NHL Draft: Patrik Laine selected 2nd overall by Jets

The Winnipeg Jets selected Finnish winger Patrik Laine with the second overall pick of the NHL draft on Friday.

NHL Central Scouting ranked Laine No. 2 among European players behind centre Auston Matthews, who played for Zurich last season.

Laine equals Kari Lehtonen as the highest Finn ever drafted into the NHL.

At six foot four and 201 pounds, the 18-year-old Laine has size as well as a wicked shot.

"An extremely skilled winger with size, speed, hockey, sense and competitiveness," said Dan Marr, director of Central Scouting. "He is a natural scorer who possesses an NHL-calibre shot. Laine is a tough competitor to play against and even harder to check, an offensive threat every time he is on the ice."

The Jets traded up to the 18th overall pick and selected defenceman Logan Stanley. Winnipeg also acquired the 79th overall pick in this year's draft from the Philadelphia Flyers for the 22nd and 36th overall selections.

Laine is also coming off a season to remember. Playing for Tappara, he led all rookies in the Finnish elite league with 17 goals and 16 assists in 46 games. And he added 10 goals and five assists in 18 playoff games, helping Tappara to the league title while winning the Jari Kurri Award as playoff MVP.

Laine (pronounced LY-ny) led Finland to gold at the 2016 World Junior Championship on home soil, tying Matthews for the tournament lead with seven goals and was named to the tournament all-star team.

The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Matthews first overall.

At the world championship, Laine tied for the tournament lead in goals with seven as Finland won silver. Laine was named MVP, best forward and a tournament all-star.

"It gave me confidence a lot," he said. "To see that I can play against those players and play well."

There have been some bumps in Laine's road. He was sent home from the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Tournament after clashing with his coach during a game for not letting him play.

"I was a kid and I couldn't handle that," Laine said. "I just said to the guy next to me that I would punch the coach."

The story spiralled from there. "It was all over the news," he acknowledged.

Older and somewhat wiser, Laine still has an edge about him. He turned up at a pre-draft media availability looking nonchalant in sunglasses with his baseball cap turned backwards, only to have a handler ask him to take the shades off.

"I can't see then," Laine replied before taking them off.

Laine says he models himself after Washington Capitals sniper Alex Ovechkin.

Winnipeg has history with Finland, welcoming Teemu Selanne into the NHL fold back in 1992-93 when the Finnish Flash racked up 76 goals.

The Jets had two picks in the first round, with one obtained from Chicago (22nd overall) in the deal that sent captain Andrew Ladd to the Blackhawks in February.

Winnipeg has five more picks Saturday.

At 35-39-8, the Jets finished nine points out of the playoffs last season.

Oilers grab Puljujarvi

The Edmonton Oilers selected Finnish winger Jesse Puljujarvi with the fourth overall pick.

Puljujarvi played for Karpat in the Finnish Elite League last season, scoring 13 goals with 15 assists through 50 games. He also added four goals and five assists through 10 playoff games.

NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr describes Puljujarvi as the "ultimate power forward package," a "well-rounded winger" who can score and create opportunities for his teammates.

Edmonton gets Jesse Puljujrvi with 4th pick in NHL Draft

8 years ago

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The Oilers got a big surprise as one of the top prospects was available at the 4th pick

Puljujarvi won MVP and best forward honours at the world juniors while playing alongside second overall pick Patrik Laine, who was selected by Winnipeg earlier Friday.

The Oilers have gone a decade without making the playoffs, last qualifying in 2006. A new management team, led by general manager Peter Chiarelli, has been looking to round out the roster, primarily on defence.

Edmonton remained a poor defensive club last season despite the presence of esteemed new head coach Todd McLellan, stable goaltending from Cam Talbot, as well as the addition of highly skilled centres Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

"I want to play with him," Puljujarvi said of McDavid. "They have a very young team and that's good."

Already boasting a wealth of young talent, most of it up front, it was thought that the Oilers might deal the fourth overall pick for ready-made help on the back-end.

Canucksadd Finnish defenceman

The Vancouver Canucks selected Finnish defenceman Olli Juolevi with the fifth overall pick.

Juolevi, the third Finn to be picked in the top-5, played for the juggernaut Memorial Cup winning London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.

Canucks take defenceman Olli Juolevi 5th overall

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Vancouver took the first dman of the draft and the 3rd Finnish born player in the top 5

The 18-year-old also helped Finland to gold at the world juniors, leading all defenders with nine assists.

"It's awesome to go to Vancouver," said Juolevi, who visited the city when he played in the Top Prospects game in January.

"I saw how great the city is and how much they love hockey," he added.

He likens his style to Coyotes defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and is described by NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr as a graceful skater and puck-mover "with excellent poise and composure."

Juolevi had nine goals and 33 assists in 57 regular-season games for London in 2015-16.

Vancouver is looking to continue its rebuild after a frustrating season last year. The Canucks finished five points ahead of last place Edmonton in the Western Conference standings.

Asked if he was ready to contribute right away, Juolevi replied: "That's my goal ... I want to come to training camp and show what I've got."

Flames take Knights' Tkachuk

The Calgary Flames selected American forward Matthew Tkachuk with the sixth overall pick.

Tkachuk was one of the key members of the London Knights' dominant Memorial Cup winning team this season, finishing fifth in Ontario Hockey League scoring with 107 points in 57 games.

Calgary gets Matthew Tkachuk 6th overall

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The son of the former NHLer Keith is now a Calgary Flame

Tkachuk, an 18-year-old from Scottsdale, Ariz., lined up mostly alongside Christian Dvorak, a Coyotes prospect, and Mitch Marner, a Maple Leafs prospect, on an always threatening Knights top line.

The left-winger is the son of long-time NHL power winger Keith Tkachuk.

"A couple picks in I knew that this was going to be the team," Tkachuk said. "And I had them circled since I talked to them at the combine and visited them after the combine.

"This is the place I wanted to be and the place I'm going to have the best shot."

He's described by NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr as a high-end scorer, someone "willing to go to the hard areas to score goals." Tkachuk likens his style on the ice to James van Riemsdyk, another imposing American winger.

Calgary will have a new look behind the bench in 2016-17. General Manager Brad Treliving recently hired Glen Gulutzan as the Flames new head coach after dismissing Bob Hartley.

The Flames finished the season 12th in the Western Conference seven points ahead of last place Edmonton.