OnTheRun
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- May 17, 2014
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Player Discussion Jesperi Kotkaniemi Part 17
- Thread starter Lshap
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well, that's the thing... if he is a "radically different player" because he's physically matured and continued to even moderately improve facets of his game, it stands to reason that his offensive output will also increase. The only quesiton is how much.
Kudo Shinichi
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- Apr 20, 2012
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I think he needs consistent linemates.
Feels like every 2 games, he ends up with new linemates...
Feels like every 2 games, he ends up with new linemates...
Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
More ice time because he is doing something with it. It’s not hard, produce when out there and coach will play you more. Simple!
Gravity
Generational Poster
Feels? Before last game, he was on a 7 games stretch of switching every 2 games. KK/Danault/Anderson lasted 3 games...
From before draft day, most people here knew and were saying that Tkachuk was a more polished product that was NHL-ready, whereas KK was more of a project. Many even predicted that this exact phenomenon would happen, meaning that Tkachuk would perform better the first few years, but he would already be close to his ceiling.
The only thing that has changed about that is that KK did not do 2 extra years of Liiga/AHL after being drafted and was parachuted to the NHL right away. Can't say if that was a mistake or not, but he still did pretty well as the youngest NHL player in his rookie year.
So... according to draft day projections, KK was projected to only start playing in the NHL either this year or next year.
The only thing that has changed about that is that KK did not do 2 extra years of Liiga/AHL after being drafted and was parachuted to the NHL right away. Can't say if that was a mistake or not, but he still did pretty well as the youngest NHL player in his rookie year.
So... according to draft day projections, KK was projected to only start playing in the NHL either this year or next year.
DAChampion
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- May 28, 2011
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Redux91
I do Three bullets.
Lehkonen-Evans-Kotkaniemi is the new 4th line at practice
I think its been established the Staal - Perry line is the 4th line now, so this is really the 3rd line (its evans that seems to have graduated)
That Staal trade really but REALLY f***ed Kotkaniemi for this season, unreal incompetence by Bergevin
But were running out of left handed LW's so i totally get asking KK to help out there, curious how he does as a RW now
DAChampion
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Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
Oh, I thought he was at C ... sigh.Lehkonen-Evans-Kotkaniemi is the new 4th line at practice
CHfan1
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- Apr 23, 2012
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Lehkonen-Evans-Kotkaniemi is the new 4th line at practice
This was the lineup that I saw (with KK at centre):
John Lu had KK at centre on his next tweet (after he tweeted the lineup):
Redux91
I do Three bullets.
Even Gaston therrian last night was like "how they havent tried Staal on the wing and leave KK at center is beyond me, EVEN with staal on the wing, he can still take a couple of face offs!" was the first time i ever agreed with him in my life
DAChampion
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Upon further reflection it's not such a bad situation.
Evans and Kotkaniemi had great chemistry in the AHL, and I believe that Lehkonen will eventually turn it around.
CHfan1
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I like it. He’s better at centre and Evans has been playing really good.
I wonder what kind of toll this season has taken on Kotkaniemi and how fatigued he is. It’s a condensed season where they are playing more than every second night. That can’t be easy for a 20 year old player, especially a player that has to get used to new linemates every 3rd game or so.
Maybe it’s just my observation but he seems to start out games strong and then fades a bit.
Hopefully the Habs get a rest between the end of the regular season and the playoffs, it’ll be a big boost for this team.
salbutera
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- Sep 10, 2019
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Gravity
Generational Poster
Read the whole thread. He's literally saying the same thing as we've been saying. He should've gone back to Europe and played in WJCs. Instead idiotic decisions by idiotic management have led us here.
salbutera
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Recall, the org (at the same decision point) had no issue with sending Suzuki back to juniors for another season to develop further...
Gravity
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CHfan1
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That was definitely worth reading, especially the Ken Holland part. On that note, one thing I’m worried about right now is KK’s confidence. He hasn’t scored in awhile, gets benched at the end of games, and gets put all over the lineup. I’m sure his confidence is not at an all time high.
If they would have left him in the lower leagues to develop (like Caufield) would he have more confidence now? I think the few games he played in the AHL really helped with that last season. I’m also sure this fanbase would be a lot easier on him if he was a 20 year old rookie centre as opposed to a 20 year old 3 season vet.
Playing and succeeding in the NHL as a centre at such a young age can be tough and, I’m sure, overwhelming.
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Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
Exactly what Ive been saying for 3 years now.
They chose to rush him, they chose to make the money move and have him in the NHL.
They need to play him. Plain and simple.
Not optimal to develop in the NHL, that is true. But he is here now, and this crap hes been enduring for the past three years might cost him his career. At some point Jesperi will have to think about his career and stop being the kid that is easily moved aside because he wont say a word.
This is the kind of shit organisation the Habs have had for so long.
Ozmodiar
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- Oct 18, 2017
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Good post. I saw it on Twitter.
#8 is what we’re seeing now. Trouble handling the puck in traffic, for example. Why he looks better in space than in traffic.
unfortunately, some of the damage *might* already be done with him not developing longer in Europe ... as so many here hoped he would.
like him, I hope he’s wrong.
Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
So we were not being dramatic? You just admitted to them literally ruining Kotkaniemi.
Ozmodiar
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- Oct 18, 2017
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I don’t think he’s ruined, but ...
He wasn’t ready as a rookie. Mismanagement on MB’s part.
His usage this season - coaches play the cards they’ve been dealt- has been generally fine. He’s usually matched with a scoring winger and a defensive minded winger. He gets a regular PP shift. That’s some good opportunity to develop. He was gradually getting better until early April. ... fatigue set in and he lost some stability with team injuries.
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