Tribute Jesperi Kotkaniemi - Goodbye and Good Luck

[Le Tricolore]

Looking forward to him signing well before training camp so people will stop thinking him being unsigned three months before the season starts is a big deal.

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[Canadienna]

Is there any chance he's considering playing in Finland?

With his father's cancer diagnosis and his "dissapointed" comments at the end of the playoffs it's at least possible no?

 

[Alexandre Magny]

For me 3 offer

1 year 2.5 m cap hit 2.5
2 years 5.5 cap hit 2.75
3 years 9 M cap hit 3 M

 

[BLONG7]

Is there any chance he's considering playing in Finland?

With his father's cancer diagnosis and his "dissapointed" comments at the end of the playoffs it's at least possible no?

I wouldn't think so............but concentrating on hockey, in an important year to his development will be difficult....His dad is probably not even 50 yrs old....sad situation.

 

[Treb]

Is there any chance he's considering playing in Finland?

With his father's cancer diagnosis and his "dissapointed" comments at the end of the playoffs it's at least possible no?

His father already got his surgery.

 

[Gravity]

Looking forward to him signing well before training camp so people will stop thinking him being unsigned three months before the season starts is a big deal.

LMAO who pissed in your cheerios? I hope he's signed as well but is it not fine to speculate that he might be in a trade package on a hockey forum?

 

[Canadienna]

His father already got his surgery.

For sure, just hope that's the end of it.

Just a thought I had, based on him not signing yet, his abysmal usage last year, and his father's health.

 

[Treb]

For sure, just hope that's the end of it.

Just a thought I had, based on him not signing yet, his abysmal usage last year, and his father's health.

I don't see him giving up millions for that.

 

[barbu]

I'm pretty sure his father would be pretty upset with his son missing a season at this point in his career, regardless of his own health.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

He will sign, I’m not concerned, but I do worry the handling of him, if it continues will sour on him eventually.

 

[Heffyhoof]

Not a 100% make it or break it year, but I'm expecting solid progression in his game. I would be very disappointed if he was unable to hold down a 2nd line spot on his own merit.

 

[Alexandre Magny]

Don't worry too much about the situation either, Brady Tkachuk, Drake Batherson, Matthew Tkachuk, Elias Petersson, Quinn Hugues are just a few names which are all rfa and unsigned.

 

[Big Empty]

I'm debating buying his YG on the low right now.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Maybe the cancer of his father gonna be a big source of motivation for him. When we are hurting in life, we come better!

Pretty sure he is going to play for his dad.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Maybe the cancer of his father gonna be a big source of motivation for him. When we are hurting in life, we come better!

Pretty sure he is going to play for his dad.

Situations like this in life can bring extra motivation and focus or it becomes heavy on your mind and a distraction. It could go either way and it depends on a lot of factors we can't guess.

 

[Deebs]

I'm debating buying his YG on the low right now.

What's a YG?

 

[417]

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

EXACTLY

KK is still only 21 not everyone is Mcdavid,Jesperi will keep improving just be patient he will be a good two-way #2 center for a long time

 

[Big Empty]

What's a YG?

Young Guns card from Upper Deck

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

EXACTLY

KK is still only 21 not everyone is Mcdavid,Jesperi will keep improving just be patient he will be a good two-way #2 center for a long time

No matter what people say, we'll see it on the ice this season. Grant has been extensively trying to argue that Kotkaniemi is fantastic all summer long. It just doesn't matter. In the end, it's on the ice that we'll see if he truly is.

But no matter what happens, we all know what's going to be the narrative around here. It's going to be Ducharme's fault if the guy has another 30-35 points season. Just like it was Julien's fault before. Just like it was Therrien's fault with Galchenyuk and Daigneault's fault with Beaulieu. There's absolutely no way around it. So yeah.

In the end, nobody comes up with all those stats, comparables and graphics to justify Suzuki or Caufield are going to be ok. Because it's absolutely a no-brainer. The fact that these people are spending so much time trying to convince everyone that KK is going to be fine, is the exact proof that up to now, he hasn't been living up to expectations.

