TSN: McKenzie :If Habs take a center it's no longer an off the board pick

[417]

He should stay in Finland for the year.

Would he not benefit from playing in the AHL this year if he's already playing against men anyways? Longer schedule, smaller ice, etc.

May as well get acclimated now, plus form our perspective, we don't have autobust Sly handling our prospects anymore...

I suppose having him so close just creates a storyline of the team calling him up all year...

But then again, the storyline with the Habs recently was how awful their developmental staff was in Laval...they go out this summer and bring in Joel Bouchard, but if they draft Kotkaniemi, we wouldn't put our best prospect with our best developmental staff???

 

[WeThreeKings]

Would he not benefit from playing in the AHL this year if he's already playing against men anyways? Longer schedule, smaller ice, etc.

May as well get acclimated now, plus form our perspective, we don't have autobust Sly handling our prospects anymore...

I suppose having him so close just creates a storyline of the team calling him up all year...

He's gonna be coached by his dad and while the AHL is closer.. I think the Finnish league is actually a stronger league. He will get stronger playing against fully grown European professional men rather than some of the just graduated players from junior.

 

[Redux91]

Right after he trades a centre for a winger.

I understand how ridiculous that is

but as long as this moron is in charge Galchenyuk was never going to BE center, so as it stands, we traded a winger that can play center sometimes for a winger that can play center sometimes..

 

[Habaneros]

for fun .. TSN final rankings before draft..from 2013 to 2018 at 5th overall


2018 Kotaneimi
2017 Gabe Valardi
2016 Pierre Luc Dubois
2015 Dylan Strome
2014 - Mike Dal Colle
2013 Elais Lindholm

 

[jaffy27]

Would he not benefit from playing in the AHL this year if he's already playing against men anyways? Longer schedule, smaller ice, etc.

May as well get acclimated now, plus form our perspective, we don't have autobust Sly handling our prospects anymore...

I suppose having him so close just creates a storyline of the team calling him up all year...

But then again, the storyline with the Habs recently was how awful their developmental staff was in Laval...they go out this summer and bring in Joel Bouchard, but if they draft Kotkaniemi, we wouldn't put our best prospect with our best developmental staff???

With any other player this would make sense, heck, it makes sense with him but he is under contract with his Finnish team plus I think I read somewhere where his dream is to win a championship in his Finnish league for whTever that’s worth.

Anyways, if we do pick him, let him develop 1 more year with a chance to lead his U20 team in Dec-Jan

 

[Habaneros]

for fun here is Tsn's final draft rankings before draft for 3rd overall from 2013 to 2018

2018- Brady Tkachuk
2017 -Miro Heiskanen
2016-Jessie Puljujarvi
2015-Noah Hanifin
2014-Sam Bennett
2013-Johnathan Drouin

 

[groovejuice]

I understand how ridiculous that is

but as long as this moron is in charge Galchenyuk was never going to BE center, so as it stands, we traded a winger that can play center sometimes for a winger that can play center sometimes..

Except the last time a healthy Galchenyuk started at centre he got the team off to one if its best starts ever and was in the top 10 league wide for scoring. In my mind he is a centre - just one who's been miscast and misused time after time.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Maybe Arizona will want to trade up to secure Tkachuk

 

[groovejuice]

I understand how ridiculous that is

but as long as this moron is in charge Galchenyuk was never going to BE center, so as it stands, we traded a winger that can play center sometimes for a winger that can play center sometimes..

If other teams see him as a centre, as does Arizona, the compensation should have been higher. Everything Bergevin touches turns sour.

 

[Habaneros]

for fun .. TSN final rankings before draft..from 2013 to 2018 at 5th overall


2018 Kotaneimi
2017 Gabe Valardi
2016 Pierre Luc Dubois
2015 Dylan Strome
2014 - Mike Dal Colle
2013 Elais Lindholm

So for all you Kotaneimi guys out there and happy he is now at number 5 overall.....and that means he is no "offboard pick"....ok..

Show me the high impact guy from those final TSN rankings at number 5..

Dal Colle and Strome no NHL impact bust land...Lindholm is a 40 pt center after 5 years......

Now that shows you ,if ya want to stretch and take Kota at 5..well go ahead...

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

So for all you Kotaneimi guys out there and happy he is now at number 5 overall.....and that means he is no "offboard pick"....ok..

Show me the high impact guy from those final TSN rankings at number 5..

Dal Colle and Strome no NHL impact bust land...Lindholm is a 40 pt center after 5 years......

Now that shows you ,if ya want to stretch and take Kota at 5..well go ahead...

There isnt really any impact guys at 3 among those you posted.
I think Hanafin played most of last season on the bottom pairing.
Drouin got 46 pts last year.
Puljujarvi and Bennett look like busts so far

 

[G0bias]

So for all you Kotaneimi guys out there and happy he is now at number 5 overall.....and that means he is no "offboard pick"....ok..

Show me the high impact guy from those final TSN rankings at number 5..

Dal Colle and Strome no NHL impact bust land...Lindholm is a 40 pt center after 5 years......

Now that shows you ,if ya want to stretch and take Kota at 5..well go ahead...

Lmao. Before it was "don't reach for a guy who's 8-10". Now that he's in the top 5 it's "look at previous #5's on TSN's final rankings brooo"

TSN Final Rankings 2017
6. Casey Mittelstadt
7. Elias Pettersson
8. Cody Glass

Should the #3 team not have "reached" for these guys?

2015
8. Ivan Provorov
9. Matthew Barzal
10. Mikko Rantanen
11. Zach Werenski

Or these?

