Hischier vs Kotkaniemi

[Addison Rae]

Nope, just folks with small attention spans

Lol

The fact that you think even 10 % of hockey fans would take Hischier over Pettersson is laughable.

“Small attention spans” Pettersson was playing in a men’s league last season and had the best season of any U 20 year old since Ken Nillson ~25 years ago. He outscored Peter Forsberg, the Sedins, Nicklaus Backstrom, Markus Naslund etc.

This season Pettersson is having the best ~40 game start to a rookie season since Ovechkin and Crosby in 2006.

But yeah Nico Hischier is better

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

Lol

The fact that you think even 10 % of hockey fans would take Hischier over Pettersson is laughable.

“Small attention spans” Pettersson was playing in a men’s league last season and had the best season of any U 20 year old since Ken Nillson ~25 years ago. He outscored Peter Forsberg, the Sedins, Nicklaus Backstrom, Markus Naslund etc.

This season Pettersson is having the best ~40 game start to a rookie season since Ovechkin and Crosby in 2006.

But yeah Nico Hischier is better

28%

 

[135ace]

Lol

The fact that you think even 10 % of hockey fans would take Hischier over Pettersson is laughable.

“Small attention spans” Pettersson was playing in a men’s league last season and had the best season of any U 20 year old since Ken Nillson ~25 years ago. He outscored Peter Forsberg, the Sedins, Nicklaus Backstrom, Markus Naslund etc.

This season Pettersson is having the best ~40 game start to a rookie season since Ovechkin and Crosby in 2006.

But yeah Nico Hischier is better

The way I see it based on production for their age EP is "generational", Nico is "elite" and Kotka is just "he made the nhl at 18 so that makes him very good". Right now I think that's pretty clear. I also think that if we ignore age and just look at their play right now Nico is a lot closer to EP than Kotka is to Nico.

One other thing I will mention is that I do think both Kotka and Nico can improve more than EP. No that doesn't mean EP won't improve or that they have more upside/a higher ceiling, but I don't really see EP's shot, vision or hands getting much better as they're already elite, elite, elite, while Nico and Kotka have both been developing at a pretty damn impressive rate. Nico for example has really improved his shot in the past year while also getting stronger on the puck and better along the boards. As he beefs up I can see him easily being the best net-front presence of the 3 as he's already proven to be really good at tipping and scoring rebound goals when he's not outmuscled.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I wonder if EP would have won a poll against Hischier a year ago.

 

[HockeyDBspecialist]

Who do you take going forward?

Hischier

48

16

20

36

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Kotkaniemi

54

9

17

26

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Both playing in the NHL in their D+1 as an 18 year old - both great young players but who will be better?

I mean Hischier in his first NHL season turned 19 in january.... Kotka will turn 19 in July.... it's half a year of difference. 6 months is A LOT for a 18 years old vs a 19 years. Hell, Kotka should hit a high 6'3" and we drafted him at 6'02 ( currently 6'03, so still growing and developing).


Hischier has more speed a, but Kotka has the Playmaker IQ.

 

[HockeyDBspecialist]

Nico is a lot closer to EP than Kotka is to Nico.

no...

 

[135ace]

I mean Hischier in his first NHL season turned 19 in january.... Kotka will turn 19 in July.... it's half a year of difference. 6 months is A LOT for a 18 years old vs a 19 years. Hell, Kotka should hit a high 6'3" and we drafted him at 6'02 ( currently 6'03, so still growing and developing).


Hischier has more speed a, but Kotka has the Playmaker IQ.

You do realize that Nico is still growing and has a slighter frame than Kotka. One of the ways Kotka creates offensive is through his size as he can already skate at/through defensemen with the puck. He's not really deking them like EP, but it's actually an area where he's physically ahead of Nico who uses his speed and edges and just plays at a faster pace. You're going to see Nico charging through people much like Hall does as he gets bigger and stronger.

