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

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93LEAFS

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It doesnt really benefit detroit much. Only does if they are scared a team behind them wants to trade up and get the same player they want.

Anyways, I doubt Detroit would have went to dinner with kotka just to play mind games. They must be interested in him.
Pretty much every team interviews players like that and puts up smoke screens.

Stopping a team from thinking trading up is a good idea to cause their guy to slip is absolutely a benefit, and why a team would push a false narrative.
 

Runner77

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Pronman has him 4th by the slimmest of margins behind Zadina. Button isn't the only guy that likes him that much.

Saw that. The reference was really within the context about how the Button ranking was described. Tkachuk continues to get high rankings despite several fans showing skepticism.
 

Kearns

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Grabbed the Hockey News off the rack at YVR today. They have Kotkaniemi at 18. I want him at 7. It will so interesting to see if he's still there. I follow prospects closely and see WHL games regularly here in Kamloops. For me, a publication having this prospect at 18 is really weak. There are other risers too that this piubication badly missed on IMHO.
 
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Runner77

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Grabbed the Hockey News off the rack at YVR today. They have Kotkaniemi at 18. I want him at 7. It will so interesting to see if he's still there. I follow prospects closely and see WHL games regularly here in Kamloops. For me, a publication having this prospect at 18 is really weak. There are other risers too that this piubication badly missed on IMHO.

Hockey News is low level as it gets. If you really want better content, go for one of the bigger publications.
 

boredmale

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Grabbed the Hockey News off the rack at YVR today. They have Kotkaniemi at 18. I want him at 7. It will so interesting to see if he's still there. I follow prospects closely and see WHL games regularly here in Kamloops. For me, a publication having this prospect at 18 is really weak. There are other risers too that this piubication badly missed on IMHO.

One problem with THN is I believe they come up with their rankings Early to Mid April which means they miss alot of stuff like CHL playoffs or Under 18s
 
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Habs Halifax

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I had the Habs, Wings, and Blackhawks interested in Kotkaniemi over a month ago now. It's obvious, these three teams need centers in their prospect pool where the other top 10 teams already have some assets. The next team to potentially take Kotkaniemi is the Islanders. I don't see the Canes, Sens, Coyotes, Canucks, Rangers or Oilers taking Kotkaniemi.

Kotkaniemi will go 3rd, 6th, 8th, or 11th/12th (if no team trades down or up). My money is on 3rd, 6th or 8th.

My take on Kotkaniemi is he could end up being a winger with goal scoring and play making ability worse case. Which is really what Zadina is. Zadina has a bit more goal scoring ability but is 8/9 months older too. I have no problem at all with the Habs taking one of Zadina, Kotkaniemi, or Dobson.
 
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Razamanaz

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Vain Kotka lentää aurinkoon (only The Eagle fly into the sun).

As it is said in the smooth(!?) Finland language.
Not french direct so to say ... or rather speak (so don't try this at home Montreal!).

Well; but have you ever heard about center-problems Montreal!?

Maybe, maybe not ...

But anyway and anyhow a young chap by the name of Kotkaniemi can solve 'em for ya.
Maybe not an rescue angel for a sinkin' ship like Montreal absolut and direct; so not today, and maybe not tomorrow - but in the future to come.

Not that people (even experts, remember!) can foresee if he's the modern-day-shotgun-Messiah-Saku Koivu for Montreal Canadiens - but why not?

He (Kotka) got the tools and skills for it, and a Finland fighting spirit to go with it, as the excellent leader and captain of Finland U-18 Gold winning troops back in Russia.

Take him - or leave him, Montreal ... but if you take him (Kotka) me thinx your future (Canadiens) seems to look so bright that you may even have to use shades.
Even in wintertime, that is.

 

Razamanaz

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Oct 22, 2017
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Northern Hemisphere.
By the way ... Kotka (Eagle) and Koivu (Birch) - proper Finland hockey-names!

No weak ones ...

220px-Betula_pendula_001.jpg
 
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CantHaveTkachev

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I had the Habs, Wings, and Blackhawks interested in Kotkaniemi over a month ago now. It's obvious, these three teams need centers in their prospect pool where the other top 10 teams already have some assets. The next team to potentially take Kotkaniemi is the Islanders. I don't see the Canes, Sens, Coyotes, Canucks, Rangers or Oilers taking Kotkaniemi.

Kotkaniemi will go 3rd, 6th, 8th, or 11th/12th (if no team trades down or up). My money is on 3rd, 6th or 8th.

My take on Kotkaniemi is he could end up being a winger with goal scoring and play making ability worse case. Which is really what Zadina is. Zadina has a bit more goal scoring ability but is 8/9 months older too. I have no problem at all with the Habs taking one of Zadina, Kotkaniemi, or Dobson.
if Kotkaniemi is there at 10, I'm betting the Oilers run up to the podium to call his name

but he won't be
 

Habs Halifax

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if Kotkaniemi is there at 10, I'm betting the Oilers run up to the podium to call his name

but he won't be

Depends on who is available on D. I think Hughes or Bouchard are great options for the Oilers but they don't help them now. They help them in 2, 3, 4 seasons from now. Might make the NHL as 19 or 20 year olds but won't be making an impact until they are 22, 23, 24. It's just how it works with most prospects not named McDavid or picked in the top 3
 

Kraken Jokes

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I had the Habs, Wings, and Blackhawks interested in Kotkaniemi over a month ago now. It's obvious, these three teams need centers in their prospect pool where the other top 10 teams already have some assets. The next team to potentially take Kotkaniemi is the Islanders. I don't see the Canes, Sens, Coyotes, Canucks, Rangers or Oilers taking Kotkaniemi.

