Post-Game Talk: Habs lose 5- 3

[Adam Michaels]

I love everything Kotka has been doing but I still think it's best for his development to spend one more year in Finland and put on some mass.

I'm fine with the 9-game try out or even less. He doesn't necessarily need to reach 9 games. However, even if he's doing well, I'd prefer him being returned to Finland.

 

[JianYang]

I expected them to be quicker this year, Domi has more speed then Galchenyuk, not having Danault for a chunk of the season as he's got good speed, Tatar looks quicker then Pac since Pac wasn't always moving his feet.

If I were going to purchase the Habs package, I would be waiting to see what they do with Kotka. I have been thinking that they will **** this up and he'll make the team. But if they do while I'll be so pissed it will make the Habs fun to watch since I'm sure they will also **** up and put Mete/Juulsen on the team since **** developing players just rush them to the NHL as this seems to be MB's line of thinking. So having Kotka, Lehkonen, Mete, Juulsen, Hudon, etc... it will be fun to see what they do win or lose.

Yeah, I agree. I want to see those kids now from an instant gratification perspective, but Im also in the camp of letting them develop further in the other leagues for long term rewards.

Regardless, I'll probably order it just because I'm a die hard, and they should be more fun to watch even if they will lose alot.

Last year felt like a chore to watch with their passiveness.

 

[montreal]

We all know that its impossible to get better at playing in the NHL by actually playing in the NHL. That's settled science.

Just look at Barkov. He played 54 games in his D+1 year, putting up 24 points playing on a terrible Florida team (their leading scorer was 38 point Nick Bjugstad). The next year he had 36 in 71. From their I can only assume he failed out of the league because he was never sent to the AHL to be fixed.

Barkov also had the best season in liiga history for an U-18 player. But it's not the point. Maybe playing in the NHL will be great for him, we just don't know. The point is why do you want to risk it, why rush him what would it hurt if you didn't rush him vs what could happen if you did? I'm sure with his smarts and skills he will be fine, but how far will it set us back if we somehow f*** up Kotka's development?

The Habs have had so many problems over the last few years with rushing kids to the NHL and Kotka is now our best hope since Subban of having a legit star. We can rush him and hope it works out or we can be smart about it and just take some caution.

 

[Belial]

Yes. Since our defense was slow as molasses last year, Mete stayed up. Solid defensively but showed none of the offensive creativity I saw in junior.

Well, you can see him joining the rush and generating more this year what's the problem?

The offense that sleeps in him will come out don't you worry man.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

Not spoken about given the kotkaniemi stuff but Mete should not be in AHL. Hes actively involved in a lot of plays and looks poised to best last years totals.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

We all know that its impossible to get better at playing in the NHL by actually playing in the NHL. That's settled science.

Just look at Barkov. He played 54 games in his D+1 year, putting up 24 points playing on a terrible Florida team (their leading scorer was 38 point Nick Bjugstad). The next year he had 36 in 71. From their I can only assume he failed out of the league because he was never sent to the AHL to be fixed.

The reality is there is no magic formula, special players find a way to adapt and learn.

But what worked for Barkov might not work for Kotkaniemi.

I personally believe another year in Finland is best for his development, he will get all-around usage and get to hone many aspects of his game. I’m also a fan of men’s leagues, he’s already shown promise there but it’s not like he set the league on fire. It’s a harder choice when it’s a 100pt CHL player and it’s either NHL or back to CHL. I find players tend to pick up a lot of bad habits if they overstay their welcome in juniors because they continue to feast on younger, less matured players.

I can’t argue against the fact Kotkaniemi has earned a 9-game stint, he’s played well. It’s not the path I would take but i can see why it might be taken.

 

[teamfirst]

Give him 9 games that's fine. Don't go full ****** and burn one year of his ELC when the team is not ready to compete.

ELC shouldnt be a concern in this decision.....the only thing that should matter is if he's ready or not, and to me he seems more than ready, anyway they can start with the 9 game and see how it goes

 

[Simarino]

Yes. Since our defense was slow as molasses last year, Mete stayed up. Solid defensively but showed none of the offensive creativity I saw in junior.

The fact that he looked that good so far this year might indicate that it wasnt such a bad thing that he stayed in mtl last year???

 

[Andrei79]

Not spoken about given the kotkaniemi stuff but Mete should not be in AHL. Hes actively involved in a lot of plays and looks poised to best last years totals.

That's a very low bar though. Even Alzner could best Metes totals.

 

[cactusjack]

Really good game from Kotkaniemi and Mete. Drouin is so much better at wing than cemter. In fact he should have played his last shift at center. Drouin should be playing with Kotka every shift. Kotka isn't really fast but so much vision and poise with the puck. Anyone else I would say he's hanging the puck for too long. Here's my line-up for opening night.

Gallagher- Danault - Tatar
Drouin - Kotkaniemi - Lekhonen
Byron - Peca (Plekanek)* - Domi
Armia - Plekanek ( De la Rose)* - Hudon
Sherback (DelaRose) * If Peca is healty or not

Reilly Petry
Mete Juulsen
Alzner Ouellet (Schlemko)
Benn

 

[The Great Weal]

The fact that he looked that good so far this year might indicate that it wasnt such a bad thing that he stayed in mtl last year???

He looked phenomenal last preseason too.

 

[Lycanthrope]

He already has them. What more confirmation do we need? Julien has made several comments that are highly evocative of that outcome. Book it, he's getting 9 games.

