There used to be a bevy of 50-goal scorers in the NHL, but even the dominant scoring run of Alex Ovechkin fell short of the half-century mark this season.
So when will there be another 50-goal season in a league that has focused less on Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux-like numbers and more on four solid lines and rest for the playoffs? If the Winnipeg Jets have any say in that, then next year could very well be it.
Patrik Laine, who will not turn 20 for another two weeks, is just that good at scoring.
Last decade, it was common to see multiple players eclipse 50, including 2005-2006. That season, five players (Dany Heatley, Ovechkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jaromir Jagr, and Jonathan Cheechoo) reached that mark, but there has only been one season since 2010 in which there were multiple 50-goal scorers, and that was when Steven Stamkos and Evgeni Malkin reached it in 2011-2012.
While there are several players that have shown the ability to score at blistering paces, including some of the aforementioned players that are still active, all signs point toward Laine leading the way for the next generation of NHL players. That is because he has been a scoring threat from the very beginning of his NHL career and, with the exception of when he blocks shots like he did on March 20 or when he took an illegal blow to the head last season, he does not put himself in many positions to get injured, similar to a certain Russian hockey player in Washington.
Laine’s presence on the surging Winnipeg offense is no secret by any means. While Blake Wheeler has been in the center of the team’s pacing, the second pick in 2016 has proven time after time that his laser of a shot can only be held back for so long. He finished second in goals with 44, with 20 of them coming on the power play, and already has 80 goals as an NHL teen.
Now comes the most important step in securing a legacy: the playoffs. The Jets will begin their Stanley Cup quest at home against Minnesota, and the team’s playoff success is about as miserable as the franchise was in their old city. With just one playoff appearance since relocating from Atlanta and no wins, Winnipeg is certainly hoping that having home ice advantage will turn its fortunes around, but having a howitzer on the wing should help, too.
Ovechkin, who will easily be in the Hockey Hall of Fame, has been criticized for being unable to lead the Capitals past the second round of the playoffs, but Laine has a chance to build a stronger playoff repertoire on top of his dominance. Getting past two Central Division rivals with his help will be key.
As for whether Laine can build on his incredible 2017-2018 campaign in his 20s, things have to be looking good. He is far from his prime, and further development should result in some crazy numbers and possibly becoming the first player to hit 60 goals in a season since Stamkos did it in 2012. He has certainly lived up to the lofty expectations, and that should make the Jets a legitimate Stanley Cup contender for a very long time.
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