Kotkaniemi will go 3rd, 6th, 8th, or 11th/12th (if no team trades down or up). My money is on 3rd, 6th or 8th.

My take on Kotkaniemi is he could end up being a winger with goal scoring and play making ability worse case. Which is really what Zadina is. Zadina has a bit more goal scoring ability but is 8/9 months older too. I have no problem at all with the Habs taking one of Zadina, Kotkaniemi, or Dobson.

I think Zadina is the safer pick. He could likely step in as soon as October and be at least a good middle-six winger in the right situation. I think Kotkaniemi could ultimately end up being the more valuable asset but he's a couple years away.
 

Habs Halifax

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I think Zadina is the safer pick. He could likely step in as soon as October and be at least a good middle-six winger in the right situation. I think Kotkaniemi could ultimately end up being the more valuable asset but he's a couple years away.

If we draft Zadina, I want nothing to do with him on our roster yet. His development will be affected due to lack of depth up front. Expectations on Zadina would be to high right away. Let him develop one more year in Junior and we insert a few prospects into our line-up in the same year. This would be less pressure on him. Kind of like the Leafs inserting the 3 young guns in the same year.

I know Zadina very well. He doesn't drive the pace of play but he can make plays in tight situations. Everybody knows about his goal scoring ability. I just don't see the reason to rush him into our line-up like we did with Galchenyuk.

My pick? For as much as I like Zadina, I think Kotkaniemi can score goals and make plays very similar. And he plays center. Kotkaniemi is my pick. We are not getting a potential #1C unless we draft one
 
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SI90

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I can’t see him falling out of the top 10 at this point. Weak first round in terms of high end centers and he’s the consensus #1 Center st this point. I wouldn’t shocked if the Habs draft him.
 
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Habs Halifax

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I can’t see him falling out of the top 10 at this point. Weak first round in terms of high end centers and he’s the consensus #1 Center st this point. I wouldn’t shocked if the Habs draft him.

Habs, Wings, Blackhawks, and Islanders. Those are the teams I see drafting Kotkaniemi. I would also be surprised he slips outside of the top 10. If the Habs don't take him, it's one of the Wings or Blackhawks IMO.

Hard to say if we take Zadina or Kotkaniemi. I think Dobson is in play too.
 
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Kraken Jokes

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If we draft Zadina, I want nothing to do with him on our roster yet. His development will be affected due to lack of depth up front. Expectations on Zadina would be to high right away. Let him develop one more year in Junior and we insert a few prospects into our line-up in the same year. This would be less pressure on him. Kind of like the Leafs inserting the 3 young guns in the same year.

I know Zadina very well. He doesn't drive the pace of play but he can make plays in tight situations. Everybody knows about his goal scoring ability. I just don't see the reason to rush him into our line-up like we did with Galchenyuk.

My pick? For as much as I like Zadina, I think Kotkaniemi can score goals and make plays very similar. And he plays center. Kotkaniemi is my pick. We are not getting a potential #1C unless we draft one

Yeah, I wasn't suggesting that the Habs would rush Zadina, just that he's likely good enough to play in the league especially if he had a good centre (which the Habs don't have). I don't think Kotkaniemi is as good right now, but could end up as good or better down the road.

Kotkaniemi is my choice for the Habs right now too.
 
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Habs Halifax

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Yeah, I wasn't suggesting that the Habs would rush Zadina, just that he's likely good enough to play in the league especially if he had a good centre (which the Habs don't have). I don't think Kotkaniemi is as good right now, but could end up as good or better down the road.

Kotkaniemi is my choice for the Habs right now too.

Ah k. I think under the right circumstance, Zadina can play in the NHL next year. I just hate rushing 18 year old kids. Especially with how we have managed our prospects in recent years.
 

BB88

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I think Zadina is the safer pick. He could likely step in as soon as October and be at least a good middle-six winger in the right situation. I think Kotkaniemi could ultimately end up being the more valuable asset but he's a couple years away.

That should have zero weight for a team like Montreal.

It's not about next year with that team.
 
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V13

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Sep 21, 2005
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I think Zadina is the safer pick. He could likely step in as soon as October and be at least a good middle-six winger in the right situation. I think Kotkaniemi could ultimately end up being the more valuable asset but he's a couple years away.

Agreed

Nothing against Kotkaniemi but at #3 it's a bit of a gamble. I'd rather go after the guy with the highest upside/BPA and that's Zadina imho

With Pacioretty likely gone next year , Zadina would fill the void nicely. I know we need centers but i wouldn't go as far as drafting Kotkaniemi at #3, Ideally the Habs should try to land a pick in the 10-15 range if they want him and draft him on top of Zadina.
 

Captain97

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Jan 31, 2017
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I want the Habs to draft kotkaniemi at this point for two reasons:
1. I think he will worst case be a very good two way 2C, that's better than anything we've had since prime plekanec (who was a low end 1C).
2. If I'm wrong bergevin (and most of the front office)likely gets fired and we can do an honest rebuild.
 
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