 

[Habaneros]

Lmao. Before it was "don't reach for a guy who's 8-10". Now that he's in the top 5 it's "look at previous #5's on TSN's final rankings brooo"

TSN Final Rankings 2017
6. Casey Mittelstadt
7. Elias Pettersson
8. Cody Glass

Should the #3 team not have "reached" for these guys?

2015
8. Ivan Provorov
9. Matthew Barzal
10. Mikko Rantanen
11. Zach Werenski

Or these?

maybe smart to trade 3 and 5...lol

 

[The Great Weal]

for fun .. TSN final rankings before draft..from 2013 to 2018 at 5th overall


2018 Kotaneimi
2017 Gabe Valardi
2016 Pierre Luc Dubois
2015 Dylan Strome
2014 - Mike Dal Colle
2013 Elais Lindholm

I say that PLD went 3rd so it's not a reach, but Strome also went 3rd... I hope we don't f*** up.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Well from the little i've seen from Kotkaniemi...him comparing his game to Barkov makes more sense.

Since we're here...I might as well ask you.

If the Habs draft Kotkaniemi...do you think he'd benefit from playing 1 more year in Finland or should he come over to North America and play in the AHL on the Rocket, that way the Habs can keep closer tabs on his development?

Since he's a euro pick, I don't believe AHL age rules apply to him.

Yeah, if someone compares themselves to Malkin at this point I think ''yeah okay buddy.''

You're correct with the bolded assumption: the rule is non-CHL picks, which don't include players who were loaned to their CHL team by a euro club (e.g. Alex Nylander, or Julius Honka).

Jesperi still has stuff to do in Finland. I have no problems leaving him there. He's guaranteed top minutes, it's an easier schedule, and he already knows what he's in for. I like the idea of putting him with Bouchard, but the choice is pretty clear, IMO.

 

[G0bias]

maybe smart to trade 3 and 5...lol

Why though? It's not about luck or the TSN rankings. If the scouting department has done its homework they'll get one of the better players, no matter where they pick be it 3 or 5.

 

[Habaneros]

I say that PLD went 3rd so it's not a reach, but Strome also went 3rd... I hope we don't **** up.

If teams followed the final ranking from TSN at 5th over all..there chances of F'in the draft are quite high...

Kota is ranked 5th by Tsn...lol

 

[G0bias]

Plus Jesperi's got dem chicken legs. The easier schedule gives him more time to become a thicc boi.

 

[Habaneros]

Straight and to the point...if you followed TSN final draft rankings at 3rd overall
from 2013 to 2017 ..you get a NHL player not a bust...

2017 -Miro Heiskanen
2016-Jessie Puljujarvi
2015-Noah Hanifin
2014-Sam Bennett
2013-Johnathan Drouin


If you follow Tsn final draft ranking at 5th overall...your chances are high you get a bust or low impact player..


2018 Kotaneimi
2017 Gabe Valardi
2016 Pierre Luc Dubois
2015 Dylan Strome
2014 - Mike Dal Colle
2013- Elais Lindholm

 

[Habs76]

Straight and to the point...if you followed TSN final draft rankings at 3rd overall
from 2013 to 2017 ..you get a NHL player not a bust...

2017 -Miro Heiskanen
2016-Jessie Puljujarvi
2015-Noah Hanifin
2014-Sam Bennett
2013-Johnathan Drouin


If you follow Tsn final draft ranking at 5th overall...your chances are high you get a bust or low impact player..


2018 Kotaneimi
2017 Gabe Valardi
2016 Pierre Luc Dubois
2015 Dylan Strome
2014 - Mike Dal Colle
2013- Elais Lindholm

This means absolutely nothing, you know that right? It's literally just coincidence. I guess if they rate a couple players 82nd and they turn out good, we should always pick the 82nd ranked player?

 

[StanleyCH25]

I hope I’m wrong but when I see Kotkaniemi skating, it looks very clunky. Almost Benoit Pouliot awkward. Pouliot just had really wide strides while Kotkaniemi looks to be skating off balance a lot. I know some are high on him and he is one of the youngest prospects but I don’t like what I see.

I understand his playmaking skills look good but I’m really not convinced he translates to a top line center.

Does anyone have any comparables that looked as clunky but still panned out well?

 

[Habaneros]

This means absolutely nothing, you know that right? It's literally just coincidence. I guess if they rate a couple players 82nd and they turn out good, we should always pick the 82nd ranked player?

I think it means alot.....the TSN"suggested" pick at 5th is bust/low impact..not just 1 year sample..lol...as i said Kota,pick him...but dont be surprise to wait for 2-3 years till he comes over..then ya find out you have a good 3rd line center in 2024.....

 

[The Great Weal]

Plus Jesperi's got dem chicken legs. The easier schedule gives him more time to become a thicc boi.

Shaking my head. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't chuckle.

 

[habs73]

Anyone else notice how in Mckenzie's article, he really gave no scouting report on Kotkaniemi or provided the results of where his 10 scouts ranked him, just that he was consensus top 5.

A little weird considering he did that for the rest of the prospects

 

[Habs76]

I think it means alot.....the TSN"find out he a 3rd line centesuggested" pick at 5th is bust/low impact..not just 1 year sample..lol...as i said Kota,pick him...but dont be surprise to wait for 2-3 years till he comes over..then ya have a good 3rd line center..3 or 4 year after in 2024.....

I don't think it means that at all.

Kotkaniemi said he plans to come over to NA in a year after one more season with Assat. He put up similar D-year numbers to Rantanen, actually producing one more point. He's no slouch and he's not some low potential pick like some make him out to be. Stop looking at "trends" and look at the actual player in question.