Tavares just reached the 20-goal mark for the 15th time in his NHL career. Does the Leafs center get enough credit for his ability to score? It isn’t uncommon for NHL players to look back on their ‘welcome to the league’ moments. For Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine, it came in his rookie season with the Winnipeg Jets, courtesy of then-Buffalo Sabres defenseman and current Toronto Maple Leaf Jake McCabe. On Friday's latest episode of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BsFu5LjGzw]with Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette, and Keith Yandle, Laine shared the story and more insight into his ‘welcome to the league’ moment by being on the receiving end of the hardest hit he’s ever taken in the NHL. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BsFu5LjGzw[/embed] It was a game in Buffalo during the 2016-17 season where McCabe leveled the 26-year-old nearing center ice as he received a blindsided pass up the middle from teammate Mark Scheifele. “It was my first year. We played in Buffalo. Jake McCabe just absolutely put me in a body bag,” said Laine. “I remember getting a backhand pass from (Mark) Scheifs, and then my next memory is waking up in the room. In between, nothing. I have no clue what happened. That was interesting. That was kind of like welcome to the league. Little kid, moment,” he added. The game was tied 3-3 with just over 14 minutes left in the third period. Following the hit, a brawl ensued with the players on the ice – despite the hit being viewed as clean. The collision left Laine sprawled on the ice and a brutal reminder of the physicality found in the NHL, particularly for a young up-and-coming star like Laine, who was in the midst of a strong rookie campaign. Despite the incident, Laine finished the season with 36 goals and 28 assists in 73 games. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U3hhIyfP3E[/embed] For McCabe, now a member of the Maple Leafs, the hit remains an example of his reputation as a hard-nosed, physical defenseman. There is a reason why the 31-year-old has received praise from former coaches and personnel for his playstyle, including newly tenured bench boss Sheldon Keefe of the New Jersey Devils. "I think he does so many things very well and he's just such a gamer too. When I spoke with Caber after being let go, one of the things I said to him was, 'Every team needs a Jake McCabe.' And he's that guy," said Keefe when New Jersey visited Toronto on January 16. Since coming to Toronto, McCabe has been a reliable presence for the Leafs’ backend – and the team has missed him throughout his absences. This season, McCabe has one goal and 12 assists for a 13-point total. He has posted a plus-13 rating, while registering 81 blocked shots and 76 hits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjExNjM5NDEwNTc4NDM0MDI0/googlenews.svg] Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwytvfCA?ceid=CA:en&oc=3] to never miss a story.
