Jets' Patrik Laine to train in Switzerland amid contract negotiations: reports
Restricted free-agent forward absent from NHL camp
Finnish media outlets are reporting restricted free agent Patrik Laine is heading to Switzerland to train as his contract negotiation with the Winnipeg Jets continues.
The 21-year-old will skate with Swiss club SC Bern, according to Pekka Jalonen, who is a hockey writer with the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti.
The winger will train under former Finnish national team head coach Kari Jalonen.
The Swiss club's season is already underway, Pekka Jalonen said, and Laine is only practising with the team at this point, rather than playing with them.
Patrik Laine travels tomorrow to Bern Switzerland to train with SC Bern coached by former Finnish national team head coach Kari Jalonen. Laine's agent confirmed this news. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLJets?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NHLJets</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NHL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NLA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NLA</a>
—@PekkaJalonen"You never know where you're going to play next year so I'm just prepared for anything," Laine said in an interview with Sportsnet last month.
"I know that I've done my job as well as I can over these three years. So I know I'm going to play somewhere next year."
As a restricted free agent, the Jets have the right to match any deal from any other NHL club offered to Laine.
Over his three seasons with the Jets, the winger has 110 goals and 184 points in 237 regular-season games.
Jets training camp got underway in Winnipeg on Friday, with Dustin Byfuglien missing from the ice. The defenceman is taking personal leave for an undetermined amount of time.
Kyle Connor, who is also a RFA, was also absent, as he has yet reach an agreement with the team.
Jets pre-season begins Monday in Edmonton against the Oilers while their season opener is Oct. 3 in New York against the Rangers.
With files from CBC Sports