Player Discussion Jesperi Kotkaniemi Part 17

[Miller Time]

What's really interesting is comparing the thread for KK and 22 year old Ryan Poehling....

The inconsistent standards are either hypocrisy or flat out stupidity... Either way, makes for weak takes & useless posts.

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

Give him two top-6 wingers, let him build chemistry with them, give him more minutes, we need to know what we have in him... Next year will be his 4th season in the NHL.

Danault does not need good wingers to play his defensive role, enough is enough with this B.S

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

The fact that Caulfield is with Danault rather than Kotkaniemi really sums up this team's developmental ineptitude well.

Always focused on winning the next regular season game, rather than building a contending core.

In a year or two the same posters shitting on Kotkaniemi may well be doing the same to Caulfield, and they'll be blasting Timmins' for wasting another pick.

"Oh my god we could have had Kerfoot !!!"

Soon you will read that KK never had anything to offer offensively. It happened with Galchenyuk, the guy had all the talent in the world, we ruined him and now you read that he was never that good as a prospect.

 

[Habs Icing]

The traits are definitely under whelming for a #3 overall, no doubt about it. But if he can just be a power center type all of a sudden the traits aren’t so bad (for such a high pick). But he needs to be a physical beast, and for that to happen he needs to be busting his ass every single shift. Flying around, hitting everything, using his long stick to disrupt. If he chooses to do that, he can be something. If he chooses to float around and do nada, he’ll just be a dime a dozen bottom 6 C.

I agree with your post except for the highlight. It ain't happening. He has to play like he did in the bubble playoffs: Takchuk-lite.

 

[Tyson]

I am serious in that he should not re sign with the Habs and return to Finland to regain his confidence. This may be the only way for him to salvage his career.

 

[blarneylad]

It’s not that he’s young. It’s his skills aren’t elite. Hab fans know what they see. Sometimes we over hype players when it’s a “new” player. But after 1-2 seasons we know what the player will be.

two three years ago we all knew what player Drouin will be. Drouin is now that player.

same with Galchenyuk
Same with Latendresse
It’s been the same because young players cannot take it to the next level.

I can tell you know, I know what kind of player Suzuki will be 5 years down the road. And I know what kind of player Kotkaniemi will be 5 years from now.

Kotkaniemi won’t be as good as Brady Tkachuk. Marc Bergevin screwed up like 100 times already and I’ve had enough. From what I can see Kotkaniemi lacks skating, physicality, maturity and confidence. The only thing that’s keeping him in the league right now is hockey sense and passing ability. To me he’s probably best suited to be a 3rd line center.

You realize these are literally things he will improve on with age?

 

[sandviper]

Ferraro had some interesting things to say about him during broadcast. Discussing his development, comparing to to Suzuki’s.

“Suzuki benefited from 2 years in the O. They didn’t do that with KK (leave him to develop). When you’re always the youngest, always the weakest, always the most inexperienced, it’s so difficult get moving forward. Talented young player like KK ... but hanging on by your finger nails, just trying to do something not to hurt your team. Here he is with 20 games without a goal... how do you expect you’re a good player if you never score?”

Meh, what does Ray know? Just because he was a former NHLer, scored a ridiculous number of goals and been around the game for decades, we are supposed to take his word over anonymous people on the internet?

 

[Whitesnake]

That's what happens when you believe that your pick is more a need than a BPA.....you actually HAVE to rush the kid 'cause you NEED him immediately.

Kid needed time to develop to play an incredibly important position. I really can't believe they did that. I'm NOT a development first guy as you all know...but this one is insane.

 

[sandviper]

That's what happens when you believe that your pick is more a need than a BPA.....you actually HAVE to rush the kid 'cause you NEED him immediately.

Kid needed time to develop to play an incredibly important position. I really can't believe they did that. I'm NOT a development first guy as you all know...but this one is insane.

The fact they rushed him is no shocker to me. I mean, he had zero competition for the spot during training camp but it doesn't mean he didn't need time to develop. They sent Suzuki beck to the OHL because KK was better, but that's not saying much as he probably need time in Finland also.

As for the whole need vs BPA, he was certainly BPA at the center position. I would had preferred Hughes or Boqvist, but it is what it is.

 

[Maffew]

Is it reasonable to think we might be able to go with Suzuki, Danault, Evans and Poehling at C and let KK go down to build himself up again, a la Pacioretty/Poehling?

 

[blarneylad]

Is it reasonable to think we might be able to go with Suzuki, Danault, Evans and Poehling at C and let KK go down to build himself up again, a la Pacioretty/Poehling?

Do you forget we have Staal!?

I’m not sure they can send him down. If they can they ought to. Poehling has earned a callup and look.

 

[Ozmodiar]

Do you forget we have Staal!?

I’m not sure they can send him down. If they can they ought to. Poehling has earned a callup and look.

I assume he meant next season.
Poe is done this year. Wrist injury.

 

[OnTheRun]

Is it reasonable to think we might be able to go with Suzuki, Danault, Evans and Poehling at C and let KK go down to build himself up again, a la Pacioretty/Poehling?

Sadly no, that opportunity passed by, he won't be waivers exempt next year.

 

[SpeedyPotato]

What really worries me is that I don't see the offensive creativity we used to see flashes of from him. There's literally nothing going on, he just skates with the puck and that's it. We used to see him deke out players, be a disrupter with his stick, put in a heavy shot here and there, now there's nothing going on except a nice pass or two every few games. I really feel like the Habs f***ed this up. I was really hopeful things would get better under Ducharme, but honestly, seeing the way this guy coaches, I almost regret Julien.

