DENVER — The best player under 20 years of age in the NHL? It's either Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews, right? After all, they score the most points, get the most ink, sell the most jerseys and endorse the most products. Pick either one of the M&M boys, and you've got a good case.
Hold the phone. When the history books are written about this particular era of the NHL, it is quite possible that an 18-year-old Winnipeg Jets rookie from Tampere, Finland, proved the best of all.
At the top of the scoring list right now is a kid who goes by the name of Laine, Patrik Laine (pronounced "Lie-nay"). Not just the rookie scoring list or the under-20 scoring list or the Kids on a Canadian Team scoring list. The scoring list, that of all NHL players. Laine's 11 goals in his first 17 games topped the charts, and that's despite a "slump" his last two games, goal-less encounters with Colorado and Los Angeles in which the Jets still took three of four points.
McDavid, in his second season at 19, does have more points than Laine (19 to 17) and plays on an Edmonton team with a better record. And Matthews has been no sl ...
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Article written by Adrian Dater
It’s Not Crazy to Think Patrik Laine Will Be Better Than Matthews and McDavid
November 14th, 2016 by Adrian Dater Leave a reply »
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