Another day, another set of questions asking Patrik Laine to compare himself to Auston Matthews.
This time it came after the Finnish forward did what he could at the NHL Scouting Combine despite a lower-body injury that prevented him from participating in many of the tests.
Laine said he’s been interviewed by eight different NHL teams and that the topic of Matthews, Laine’s competition for the No. 1 overall pick, came up frequently.
The 18-year-old shared his thoughts on the gap, or lack thereof, between the two.
“At this point I think we’re quite even, he’s better than me at some stuff and I’m better than him at some things,” said Laine. “I think we’re quite even and that Toronto will have a tough decision to make.”
The 2016 IIHF World Championship MVP was asked to be more specific.
“I think I have a better shot and ability to score goals and I think I am more physical than him,” he said, before giving his opinion on areas where Matthews has the edge.
“I think his ability to create chances and use his linemates, he can score also obviously and he has good hands and he is good at protecting the puck,” said Laine, who compared himself to Alex Ovechkin and Matthews to Jonathan Toews. “I think he is quite good in every zone on the ice.”
Matthews has been projected to go No. 1 at the 2016 NHL Draft for over a year now, while Laine is a bit of a newcomer to the conversation. Part of that has to do with the prospects’ respective birthdates; Matthews is nine months older than Laine, something that could help tip the scales in Laine’s favour when evaluating the two players.
“Nine months is a long time and I think if he’s better than me at some things I will catch him during those nine months,” said Laine. “I don’t know if that gives me an advantage but I just want to show that I am a good player and hope that I will get drafted at the top.”
Highlights of Laine’s exploits in the Finnish League playoffs have gone viral, with a shot that’s been compared to Ovechkin’s, given the way the two righties like to set up on their off-wing.
It’s that ability to be a scoring threat from anywhere on the ice that Laine believes can make him the best player from his draft class, regardless of who takes him.
“Those other top guys they’re good at everything and they don’t have that one thing that they’re very good at,” he said. “And I think I have that.”
