laine signed a one-year contract extension with the Blue Jackets. This was followed by a four-year contract in July 2022. During his time with the Blue Jackets, he often dealt with injuries. In January 2024, it was announced that Laine had joined the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. He said he needed to focus on his "mental health and well-being."

Moving to the Montreal Canadiens (2024–present)

After the 2023–24 season, Patrik Laine wanted a fresh start. On 19 August 2024, he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. He chose to wear jersey number 92 because his usual number 29 was retired by the team to honor a famous goalie, Ken Dryden.

In a preseason game on 28 September, Laine got a knee injury. Luckily, he did not need surgery, but he was out for two to three months. He returned to play for the Canadiens on 3 December. He scored his first hat-trick as a Montreal player on 17 December. This was his 11th career hat-trick, making him the third Finnish-born NHL player with the most hat-tricks.

On 14 January, Laine scored his 400th NHL point. He became the seventh Finnish player in NHL history to reach this milestone in fewer than 500 games. He played his 500th NHL game on 23 January.

International Play

Laine (number 29) battling for the puck against Belarus at the 2016 IIHF World Championship
Medal record
Representing  Finland
Men's ice hockey
IIHF World Championship
Silver	2016 Russia
IIHF World U20 Championship
Gold	2016 Finland
IIHF World U18 Championship
Silver	2015 Switzerland

In April 2015, Laine played for Finland's national under-18 team at the World U18 Championships. He scored eight goals and three assists, helping his team win a silver medal. He was named to the tournament All-Star Team.

Laine then played for the Finland national junior team at the 2016 World Junior Championships. He helped his team win the gold medal on 5 January 2016. He was named to the tournament All-Star Team after scoring 13 points in seven games.

After winning the championship with Tappara, Laine was chosen to play for the Finland national team at the 2016 IIHF World Championship. He was the youngest Finnish player ever to play in this tournament. He scored two goals and one assist in his first game, becoming the youngest player in the tournament's history to score three points in a game.

Finland reached the championship final, but they lost to Canada. Laine finished the tournament with seven goals and five assists for 12 points in 10 games. He led the tournament in goals scored. He was named the tournament's most valuable player and was also part of the All-Star team.

In December 2024, Laine was named to the Finnish team for the upcoming 2025 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February 2025.

Personal Life

When he was growing up, Patrik Laine was a big fan of the Washington Capitals, especially their star player, Alexander Ovechkin. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games, with Fortnite being one of his favorites.

In August 2024, Laine and his fiancée, Jordan Leigh, started an online group called "From Us to You." This group helps people share their experiences and advice for improving their mental health.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

International Play Statistics

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2014	Finland	IH18	5th		3	1	0	1	2
2015	Finland	WJC18			7	8	3	11	0
2016	Finland	WJC			7	7	6	13	6
2016	Finland	WC			10	7	5	12	4
2016	Finland	WCH	8th		3	0	0	0	0
Junior totals					17	16	9	25	8
Senior totals					13	7	5	12	4

Awards and Honours