Hey, I don't necessarily disagree with your arguments, Kostitsyn's offensive production has been disapointing considering his draft status, I don't think anyone can deny that. However, I think your writing him off way too early, certain circumstances (like the Habs poor handling of his development - should of came over to the CHL 2 years ago) haven't helped him either. I think with the Bulldogs improving their talent level this year will go a long way in improving his offensive numbers, personally I couldn't careless how much he produces in the AHL, he's got great offensive tools which lead me to believe that if he rounds out the rest of his game and plays with players capable of exploiting his skills, he'll produce. It's his work ethic that has me worried beyond anything, we need to see a more sustained effort from him IMO.
I've seen you allude to the fact that Montreal's management thinks so 'highly' of him, that they signed Samsonov and traded for Johnson...I think that's a weak argument because Kostitsyn is only 21 yrs old, and given the fact they're a playoff contending team, why depend on a still raw 21yr old to play in your top 6 when you're already a team struggling to score goals.
My point is, he's a extremely talented kid IMO, i've seen him play live a couple of times and he's got everything you look for in a scoring winger, he just needs to harness all that talent and potential, and that's going to be the coaching staff's challenge with him. Time will tell I guess, I think this season will be extremely key for him, he's got to show a dramatic increase in production.