Right, what I’m saying it it’s a no brainer. The real decision comes after, they will have had a pretty good look. I’m on the fence, there are good arguments on both sides. A young star in Montreal. How long has it been. Not an easy decision. He’s a special player no doubt though.

 

[Simarino]

He looked phenomenal last preseason too.

True

 

[LyricalLyricist]

That's a very low bar though. Even Alzner could best Metes totals.

Well he had about 10 point pace. I say he doubles it, maybe even 25.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Either Kotkaniemi stays with the Habs or he goes to Finland. My personal take: the AHL is a middle ground that does little for him at this point.

This I agree with. More chance to get hurt there too.

 

[Fazkovsky]

I like this top 9

Drouin-Kotka-Tatar
Lehkonen-Peca-Gallagher
Domi-Danault-Armia

 

[Lycanthrope]

Yeah, I agree. I want to see those kids now from an instant gratification perspective, but Im also in the camp of letting them develop further in the other leagues for long term rewards.

Regardless, I'll probably order it just because I'm a die hard, and they should be more fun to watch even if they will lose alot.

Last year felt like a chore to watch with their passiveness.

You said was I was thinking. Hard not want to enjoy some gratification at this point.

 

[Mike Mike Caron]

Victor Mete last year should have been sent down. Nothing wrong with letting him dominate the Liiga as a center and let him work on his flaws.

Why should we have sent Mete down? He was good and is even better this year.

 

[Kriss E]

With Bergy and Clod on the hot seat this season along with the mediocre Max Domi being #1 center, there is huge incentive to shove Kotka onto the big team for SOME sort of offense so they can save their jobs.

I don't think Bergy and CJ are on the hot seat to be honest. Everyone and their mothers know the Habs will suck this season, so why would either of them get fired?
If Molson wanted to change things, he would have done it early in the summer. You could have argued then that Bergevin's last chance was to sign Tavares and find a way to significantly improve the team over the summer. He did none of that and didn't get fired, so really, I don't see why he'd be on the hot seat.
I think he is still here next summer and next season. Considering it will be very difficult not to improve from this crap show, I think he's got a couple more season here.

 

[Simarino]

I like this top 9

Drouin-Kotka-Tatar
Lehkonen-Peca-Gallagher
Domi-Danault-Armia

A 4th line of Hudon-Shaw-Byron is gonna be very good

 

[montreal]

Not spoken about given the kotkaniemi stuff but Mete should not be in AHL. Hes actively involved in a lot of plays and looks poised to best last years totals.

he looks good but it doesn't mean he can't benefit from the AHL. I don't think he will be in the AHL but we are talking about a 20 year old that was playing on the top pairing last year and had zero goals.

I know people look at him and say he's playing like our best D, and that's great. But it's preseason and the vets aren't going all out but that's not even the point. If the Habs were smart, which clearly they have shown they aren't, you want to do what's best for the long term development of a player, not well he looks like our best guy out of a pile of crap.

The same things I say for Kotka, I say for Mete, maybe he does great in the NHL and everything is fine. We just don't know what will happen. It will either work out or it won't. With his skating and defensive play he'll be an NHLer for sure as long as his frame can hold up for a full season and I would think as he gets stronger and fills out more he'll be fine plus getting more experience will make him smarter to know when to avoid things that could do damage.

But the point isn't should he be in the NHL vs the AHL, it's what will make him a better player down the road, playing on the Habs or playing a ton in Laval away from the pressure of the fans and media. He needs to work on his offensive game, now maybe he'll never have a big shot, maybe he can work on it in the NHL. But the point is, is it worth it to risk his development in the NHL vs taking caution in the AHL? They have already rushed him once, just that down the road if say he doesn't develop much in the way of offense and people are disappointed in him cause a contender needs their top 4 to put up a decent amount of offense, it will be more of the well Timmins this or that when really a fair point would be what would have happened had we NOT rushed him to the NHL.

 

[Kriss E]

I'm all for the him getting some regular season games in. It was the same with Sergachev a few years ago. He earned his spot to start the year but they ended up sending him back to Windsor.

Except we had good players before. We still had Mark0v-Weber.
Kotkaniemi is already our best center, despite not even being NHL ready.
The Habs are desperate for selling points this season. Marketing the crap out of Kotkaniemi would help them, and being short-sighted is exactly what this organization is

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

All assessments aside, random thought: anyone remember Brandon Bochenski?

 

[SirClintonPortis]

I don't think Bergy and CJ are on the hot seat to be honest. Everyone and their mothers know the Habs will suck this season, so why would either of them get fired?
If Molson wanted to change things, he would have done it early in the summer. You could have argued then that Bergevin's last chance was to sign Tavares and find a way to significantly improve the team over the summer. He did none of that and didn't get fired, so really, I don't see why he'd be on the hot seat.
I think he is still here next summer and next season. Considering it will be very difficult not to improve from this crap show, I think he's got a couple more season here.

The product on the ice will affect sales though. People are paying good money to see quality. What we have is still a bunch of rejects.
If we field a borefest of a team and people don't fill the seats, the coach and GM's seats will get hot. Our center depth is f***ing awful without Kotka and none of them can score f***ing goals.

 

[Belial]

He looked phenomenal last preseason too.

He was nowhere as dynamic as he's this year, he was extremely conservative last year.

This year you can see him playing with a ton of confidence out there.

Joining the rush, pinching and so on.

That pair with Juulsen was extremely solid. Great complementary styles.