Prospect Info: #71, Kasper Kotkansalo

[taylorjonl]

This pick seemed to be missing.

Click to read more...

 

[waltdetroit]

profile - commitment to Boston University

http://thehockeywriters.com/kasper-kotkansalo-2017-nhl-draft-prospect-profile/

 

[Martinez]

I like it

 

[ChadS]

From what I've seen prior to this season, he's a really solid D who can make smart and simple offensive plays. I think he's worth the pick, though I would have liked to see more skill in our draft and not such a obsession with size.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

The claim from Tyler Wright on this guy is that they think he's a good puckmover with untapped offense. He made a comparison to Saarijarvi, saying both guys had deceptively low point totals in the USHL, but that they're higher end offensive players than that.

 

[Henkka]

The claim from Tyler Wright on this guy is that they think he's a good puckmover with untapped offense. He made a comparison to Saarijarvi, saying both guys had deceptively low point totals in the USHL, but that they're higher end offensive players than that.

Also compared him to Lindström, as similar guys.

 

[ChadS]

Here's a full game video of the 2016 U18 Worlds Final where Kotkansalo played and had 2 assists. He's #36 in white, paired with Heiskanen btw.

 

[Martinez]

Here's a full game video of the 2016 U18 Worlds Final where Kotkansalo played and had 2 assists. He's #36 in white, paired with Heiskanen btw.

That Finland team was insane. Kotkansalo looked solid too

 

[Martinez]

https://livestream.com/leijonat/u20fincze2017/videos/160249046

Number 6 in white

 

[ChadS]

https://livestream.com/leijonat/u20fincze2017/videos/160249046

number 6 in white

 

[Martinez]

http://www.tilastopalvelu.fi/ih/gamerosters/index.php?gameid=5072&season=

He's captain of team Finland too.
Had a nice goal. His play in the d zone is very mature. Very active stick, good positioning, physical, and quick skating. He's better offensively than his stats show.

 

[Henkka]

He's better offensively than his stats show.

OMG, that's exactly what Tyler Wright said.

Maybe he is not just an idiot.

 

[Martinez]

OMG, that's exactly what Tyler Wright said.

Maybe he is not just an idiot.

Passes my eye test

 

[Dotter]

OMG, that's exactly what Tyler Wright said.

Maybe he is not just an idiot.

I think Tyler Wright is underrated on the Wings forum. He was hired by Ken Holland so people automatically think he's mediocre.

So far, his track record has been respectful.

 

[Frk It]

OMG, that's exactly what Tyler Wright said.

Maybe he is not just an idiot.

Meh, guy has been a Director of Amateur Scouting since 2011... hasn't drafted a 30 pt NHL defenseman yet...

 

[ricky0034]

I think Tyler Wright is underrated on the Wings forum. He was hired by Ken Holland so people automatically think he's mediocre.

So far, his track record has been respectful.

what track record? literally the only pick he has made so far that has even played in the NHL(other than Svechnikov playing 2 games this year) has been Larkin and the jury is very much still out on how good that pick ultimately ends up being what with his decline this year and still not having consistently played Center

still way too early to tell for most of his picks and people are rightfully alarmed about him using the word "character" twenty times in two minutes when talking about why he chose Rasmussen as our top 10 pick

 

[Ezekial]

what track record? literally the only pick he has made so far that has even played in the NHL(other than Svechnikov playing 2 games this year) has been Larkin and the jury is very much still out on how good that pick ultimately ends up being what with his decline this year and still not having consistently played Center

still way too early to tell for most of his picks and people are rightfully alarmed about him using the word "character" twenty times in two minutes when talking about why he chose Rasmussen as our top 10 pick

How is the jury still out on Larkin, the only player I'd definitively take that went after him is Pasta and he easily makes the top 10 of the redraft. He had a poor second season, at 20 years old ... wow. Most kids are in the AHL while he was "declining" in the NHL.

Larkin was one of the best value picks in the first round that year.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Meh, guy has been a Director of Amateur Scouting since 2011... hasn't drafted a 30 pt NHL defenseman yet...

I don't think his resume in Columbus or Detroit has been too much to write home about. Like he's fine, but, meh.

 

[Frk It]

How is the jury still out on Larkin, the only player I'd definitively take that went after him is Pasta and he easily makes the top 10 of the redraft. He had a poor second season, at 20 years old ... wow. Most kids are in the AHL while he was "declining" in the NHL.

Larkin was one of the best value picks in the first round that year.

How is the jury still out? Because as of right now he has one hot half of a season to his name as an NHL player.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

How is the jury still out? Because as of right now he has one hot half of a season to his name as an NHL player.

And the kid still can't legally buy beer in this country. Were you really expecting whoever we took at 15th in 2014 to have done more in the NHL to this point than Larkin? I am not saying that he was the only reasonable option at 15, but I am not about to thumb my nose at 77 points in 160 NHL games before age 21. Pastrnak and Fabbri could turn out to be better players but I hardly see Larkin as a questionable pick at 15 or a waste of that pick.

 

[Ezekial]

How is the jury still out? Because as of right now he has one hot half of a season to his name as an NHL player.

I'm sure the "jury would still be out" on Larkin if he had played in the AHL as a PPG+ player the past 2 seasons.Instead he made the show and is still outshining like 7 forwards drafted before him.

The jury is still out on plenty of early 2014 picks, not Larkin, he's made it. Will he hit his peak potential, Idk but he's a bona fide NHLer

 

[Frk It]

And the kid still can't legally buy beer in this country. Were you really expecting whoever we took at 15th in 2014 to have done more in the NHL to this point than Larkin? I am not saying that he was the only reasonable option at 15, but I am not about to thumb my nose at 77 points in 160 NHL games before age 21. Pastrnak and Fabbri could turn out to be better players but I hardly see Larkin as a questionable pick at 15 or a waste of that pick.

No, but those are 2 separate points entirely IMO.

I wasn't challenging that Larkin was a good pick.

I was challenging that Larkin is a known quantity at the NHL level.

 

[BinCookin]

How is the jury still out? Because as of right now he has one hot half of a season to his name as an NHL player.

Frk It, you really don't like that pick?

Would you prefer:

Jakub Vrana? (13)
Julius Honka? (14)
Sonny Milano? (16)
travis Sanheim? (17)

 

[Frk It]

Frk It, you really don't like that pick?

Would you prefer:

Jakub Vrana? (13)
Julius Honka? (14)
Sonny Milano? (16)
travis Sanheim? (17)

That's not something I was debating.

 

[Martinez]

Kotkansalo plays on Saturday I think. Will anyone be able to watch it?