Columbus Blue Jackets’ NHL star Patrik Laine’s last-minute withdrawal from the World Cup Lions has sparked a variety of speculations.
Patrik Laine from Tampere will not be able to play in his hometown’s World Cup. AOP / USA Today Sports
The Finnish Ice Hockey Federation announced on April 22 Patrik Laine to star Leijon in the World Cup home games. On May Day, however, it was announced that Laine is not in full playing condition and will therefore miss the Czech EHT tournament.
After it ended, the player selections for the World Championships starting next Friday in Tampere and Riga were published on Sunday, and Laine’s name did not appear on the list.
– “Pate” has all kinds of rumors, Laine’s agent Petteri Lehto saddens.
At the pole position of the rumor exchange is the speculation that GM Jarmo Kekäläinen led by the Blue Jackets finally banned Laine from participating in the Games.
– Jarmo didn’t deny anything at all – on the contrary, he said just go there. But Pate was not cleared by the doctor to play, and that’s it Lehto tells Iltalehte.
– If the doctor says that you are not fit to play, then you don’t play.
Lehto points out that he has no right to tell more about the player’s injury. The public has talked about Laine’s extensor muscle injury.
– If someone thinks that he didn’t want to come to the Games, why would he have said that he would come to the Games? Lehto asks rhetorically.
The 25-year-old forward, who scored more than 200 goals and almost 400 points in his NHL career, was sidelined for Columbus’ last 12 regular season games. If Laine had wanted to, it would have been easy to skip the races directly, and no one would have wondered about it.
– He wanted to come, but it didn’t work out, assures Lehto.
Like the GM of the Lions Jere Lehtinen said in the press release, missing the home games is a big disappointment for Lainee.
Raised in Finland
In North America, the World Championships are known not to be held in the same regard as in the big European ice hockey countries, such as Finland.
– But these guys have grown up in Finland. If they are coming to the games, they want to succeed and be successful there, Lehto explains the Finnish NHL players’ interest in the games.
Despite Laine’s absence, there are five NHL players in the Lions’ lineup published on Sunday. About them Mikko Rantanen is the brightest star of the entire Games, and the quintet is completed by Joel Armia, Kaapo Kako, Kasperi Kapanen and Olli Määttä.