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Patrik Laine in no rush to sign an extension with the Winnipeg Jets

By Griffin Youngs

WINNIPEG, MB - OCTOBER 20: Patrik Laine #29 of the Winnipeg Jets shoots the puck on goal during second period action against the Minnesota Wild at the Bell MTS Place on October 20, 2017 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. That shot led to Laine's second goal of the game. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB - OCTOBER 20: Patrik Laine #29 of the Winnipeg Jets shoots the puck on goal during second period action against the Minnesota Wild at the Bell MTS Place on October 20, 2017 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. That shot led to Laine's second goal of the game. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Despite one year remaining on his entry level contract, Patrik Laine says that there is no rush to sign a long term extension with the Winnipeg Jets.

While Winnipeg Jets fans might be sweating about the lack of reported contact extension discussions between Patrik Laine and the Jets, Laine himself is not at all concerned.

Patrik Laine is one of the most electrifying players in the league at just 20 years old, and while he has one year remaining on his three-year entry level contract, he is still a restricted free agent after next season. Laine was able to sign an extension starting on July 1, and he’s made it clear that he wants to stay in Winnipeg for a long time while also noting that there is no need to hurry on getting a deal done before the beginning of this upcoming season.

“It’s not something we need to hurry because I still have a contract,” Laine said during the European Player Media Tour via NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. “But obviously that’s something I want to do at some point and they want to do. But there’s no rush.”

Laine did not talk about any sort of specifics about the few discussions that he and his agent have had with the Jets, but only confirmed that there have been no major discussions yet about the terms of an extension.

“I really don’t care,” Laine said. “There’s no rush, really. I can do it next summer or this summer. I don’t mind.”

When the discussions inevitably do heat up about keeping Laine in a Winnipeg Jets uniform, it’s hard to imagine anything less than eight years will be settled for, and Laine would want nothing less.

“It’s always easier if it’s long term so you don’t have to think about doing a new contract for a while, and I’m happy where I’m at,” Laine said. “I want to stay there for sure. That’s something I want to do and hopefully they’re thinking the same way.”

“I don’t have any numbers that I want to achieve, but if I’m a better player this season than I was last year, then I’ll be satisfied,” he said.

If and when Laine and the Jets come to a new agreement, it will for sure be one of the more expensive contracts for a forward in the league. In his first two seasons since being drafted second overall in 2016, Laine has posted 80 goals and 134 points, and was a crucial component in leading Winnipeg to the Western Conference Finals with five goals and seven assists during the playoff run.

Next. Projecting every NHL team’s chances of hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2019. dark

Regardless of whether Laine and the Jets get a contract extension done this summer, during the season, or next offseason, it’s hard to imagine any scenario where Laine plays or any other team other than Winnipeg by 2019. The Jets are a Stanley Cup contending team now and for years to come, and Laine should be the franchise cornerstone for his entire career with his amount of upside.

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