Patrik Laine is an 18-year-old kid who is a long way from home, trying to find his way in a new hockey league in a new country where most teammates, coaches and opponents speak a different primary language.

Fortunately, he brought something very special with him to remind him of home — his mom.

“I’m living with my mom,” Laine said Wednesday. “She’s my roommate. I have a condo and it’s pretty good.”

Laine, the Winnipeg Jets second overall draft pick this year, has played three NHL games and is getting plenty of opportunities to prove himself on the ice, skating on the top line with Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler and averaging more than 19 minutes per game.

He has a goal and an assist and has shown he can handle himself in the defensive zone, even though his shot total (five) is lower than he would have hoped.

But he’s looking more and more comfortable on the ice and having help at home is certainly a boost in that area.

“She’s cooking and washing the dishes and laundry and that type of thing … just normal household things,” Laine said.

“It’s good to have somebody who speaks Finnish around. You don’t have to be alone all the time at home and you have a person to speak with. I’ve lived at home my entire life before now and it’s been so much easier.”

So while his mom looks after the household, what is Laine doing?

“Just playing hockey and playing video games basically,” he said.

“That’s my job that I’m here for, to play hockey.”

So happy to be part of the Jets family @NHLJets Looking forward to getting things started there next season. #Jets#Winnipeg — Patrik Laine (@PatrikLaine29) June 25, 2016

Laine was faced by a crush of media on Wednesday — from Winnipeg, Toronto and Finland — but he never seems fazed by all the attention. In fact, he suggested the pressure motivates him.

“Patty’s been used to that his whole life,” teammate Josh Morrissey said. “He’s an exceptional player and he’s always been an exceptional player.

“He’s a pretty grounded guy. Nothing really seems to bug him. He’s pretty calm off the ice and I think he does a great job with it.”

Jets coach Paul Maurice said the team has not held Laine back from the media in anyway, because this is a big part of learning to be a star in the NHL.

“Those guys have to deal with it,” he said. “Auston Matthews and Patrik and those types of players. It’s not something you shelter them from a whole lot because it’s part of their life. It has been coming in. They didn’t just pop on the radar as one and two in the draft.

“They’ve been dealing with this kind of pressure and they’ll continue to deal with it their entire careers.”

Twyman@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/Ted_Wyman