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Patrik Laine to return from concussion Tuesday vs. Sharks

Josh Cooper
BUFFALO, NY - JANUARY 7: Patrik Laine #29 of the Winnipeg Jets lays stiff unconscious after being checked by Jake McCabe #29 of the Buffalo Sabres (standing) during the third period at the KeyBank Center on January 7, 2017 in Buffalo, New York. Sabres beat the Jets 4-3. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images)
Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets lays stiff unconscious after being checked by Jake McCabe #29 of the Buffalo Sabres (standing) during the third period at the KeyBank Center on January 7, 2017 in Buffalo, New York. Sabres beat the Jets 4-3. (Getty Images)

Winnipeg Jets sniper Patrik Laine will return to the lineup Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks after missing his last eight games with a concussion.

Jets coach Paul Maurice made the announcement during his pre-game media availability. Laine returned to practice with the Jets on Jan. 20 and on Sunday took part in full-contact drills with the team.

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On Monday, Maurice said his prized rookie appeared to be ready for his first game since Jan. 7 when he suffered the injury after a big hit by Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe. Without Laine, the Jets went 3-4-1. Winnipeg currently has 48 points, three out of the final Western Conference Wild Card spot.

“He went a lot harder than he thought we would be able to. We tried to push him as hard as we possibly could — just before he’d throw up — and he got through it. He worked at it and he feels really good, so he’s been banging on the door a little bit here,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said following the morning skate on Monday. “He’s feeling strong, feeling ready. If it wasn’t back-to-back, we would have considered him for this game (on Monday). We felt we needed to push him as hard as we did just to clear up any concerns we would have.”

After the hit, Laine said he experienced headaches and noted that he had no memory of the hit that concussed him.

“I got the puck and that’s it,” Laine said according to the Winnipeg Sun. “Can’t remember anything else.”

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Added Laine, again to the Sun, “I hope that I won’t get hit like that again. The headaches, and I was kind of tired all the time. Just focusing was kind of hard. But basically headaches and tired.”

Laine, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, will give the Jets a major offensive boost. His 21 goals rank seventh in the NHL and his 37 points rank fourth on the Jets, though he ranks second in points per-game on the team with 0.88.

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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