 

[Heffyhoof]

No matter what people say, we'll see it on the ice this season. Grant has been extensively trying to argue that Kotkaniemi is fantastic all summer long. It just doesn't matter. In the end, it's on the ice that we'll see if he truly is.

But no matter what happens, we all know what's going to be the narrative around here. It's going to be Ducharme's fault if the guy has another 30-35 points season. Just like it was Julien's fault before. Just like it was Therrien's fault with Galchenyuk and Daigneault's fault with Beaulieu. There's absolutely no way around it. So yeah.

In the end, nobody comes up with all those stats, comparables and graphics to justify Suzuki or Caufield are going to be ok. Because it's absolutely a no-brainer. The fact that these people are spending so much time trying to convince everyone that KK is going to be fine, is the exact proof that up to now, he hasn't been living up to expectations.

Ahh yes, the laziest of all the lazy KK bashes. 'The fact I think he's bad and other people think he's good and try to point this out to people means he bad.'

 

[Habnot]

No matter what people say, we'll see it on the ice this season. Grant has been extensively trying to argue that Kotkaniemi is fantastic all summer long. It just doesn't matter. In the end, it's on the ice that we'll see if he truly is.

But no matter what happens, we all know what's going to be the narrative around here. It's going to be Ducharme's fault if the guy has another 30-35 points season. Just like it was Julien's fault before. Just like it was Therrien's fault with Galchenyuk and Daigneault's fault with Beaulieu. There's absolutely no way around it. So yeah.

In the end, nobody comes up with all those stats, comparables and graphics to justify Suzuki or Caufield are going to be ok. Because it's absolutely a no-brainer. The fact that these people are spending so much time trying to convince everyone that KK is going to be fine, is the exact proof that up to now, he hasn't been living up to expectations.

Correction - Grant has just been trying to counter those in the media (and fans) that are adamant that KK is a bust.

Is he still a work in progress? Yes. But what is comforting for me is that the only thing that he is lacking is physical maturity. Look at Suzuki, for being 5'11" he plays well north of 200lbs. He is physically well ahead ok KK.

Next two years are still progression years.

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

Correction - Grant has just been trying to counter those in the media (and fans) that are adamant that KK is a bust.

Is he still a work in progress? Yes. But what is comforting for me is that the only thing that he is lacking is physical maturity. Look at Suzuki, for being 5'11" he plays well north of 200lbs. He is physically well ahead ok KK.

Next two years are still progression years.

I'm not going to argue about this going forward. Let things play out on the ice. I have a feeling we'll be having the same conversation next summer...

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

Ahh yes, the laziest of all the lazy KK bashes. 'The fact I think he's bad and other people think he's good and try to point this out to people means he bad.'

People who are trying to rationalize how being a healthy scratch 3 years into the start of his NHL career is not exactly "meeting expectations" from a 3rd overall pick, or who are actively blaming the coaching staff for it aren't even worth an argument.

Let's see what happens this season on the ice. And you tell me who's going to come up with excuses when he struggles to hit 35 points once again.

In his draft year + 4 season, Galchenyuk had a 30 goals, 56 points season. Your move, KK.

 

[417]

People who are trying to rationalize how being a healthy scratch 3 years into the start of his NHL career is not exactly "meeting expectations" from a 3rd overall pick, or who are actively blaming the coaching staff for it aren't even worth an argument.

Let's see what happens this season on the ice. And you tell me who's going to come up with excuses when he struggles to hit 35 points once again.

In his draft year + 4 season, Galchenyuk had a 30 goals, 56 points season. Your move, KK.

This is a terrible argument...

Kotkaniemi was scratched because the coach wanted to change the series momentum by inserting Jake Evans and he didn't have the courage to sit the worse player on the ice in Eric Staal.

Kotkaniemi was the easy choice - which just reinforces how badly they've handled him so far.

Ducharme needed to win a game and did what he felt he needed to do, which was bench Kotkaniemi...that's not surprising, for 3 years Koktaniemi hasn't been part of the solution when it comes to winning games for this coaching staff.

Hopefully, that changes this coming year.