Patrik Laine will make his Blue Jackets debut tonight, as you know by now.
And he's got jokes.
"It looks like I brought the winter with me," he quipped during his pre-game media availability. One thing he must get used to: a few inches of snow will shut this midwestern city down. You're not in Winnipeg anymore, Mr. Laine.
The Blue Jackets' new superstar took part in Tuesday's morning skate at Nationwide Arena and found himself, for the first time, with his new line mates. At least for the maiden voyage, Laine will play left wing with Alexandre Texier at center and Cam Atkinson on the right side. Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella has options, but he wants to use Texer as Laine's center because, quite frankly, Texier is the center who has spent the most time with the puck in recent games.
Regardless of who he's playing with, Laine is simply looking forward to his first go-round with his new team.
"It's finally good to be here. It's been good so far," Laine said. "Being injured for a bit of time at first, then quarantine and visa and all that stuff...I'm excited to get the new jersey on and play for this team now.
"I've been watching some games. They've looked pretty good. There's still a lot of room to improve, and hopefully I can bring my abilities and my strengths into the lineup and hopefully get a lot of wins."
Those who know Laine describe him as laid-back, honest, and committed. The Blue Jackets are hoping he provides a jolt to their power play, which has had its share of struggles since roughly World War II.
"The challenge is getting back after two games, just keep the shifts short. Play simple. The hands are definitely not there yet, but they'll come eventually. (I'll) just shoot as many pucks as I can. Hopefully I can try to fire the cannon a couple of times–maybe tonight." – Patrik Laine on his Blue Jackets debut
He's not a miracle-worker by any means, but Laine is a threat–not just with his shot, but his ability to make plays. It won't happen overnight, but he's going to change the look and dynamic of the Blue Jackets at 5-on-5 and on the man advantage.
"It's still kinda weird to see all the new faces in the locker room. Everything is new here for me," Laine said. "It's (about) getting more and more comfortable every day, getting to know more of the guys. I'm sure it'll be fine after a little bit of time.
"It was great to get some touches on the power play (during the morning skate) and get a couple goals. Game (situation), it's going to be different than practice and hopefully we have a good one tonight."
One relationship he sought right away was Tortorella. Laine asked the Blue Jackets for game tape to review, was asking questions about their team structure and how they set up on the power play, and was curious about where he'd fit. It all gets started tonight.
"I think everybody has heard stories about him," Laine said of Tortorella. "But he seems like a really, really good guy and a really good coach. He definitely knows what he's doing. A guy who's going to do everything he can to help the team win, and that's all we can ask for as players. If we work as hard as we can, he'll give us all the tools."
