The difference at 4 Nations other than their ages — Aho is 27 and Laine is 26 — is Roope Hintz will play left wing on the line with Aho at center and Laine on the right. Jesse Puljujarvi, who was not selected for this tournament, was the other wing in 2016.
Laine is optimistic the revamped combination with Hintz added will click too.
“It worked back then and I’ve kind of always felt that good players they find a way to play with each other,” Laine said. “I don’t think it’s going to be an issue at all. Then, obviously, with Roope on the other side, those guys can really fly and make plays, so I’ll try to stay out of the way and let them do the skill plays and I’ll be in front from the net.”
Aho has 55 points (20 goals, 35 assists) in 55 games for the Carolina Hurricanes this season. Laine has 18 points (12 goals, six assists) in 28 games with the Montreal Canadiens since returning Dec. 3 from a knee injury he sustained in the preseason that caused him to miss the first 24 games. His 10 power-play goals are still the most on Finland’s roster but is without a point in his past eight games and hasn’t scored in his past 10.
Finland coach Antti Pennanen hopes that playing with Aho and Hintz will spark Laine out of his slump.
“I spoke with Laine on Monday, and we had a really good conversation,” Pennanen said. “And now he’s going to play with Aho and Hintz. Hintz has been amazing lately and Aho and Hintz, they’re going to skate with the puck, and they would like to play with high speed, so I think those abilities will force Laine to also play with high speed. So, I think it’s going to be a good combination for us.”
