Laine will skip playing for Finland at worlds

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This article was published 10/04/2017 (3080 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg Jets rookie right-winger Patrik Laine won’t skate for Finland at the upcoming IIHF world hockey championship.

The NHL club tweeted out a list of Jets who have agreed to play for their respective countries, mentioning Laine won’t participate in the championship set for next month in Germany and France.

Winnipeg centre Mark Scheifele, who led the club with 32 goals and 50 assists, and rookie defenceman Josh Morrissey have accepted invitations to play for Team Canada.

Goalie Connor Hellebuyck, blue-liner Jacob Trouba and forward Andrew Copp will play for the United States squad, while Nikolaj Ehlers will skate with Denmark.

Jets head coach Paul Maurice had said earlier today — before the news made official — he hoped Laine would stay home.

“I won’t be looking to turn that TV on to watch him play for Finland. I’m not hoping for it,” he said. “I guess I’m more honest than I should be. I don’t think he needs to play there to get better.

“He’s done a World Cup, he’s done a world championship, he’s played an NHL season, he’s done the combine. There isn’t anything left for him to do, in my mind, this year.”

The teen sniper, who had 36 goals in his inaugural NHL campaign, has had a busy 16 months. He helped Finland capture a gold medal at the 2016 world junior Championship and just a few months later was named most valuable player of the 2016 IIHF world championship as Finland earned a silver medal after losing in the final to Canada.

He was the second-overall pick in last summer’s NHL draft and was also Winnipeg’s lone representative at the NHL All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles in late January.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

@WFPJasonBell