Patrik Laine’s playing position has been the subject of speculation.
Patrik Laine is being returned to the winger’s plot. AOP / USA TODAY SPORTS
Last NHL season saw an interesting experiment when the Columbus Blue Jackets moved Patrik Laine from winger to center forward.
The experiment did not last long due to Laine’s injury, but since then it has been speculated whether the goalkeeper will play as a center in the coming season.
The speculation got new rounds when Mike Babcock was allowed to leave the position of the head coach of the Blue Jackets as a result of the uproar. Pascal Vincent was elevated to the new commander-in-chief. He already put Laine in the middle last season.
Inside reporter for The Athletic Aaron Portzline according to this season Laine is, at least initially, returning to a more familiar place, i.e. as a wharf.
Portzline published the training camp squads on its account in the messaging service X, where Laine has been set as the right winger of the first team’s first chain. In the same chain are Alexandre Texier, known from KalPa, and the booking of this summer’s first round Adam Fantilli.
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Vincent said after the first day of training camp that he was considering using Laine as a center.
– I’m not saying we don’t do it. I still have to discuss it with Patrik.
Laine and Fantilli practiced shooting the puck directly from the pass after practice. Fantilli has also lived in the apartment of Laine and her girlfriend.
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