Bantam team gets surprise as Jets star joins squad for pickup game

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This article was published 15/11/2017 (2854 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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Aptly named Winnipeg Sharks goalie Matthew Kieper wanted to bury that oh-so-rare chance to score, particularly when the perfect setup came from the Winnipeg Jets’ usual triggerman, Patrik Laine.

“I got a pass from him. I should have scored, but I hit the post,” said Matthew, 13. “I was pretty upset. I wish I put that one in.”

The miss was inconsequential, really. Matthew and the Sharks got something far more meaningful, a special memory bound to last a lifetime — a surprise meet-and-greet with one of the NHL’s brightest stars.

Laine dropped by the Valley Gardens Community Club on a chilly Wednesday afternoon to play road-style hockey with the Sharks AAA bantam-2 squad. He posed for pictures and even left his temporary teammates with some loot, including Vapor 1X Lite sticks, courtesy of event sponsor Bauer Canada.

Kieper was the random winner of Laine’s signed stick the second-year NHLer used in the game of shinny.

“I’ll keep it up in my room, look at it every day and remember that he came,” Matthew said. “It’s really special because you don’t get to see pro hockey players up this close, and to see someone with that big a name come out is awesome. He was just one of the guys.”

Well, sort of one of the guys.

At 6-4, Laine towered over the kids who are just six years younger than him. He flashed some good hands and his trademark quick release, rifling the hard, orange hockey ball at the heavy-duty nylon “shooter tutor” tarp with wicked velocity. He was generous, too, dishing to just about every kid screaming his name for a pass. He even got bumped off the ball a couple of times, much to his delight.

It was all so familiar to a guy who ate, breathed and slept hockey growing up in Finland.

“This was the things that we were doing all day long, playing with my buddies,” Laine said. “It was so much fun back in the day when we were playing and it didn’t matter if you were the goalie or scoring, it was super fun and it’s still fun.”

Andrew Thevenot, 13, a Sharks forward, said he cashed in on a great pass from Laine, whose visit came as a complete shock to the squad.

“I had no idea, I just thought this was all just advertising. It’s pretty cool they would do all this for us,” Andrew said. “I was just on the ice and everybody was like, ‘Hey, Patrik’s here, Patrik’s here’ and I’m like, ‘Who’s Patrik?’ And then he comes out and it was so cool. He’s got probably one of the best wrist shots that I’ve ever seen.”

But his backchecking? Jets head coach Paul Maurice wouldn’t have been particularly thrilled with that aspect of his game, although mobility was clearly an issue. When it came to proper footwear, Laine chose poorly.

“It was a bit slippery and I wasn’t sure I was going to play street hockey, so I wasn’t really prepared for this,” Laine said, staring down at his black Ugg boots. “But it was still a lot of fun. At first it was a bit cold, but then we started moving and right now I’m sweating. It’s always nice to play outside.”

Laine, who has nine goals and three assists in 17 games for the Jets this season, said he’s always eager to take some time to put a smile on kids’ faces.

“There was a lot of excitement when they saw me and I think that was the whole point of this. I’m feeling good because it doesn’t take much from me to make those kids happy, and hopefully they will remember this day,” he said.

No one was keeping score, but, like all kids, Laine was keenly aware of his offensive production.

“Couple of goals and one apple… I’m satisfied,” he said, grinning.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @WFPJasonBell