 

[canucklover123]

Poster A:
“Danault sucks, he can only produce with good wingers”

Same poster defending kk:
“KK is not producing because he has bad wingers, give him good wingers and he’ll produce”

the irony is hilarious. Sometimes it’s ok to admit a 20 YO is struggling.

i swear KK defenders are going to start blaming the other team for icing players against him soon

 

[Tyson]

That's what happens when you believe that your pick is more a need than a BPA.....you actually HAVE to rush the kid 'cause you NEED him immediately.

Kid needed time to develop to play an incredibly important position. I really can't believe they did that. I'm NOT a development first guy as you all know...but this one is insane.

He is just about ruined. Touch and go at this point.

 

[Deebs]

Poster A:
“Danault sucks, he can only produce with good wingers”

Same poster defending kk:
“KK is not producing because he has bad wingers, give him good wingers and he’ll produce”

the irony is hilarious. Sometimes it’s ok to admit a 20 YO is struggling.

i swear KK defenders are going to start blaming the other team for icing players against him soon

Imo, KK is struggling offensively but I also believe he isn't a finished product in that area and will get significantly more productive.

 

[OnTheRun]

Poster A:
“Danault sucks, he can only produce with good wingers”

Same poster defending kk:
“KK is not producing because he has bad wingers, give him good wingers and he’ll produce”

the irony is hilarious. Sometimes it’s ok to admit a 20 YO is struggling.

i swear KK defenders are going to start blaming the other team for icing players against him soon

Where does that come from? KK already proven he can produce with bottom tier wingers.
Now if you want the kid to take the next step at some point you need to give him the opportunity to do so, if you want to increase his ice time, you will need to give him better winger, unless you want Lehkonen on the ice for 17 minutes per game... and you shouldn't.

 

[Mrb1p]

Poster A:
“Danault sucks, he can only produce with good wingers”

Same poster defending kk:
“KK is not producing because he has bad wingers, give him good wingers and he’ll produce”

the irony is hilarious. Sometimes it’s ok to admit a 20 YO is struggling.

i swear KK defenders are going to start blaming the other team for icing players against him soon

Danault cant only produce with good wingers.

He can produce with one winger and that is Gallagher.


Theres also much more profit into Kotkaniemi producing than there is in Danault.

 

[canucklover123]

Where does that come from? KK already proven he can produce with bottom tier wingers.
Now if you want the kid to take the next step at some point you need to give him the opportunity to do so, if you want to increase his ice time, you will need to give him better winger, unless you want Lehkonen on the ice for 17 minutes per game... and you shouldn't.

he has 62 points in a 167 NHL games....
His best season was his rookie year where was saw promise.

To the same extent , people say he is struggling cause of the schedule and is young, his most recent spans of success were the Covid playoffs , an anomaly all in its own and the start Of this year, where he was one of thee fewer players who was playing prior to the season starting out in Europe And tuning up. Some teams/vets didn’t play in close to a full calendar year when the season started.

again, nothing wrong with just saying he is struggling and needs to be better.


Edit: don’t wanna be that guy but lekho has more goals than Kk and PD right now....

 

[OnTheRun]

he has 62 points in a 167 NHL games....
His best season was his rookie year where was saw promise.

To the same extent , people say he is struggling cause of the schedule and is young, his most recent spans of success were the Covid playoffs , an anomaly all in its own and the start Of this year, where he was one of thee fewer players who was playing prior to the season starting out in Europe And tuning up. Some teams/vets didn’t play in close to a full calendar year when the season started.

again, nothing wrong with just saying he is struggling and needs to be better.

He is in a bad slump -presently-. Doesn't change the fact that he proven he can produce with bottom tier wingers, he did it in his rookie year and in the first half on this season.

This year we've seen Suzuki playing like an ass for like a month, young player it's normal. But it seems people fail to realize how much it help for a youngster like Suzuki to be on the ice with capable players when it come to snapping out of a slump and going back to normal, since he doesn't have to do the heavy lifting for the entire line when thing aren't going well.

 

[CHwest]

What really worries me is that I don't see the offensive creativity we used to see flashes of from him. There's literally nothing going on, he just skates with the puck and that's it. We used to see him deke out players, be a disrupter with his stick, put in a heavy shot here and there, now there's nothing going on except a nice pass or two every few games. I really feel like the Habs f***ed this up. I was really hopeful things would get better under Ducharme, but honestly, seeing the way this guy coaches, I almost regret Julien.

His confidence has been destroyed. Hab's signature move.

 

[blarneylad]

What really worries me is that I don't see the offensive creativity we used to see flashes of from him. There's literally nothing going on, he just skates with the puck and that's it. We used to see him deke out players, be a disrupter with his stick, put in a heavy shot here and there, now there's nothing going on except a nice pass or two every few games. I really feel like the Habs f***ed this up. I was really hopeful things would get better under Ducharme, but honestly, seeing the way this guy coaches, I almost regret Julien.

Looks like his current trajectory is to be an Eller.

But another offseason and year wiser can still do him wonders. He needs to fill in which will give him the ability to use his physicality to his advantage. Confidence can do wonders too after a break.

So my thoughts is Eller or >>>

 

[SOLR]

He's 20 years old, not 6 months ago we all saw a flash of high performance. Let him breathe lol.

 

[the paisanos guy]

I don't get the Eller comparisons.

At KK's current age, Eller would just be getting his first sniff of the NHL -- 7 games. The season after? 17 points in 77 games. The season after that? 28 points in 79 games.

KK has already proven far, far more than Eller at their respective post-draft years, the comparison is ridiculous