And Kotka a better playmaker? I really don't see that. You can say they're close or even maybe, but I haven't seen anything from Kotka that suggests he's more of a playmaker than Nico. If I had to compare where they were at last season here's how I'd break it down...
Speed- Nico
Skating- Nico
Playmaking- Nico, but I guess it's not totally fair to make this comparison as Nico has played with better linemates
Shot- Kotka
Stick-handling/hands- This one is tough, but I probably see Kotka getting the edge
Offensive IQ/positioning- I think they're pretty different stylistically here so I have a hard time judging this. Nico goes to the dirty areas and is good at it while Kotka tends to find open space and is quite good at that.
Defensive play/IQ- Nico and it's not close at all
Net front play/tipping- Nico
Play along the boards- Nico

 

[SteelerNation]

Never thought I’d see such a breakdown in birthdays. Habs fan love grasping to what Devils fans did last year. I’ll just say it now, but it’s not a race to the NHL. The only reason guys are having historical 18 year old seasons is because the game has changed, and the Devils and Habs had the worst center depth in the NHL in a decade. Breaking down at exactly what month a player is born and making conparables is just absurd. EP will always be better than both, but Nico is far better than Kotka IMO

 

[HockeyDBspecialist]

You do realize that Nico is still growing and has a slighter frame than Kotka. One of the ways Kotka creates offensive is through his size as he can already skate at/through defensemen with the puck. He's not really deking them like EP, but it's actually an area where he's physically ahead of Nico who uses his speed and edges and just plays at a faster pace. You're going to see Nico charging through people much like Hall does as he gets bigger and stronger.

And Kotka a better playmaker? I really don't see that. You can say they're close or even maybe, but I haven't seen anything from Kotka that suggests he's more of a playmaker than Nico. If I had to compare where they were at last season here's how I'd break it down...
Speed- Nico
Skating- Nico
Playmaking- Nico, but I guess it's not totally fair to make this comparison as Nico has played with better linemates
Shot- Kotka
Stick-handling/hands- This one is tough, but I probably see Kotka getting the edge
Offensive IQ/positioning- I think they're pretty different stylistically here so I have a hard time judging this. Nico goes to the dirty areas and is good at it while Kotka tends to find open space and is quite good at that.
Defensive play/IQ- Nico and it's not close at all
Net front play/tipping- Nico
Play along the boards- Nico

There's too much to argue about so I will say only one point:

Kotka Strength is in his positioning and IQ/pass ability, might even be his shots ( great shots with great hands, but not his top strength yet).The kid is always where the puck is or will be, and this is the first trait of a rare Elite/concessional player.

Hischier had the age difference in his first season, he's faster, ya, but he doesn't have the positioning of Kotka. I will give you that he is fun to watch with his speed and zone entry, but Nico doesn't have the play making ability of Kotka.

Also, he was playing with Hall.... Kotka is playing with 3rd line player and 3rd line minute and almost no PP.

 

[135ace]

There's too much to argue about so I will say only one point:

Kotka Strength is in his positioning and IQ/pass ability, might even be his shots ( great shots with great hands, but not his top strength yet).The kid is always where the puck is or will be, and this is the first trait of a rare Elite/concessional player.

Hischier had the age difference in his first season, he's faster, ya, but he doesn't have the positioning of Kotka. I will give you that he is fun to watch with his speed and zone entry, but Nico doesn't have the play making ability of Kotka.

Also, he was playing with Hall.... Kotka is playing with 3rd line player and 3rd line minute and almost no PP.

You're right that it's too much to argue about and we really don't have perfect information as we've only seen both guys in limited situations (for example Kotka mostly on the 3rd line while Nico has either been with Hall or just thrown to the wolves with pretty terrible line-mates). Nico was asked to play a different role than what Kotka does so he's never really been in a position to find open space (which I agree, is one of Kotka's strengths). His whole line played with a lot of pace when it's him + Hall. When he plays with Hall he uses his speed to draw defenders to him and then just dishes to Hall or Palmieri (who is a good sniper). If you watch Nico without Hall though you'll see he has great vision/IQ, for example when he plays with Bratt + Palmieri he becomes much more of a playmaker/passer, will be the puck carrier during slower, more controlled zone entries, etc. When he's played with Marcus Johansson though (who is basically a third liner) Nico really starts to run the show though and will start looking more like Hall where he drives the net harder and shoots a lot more. You really have to watch him a lot to see how versatile he is (and what's amazing is that he's succeeded in so many ways).

 

[Mestaruus]

Kotkaniemi easily for me.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Kotkaniemi = Barkov. Barkov > Hischier. Easy choice there !

 

[Speyer]

Kotkaniemi = Barkov. Barkov > Hischier. Easy choice there !

This inability by some users to set up simple equations and inequalities shows me again how young most people on this board are. Even though in this particular case i should have guessed it from the username.

 

[ACC1224]

Watched them against each other Saturday in Montreal, this is a tough one to pick.

I guess Hischier slightly but both impressed me greatly.

 

[Uncle Dru]

Dont like the Devils very much but like Hischier here. Seems like a player who will never get the credit he deserves