HELSINKI, Finland -- Finnish goalie Tuukka Rask attempted to make a glove save, but the puck whistled by him into the top corner and rippled the net.The shooter stood in the high slot and showed no reaction to the goal as he waited for another pass from a teammate during practice. The laser-like shot came off the stick of Finnish prospect Patrik Laine, who was the No. 2 overall pick by the Winnipeg Jets in last Junes NHL Entry Draft.Hes a great shooter, said Rask, who has played eight seasons with the Boston Bruins. A big body and a really, really good shooter.There will be a lot of focus on Laine as the 18-year-old forward displays his talents and his 6-foot-4, 206-pound frame for Team Finland at the upcoming World Cup of Hockey, which begins Sept. 17 in Toronto.Hes a natural goal scorer, so if he gets a shot hes pretty much going to score, said Rask. Hes a great threat on the power play. Hes going to score goals. If he doesnt then hell probably get down on himself and might have some issues, but hes going to have an immediate impact for sure.Auston Matthews, the 2016 No. 1 overall pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs, wont be given a major role with Team North America, at least to start the tournament, but thats not the case with Laine. He will be playing on the top line with?Aleksander Barkov?and Jussi Jokinen. Laine will also play on Finlands top power-play unit.With my strengths, you can get more out of me in one or the two top lines, he said. If youre on the third or fourth line, your job is going to be a lot harder with my strengths, so its good that the coaches are counting on me and they know what I can do. Its a huge honor, and I just want to play and have fun on the ice.Competing at the international level is nothing new for Laine (who played for Finland at the 2016 World Junior Championship and the 2016 World Championship) but facing the best in the world on this big of a stage will be a little different.Its a new level for me, he said. Its always nice to be able to play against those top guys in the world. Im excited to play and well see what happens.I just want to be me on the ice and show everybody what I can do, and maybe cant do. I just want to be brave on the ice and show my skills and help my team.Not only is Laine a remarkably talented athlete, his confidence and poise make him a dangerous force on the ice. Nothing seems to bother him. He enjoys the spotlight and wants it shining on him when hes playing. Coaches normally dont like to talk about players on other teams, but everyone is excited to see how Laine will transition to the pro game.Hes got a tremendous skill set, said Sweden coach Rikard Gronborg, whose team will face Laine and Finland in a World Cup exhibition game at noon ET Thursday. The guy can put the puck in the net. He can challenge a player one-on-one. Hes someone we need to be aware of. He can challenge, and he has the shot for sure.Laine is already being compared to former Jets forward -- and fellow Finland native --?Teemu Selanne, who was selected in the first round (No. 10 overall) by the Jets in 1988. Laine does not shy away from those comparisons. Once the NHL season begins and he embarks on his rookie campaign, many believe he has the talent to quickly become his own type of player.A pretty big impact, Gronborg said. Everyone expects him to be a top player on [Winnipeg] and with his age, and his poise and his confidence in himself hell be pretty interesting to see. I expect him to be a top-tier player in the National Hockey League for sure.Finnish team captain -- and Minnesota Wild veteran forward --?Mikko Koivu first saw Laine play last year during the World Championships. During training camp for the World Cup, Koivu has already seen a difference in the young prospect from a physical and strength standpoint.He gained a lot of strength during the offseason and thats usually good for younger players to get better, get stronger. You can see that on the ice, Koivu said. Obviously its different in practice from what its going to be in a game but he looks pretty good so far.Laine is entering a whole new world of talented hockey players and it begins when he steps onto the ice at Hartwall Arena on Thursday night to face Sweden in a World Cup of Hockey preseason game. Star goalie Henrik Lundqvist is not starting that game for Sweden, but it doesnt matter to Laine. I dont care who is in the net, he said. I want to help my team -- and hopefully I can score in my first game. Mets Jerseys 2020 . Once again, DeLaet finished tied for second at a PGA Tour stop on the weekend, this time at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The pride of Weyburn, Sask. Mets Jerseys China . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler. https://www.cheapmetsjerseys.us/ . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. Mets Jerseys 2019 . 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"This contract is consistent with our strategy of developing and retaining the best young talent in baseball," team owner Jim Crane said. "All along, Ive maintained that we will make the necessary investments to create a winning team long-term, and this is an important step in that direction." The 5-foot-5 Altuve has become a fan favourite and one of the few bright spots on a team which has slogged through consecutive 100-loss seasons and looks to be headed for a third one this season. He made his major league debut in July 2011 and blossomed last season whenn he hit .dddddddddddd290 with 34 doubles, seven home runs and 33 stolen bases. "Jose has quickly become the face of the franchise in less than two years, and we are excited to keep him here for many years to come," general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "He provides leadership both on and off the field and has become a big part of the Houston sports community." Altuve was Houstons minor league player of the year in 2011 when he led the minors with a .389 average before being called up to the Astros. He quickly developed into a solid player for this young team and has appeared in 287 games since being called up. Altuve is the youngest everyday second baseman in the majors and his continued growth is a positive sign for a team hoping to rebuild from within. "Im really happy to be a part of the Houston Astros organization," Altuve said. "I just want to keep playing hard and help this team win games. I love my teammates and the people of Houston and Im going to do everything I can to improve and win baseball games." ' ' '