Finnish paper reports Wheeler and Scheifele's mistreatment of Laine, refers to insider sources
The Jets' star players and coach were the reason for Patrik Laine's desire to get out of Winnipeg, writes Pekka Jalonen. The whole of Winnipeg went crazy when the city’s puck Jets managed to grab Patrik Laine at the NHL annual draft event in the summer of 2016 with the second pick.
Laine, who scored goals with his world-class shot, immediately became the number one favorite of Jets fans. The 18-year-old Finn had no spot on the first power play unit, even though he scored 36 goals during his rookie season. The following season, Laine scored 44 goals on the second line and was even more popular among supporters if possible.
It bothered two players especially.
According to information from Iltalehti's insiders, one of them was the Jets veteran forward, Captain Blake Wheeler. The other was Jets ’number one center, Wheeler weapon carrier Mark Scheifele.
Wheeler felt his position on the right side of the No. 1 chain was threatened because Laine was originally a right winger. Wheeler was also not enthusiastic that a young man from Finland would become almost as popular in Winnipeg as Teemu Selänne.
Scheifele, who was on the team captain's leash, made it clear to everyone that he wanted to play with Wheeler.
Outside the rink, Wheeler and Scheifele threw sand at Laine’s skates in almost every possible way. Wheeler in particular was a master at speaking behind the backs of a Finnish young man for things he certainly did not want in public.
Jets head coach Paul Maurice was too weak to defy Wheeler and Scheife. Maurice let and continues to let Wheeler and Scheifele lead the team.
This three-headed ladder made Laine's life difficult, unhappy with her role and treatment.
In the NHL, opponents are already tough enough, no one needs sanders anymore in their locker room.
On Saturday, Wheeler partially admitted that he had handled some things badly with Laine. Wheeler’s statements, however, were quite hacky and concerned his own frustration with Laine’s performances.
“Maybe I could have communicated a little better instead of being frustrated,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler, of course, didn’t tell what all happened behind the scenes.
Scheifele remained silent. When the Jets faced the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, Scheifele did not mention a word of Laine or his departure from the team in an interview.
Sometimes what is left unsaid says more than a thousand words.
Maurice, however, admitted his mistake with Laine.
Maurice stated that he tried to create an environment for each player where they could feel they could be at their best. In the case of Laine, Maurice admitted his failure and took full responsibility for it.
In an interview with Iltalehti, Laine raised the cat to the table as early as the summer of 2019, announcing that in some other NHL club he would be playing with the team’s best players.
Iltalehti's story caused a huge uproar in Winnipeg, but did not change the position of the Finnish star.
At that time, Laine's camp put one and one together and devised a strategy to take the Finn road out of Winnipeg in the summer of 2023 at the latest, but hopefully earlier.
The strategy led to a result on Saturday.
In recent years, the Jets have lost Evander Kane, Jacob Trouba, Dustin Byfuglien, Jack Roslovic and Laine, all of whom wanted out of Winnipeg. Byfuglien even ended his career in the middle of the contract period.
This tells us that there is something rotten in the club led by GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and in the locker room led by Wheeler.
Prior to Saturday's trade, GM Jarmo Kekäläinen of Columbus Blue Jackets did not receive a promise from Laine about a continuation agreement. Laine’s contract expires next summer and she will become a limited free agent with the right to arbitration.
In the arbitration proceedings, Laine would receive an annual salary of approximately $ 9-9.5 million and would have to enter into a maximum 2-year contract with Blue Jackets.
In the Blue Jackets, Laine is the team’s number one star and number one forward, but does he want to continue her career in Ohio and make a follow-up deal with Kekäläinen?
The Blue Jackets don’t have the kind of center who can feed Laine night after night. Apparently, Laine, who should be planted next to Max Domi, was forced into the spring from the ditch with the deal.
But at least he no longer has to fight his team’s two star players.