Laine glad to be back on ice, on Finland roster for 4 Nations Face-Off

Patrik Laine had yet to play in an NHL game this season when he found out he was on Finland’s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

“I think it was Saturday when the coach called me,” the Montreal Canadiens forward said Thursday. “I wasn't sure if he was going to tell me that I'd been cut or that I'd made the team, it was kind of 50-50. But it was a happy phone call, so that's good.”

Finland’s roster, as well rosters for Canada, the United States and Sweden, were announced Wednesday for the first best-on-best NHL tournament since the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 in Toronto.

It will be held from Feb. 12-20, starting at Bell Centre in Montreal and concluding at TD Garden in Boston.

Laine said he’s glad he still has two months to get geared up for the 4 Nations.

“I mean, it wouldn't be ideal if the tournament started tomorrow, obviously, with only playing one game,” Laine said. “But we’ve got two months and that's plenty of time to figure out my game and be really good. But two months is a lot of time and I just appreciate the trust that they had to name me and to know what I can do for the team and for them, and so I’m just happy about it.”

Laine, who was traded to the Canadiens from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Aug. 19, missed the first 24 games of this season because of a knee injury sustained in a preseason game Sept. 28. This after missing all but 18 games last season after breaking his clavicle on Dec. 18 and going into the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on Jan. 28. He was cleared from the program on July 26.

He made his season and Canadiens debut Tuesday, scoring in a 2-1 win against the New York Islanders at Bell Centre.

“It's been a journey-and-a-half but just being able to play again and enjoy what I'm doing for a living, I think sometimes you forget how cool this is,” the 26-year-old said. “So now I’ve kind of found that again, so that's really special.”

Finland general manager Jere Lehtinen said he kept in touch with Laine about his progress and recovery.

“We know Laine, what he’s able to do, special teams, power play, what he can do there and of course, short tournament, the special teams are going to be a big part of that,” Lehtinen said Wednesday. “We’ve been talking with him and knowing where he’s at and it’s great for him and the Canadiens. He’s back early and he played [Tuesday] night, was a great thing. But overall, there are two months before the tournament starts so there are a lot of games before then and I think it’s enough time to get him in good game shape and playing well there.”

Laine was 18 years old when he won a silver medal at the 2016 IIIHF World Championship. He was the tournament’s leading goal-scorer and had 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 10 games for Finland, which lost in the final against Canada.

He also played for Finland at the 2016 World Cup, the No. 2 pick by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2016 NHL Draft playing for his country before playing his first NHL game.

Finland did not advance to the knockout stage at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, losing its three Group B games while being outscored 9-1. Laine went scoreless in the three games.

“It's always really cool to put on that jersey,” Laine said. “It’s always a privilege to be representing our country. And obviously with these best-on-best events, you know, the World Cup didn't go too well for us last time. So we’ll try to get a little redemption this time.”

Eight years later, Laine has the fourth-most goals in the NHL among Finnish players (205) since the start of the 2016-17 season. The top three -- Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche (277 goals), Sebastian Aho of the Carolina Hurricanes (261) and Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers (220) – are also on Finland’s roster.

“I think we have a pretty solid lineup up and down,” Laine said. “Obviously, our goalies are really good, they’ve been really good this year. Obviously, our super guys are some of the best guys in the League and I think we have some big, strong guys on the back end and some guys who can really skate and move the puck. So I think we should be really good, and I think we can really surprise some teams.”