C/W Jesperi Kotkaniemi - Ässät, Liiga (2018, 3rd, MTL)

[McGuires Corndog]

Yeaah...why pick him when Zadina has been the consensus 3rd pick for a while now?

Consensus doesn’t mean too much in the eyes of scouts. I agree that Zadina projects better in the near future, but I see Kotka as the kind of player that 5 years after the draft projects as one of the top picks from his draft year (a bit like Scheifele in 2011).

I won’t be mad if the Habs take Zadina, as it’s an easy pick to make. I’m starting to shift my attentionto Kotkaniemi however

 

[Mrb1p]

I don't think he projects as a top line C . Otherwise he would go 2nd across all draft rankings.

Wouldnt you agree that Necas, Petersson and Glass project as top line C, why were they picked after Patrick who projects as a 2C? What about Barzal? If he had 1C potential why did he fall to 16?

 

[IslandersFan17]

Wouldnt you agree that Necas, Petersson and Glass project as top line C, why were they picked after Patrick who projects as a 2C? What about Barzal? If he had 1C potential why did he fall to 16?

Barzal dropped because of a bad knee injury?

 

[lanky]

Barzal dropped because of a bad knee injury?

He was very much a perimeter player before being drafted.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Sounds like a disaster if Habs are picking him to be their saviour #1 C. Dude needs a lot of time.

Don't worry time is something we have plenty of in montreal lmao. This team won't compete for years so might as well draft the big top 6 C and just roll with it going forward. We need more top 15 picks anyways the lineup is brutal and desperately needs an influx of talent at all positions

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

5th on Bobs final list

 

[Canadienna]

5th on Bobs final list

Going to miss your avatar

 

[Filthy Dangles]

rip kid you had no chance being taken 3 by montreal

 

[teravaineSAROS]

I dont want him to go third because fans would tear him apart if he didn't become a #1 center

 

[MasterMatt25]

Honest question, what made him jump up the last month? His season ended a while back and then he was ranked just outside the top 10. Plus Zadina, Hughes, etc.. haven't done anything bad to fall in the rankings. I'm just so confused why just rocketed to the top 5 despite not doing anything?

 

[G0bias]

Honest question, what made him jump up the last month? His season ended a while back and then he was ranked just outside the top 10. Plus Zadina, Hughes, etc.. haven't done anything bad to fall in the rankings. I'm just so confused why just rocketed to the top 5 despite not doing anything?

His season ended but he still played after that. Post-lottery rankings were done prior to U18s.

As for your 2nd part, a quote from Bob's article;
“I don’t think Zadina necessarily did anything negative as much as so many others stepped up their game,” a scout said.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Honest question, what made him jump up the last month? His season ended a while back and then he was ranked just outside the top 10. Plus Zadina, Hughes, etc.. haven't done anything bad to fall in the rankings. I'm just so confused why just rocketed to the top 5 despite not doing anything?

I guess centers are valued a lot and he had a good U18.

 

[branch]

I hope if montreal picks him its not at 3 , for his sake.

That's ok, I'm sure OTT would be happy to grab him at #4 IMO if they don't take him at 3

 

[FinPanda]

I hope he doesn't go to Ottawa, Edmonton or Montreal. Everyone else is fine for me.

 

[Deam78]

Honest question, what made him jump up the last month? His season ended a while back and then he was ranked just outside the top 10. Plus Zadina, Hughes, etc.. haven't done anything bad to fall in the rankings. I'm just so confused why just rocketed to the top 5 despite not doing anything?

It's basically his dominance at the U18 after his season that made him jump that far. His skating didn't seem to be that much an issue when compare to his age group and he was the 2nd best player after none other than Jack Hughes.

 

[TheWhiskeyThief]

Honest question, what made him jump up the last month? His season ended a while back and then he was ranked just outside the top 10. Plus Zadina, Hughes, etc.. haven't done anything bad to fall in the rankings. I'm just so confused why just rocketed to the top 5 despite not doing anything?

Teams can watch Liiga via Ruutu in North America with no geoblocking, maybe NA scouts are getting caught up on Ässät games. He never looks out of place playing against men, lots of compete, wins his fair share of loose pucks on the wall.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Honest question, what made him jump up the last month? His season ended a while back and then he was ranked just outside the top 10. Plus Zadina, Hughes, etc.. haven't done anything bad to fall in the rankings. I'm just so confused why just rocketed to the top 5 despite not doing anything?

Had a dominant U18 winning gold, blew up the combine, and is the top C (positional value).

 

[schnapshot]

The more I watch him, the more I want Montreal to pick him at 3.

The fact that McKenzie, Button and Pronman rank him in the top 5 says a lot.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Pipe dream but I'd kill for the rags to move up and or have him fall into their lap but I think 5 is the absolute latest he will go at this point.

 

[GetFocht]

Centers and defenceman are always valued more highly than wingers, especially in trades. I won't be surprised if Zadina or Tkachuk slip.

 

[BigRangy]

I do not think Kotkaniemi will be a #1C or even an elite #2C in the NHL. I think he will be somewhere in the Little/Backlund/J. Staal/Bozak level where you ideally have two centers better than him but you can get away with him at #2C and still make playoffs. Not a bad pick at 9 or 10 but better options are available.

I just don't see what everyone else is seeing when I've watched him.

That said, his measurable stats are very strong and point to someone who should be a strong scorer at the next level. There is definitely a disconnect between the eye test and the stats test for me with Kotkaniemi.

 

[sbhatt]

I do not think Kotkaniemi will be a #1C or even an elite #2C in the NHL. I think he will be somewhere in the Little/Backlund/J. Staal/Bozak level where you ideally have two centers better than him but you can get away with him at #2C and still make playoffs. Not a bad pick at 9 or 10 but better options are available.

I just don't see what everyone else is seeing when I've watched him.

Well said! I feel the same way about him.

 

[Ezpz]

The more I watch him, the more I want Montreal to pick him at 3.

The fact that McKenzie, Button and Pronman rank him in the top 5 says a lot.

McKenzie doesn't rank anyone. He makes a list based on 10 scouts, including 8 head scouts of NHL teams then sorts them by average. That means at least 8 teams have him near or around their top 5.

 

[Habby Patty]

Honest question, what made him jump up the last month? His season ended a while back and then he was ranked just outside the top 10. Plus Zadina, Hughes, etc.. haven't done anything bad to fall in the rankings. I'm just so confused why just rocketed to the top 5 despite not doing anything?

The U18's. TSN's lottery rankings came out a few days before the final few games that he did amazing in. Also some players didn't have great combines or maybe didn't interview well and even though its of little importance, that little bit can still knock you up or down a spot.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

I dont want him to go third because fans would tear him apart if he didn't become a #1 center

Nope, we will tear apart our GM for ruining another prospect, only in Montreal can a manager cut off his nose to spite his face and still keep his job