The escalating public angst over Patrik Laine’s recent scoring woes is lost entirely on his veteran linemate.
In fact, the 20-year-old winger deserves a break, says Winnipeg Jets centre Bryan Little, who is, in the figurative sense, a reliably straight shooter.
“For a player, it seems way overblown,” Little said Thursday, hours before the Jets’ 4-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Bell MTS Place. “He had a month where he had 18 goals and I think people expect that from him every month. He’s young and he’s going to go through stretches where he’s really hot and stretches where he’s struggling to find the back of the net, and that’s understandable.