Jets' Patrik Laine out with concussion, no timetable for return
Winnipeg rookie took open-ice hit in Saturday's loss to Buffalo
The Winnipeg Jets confirmed on Sunday that rookie forward Patrik Laine suffered a concussion as a result of an open-ice hit by Jake McCabe of the Sabres in Saturday's loss in Buffalo.
Laine was looking down at the puck when McCabe hit him with his left shoulder. McCabe was not penalized for the hit. Laine appeared to hit the back of his head on the ice as he fell and was down for several minutes before being helped to his feet.
"It's a hard hit and when you get a collision like that there aren't the markers of a dirty hit," Jets head coach Paul Maurice told reporters after team practice on Sunday.
"The elbows aren't up and they're not off their feet. They collided and both heads hit, and we had a bad result. It's an awfully hard hit. Those happen in the games, but it wasn't dirty."
Maurice also told reporters there is no timetable for Laine's return.
Get the full update on Patrik Laine from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLJets?src=hash">#NHLJets</a> head coach Paul Maurice. <a href="https://t.co/Wo4I2RDVix">pic.twitter.com/Wo4I2RDVix</a>
—@NHLJets
Laine, who was selected second overall in June, has 21 goals and 16 assists in 42 games this season. The 18-year-old leads all rookies with 37 points.
With files from The Associated Press