Player Discussion Jesperi Kotkaniemi - Part 18

[Habs]

I think the boys were a the Saphire Club or the Spearmint Rhino before the game.

 

[danyhabsfan]

I'd bring back Tatar. He'll be motivated. Particularly against Vegas.

We need some offense from Danault.

Tatar Danault Gallagher (need a spark)
Toffoli Suzuki Caufield (I like those together)
Perry Kotkaniemi Anderson (I want to give Perry some time with better players)
Lekhonen/Byron Staal Armia/Evans (3 of those)

 

[angusyoung]

 

[Miller Time]

i'm getting the feeling that we will see him traded this summer... Team just doesn't seem invested in setting him up for success the way they are with other young guys like CC and Suzuki.

one mistake, gets leash pulled (meanwhile Chiarot sees his minutes go up regardless of errors, anderson's minutes stay constant despite months of unproductive play, they give his minutes late in the game to staal lol... )
told to play a game that, physically, he's not ready to play in an impactful way... even if he can do it decently. Meanwhile, despite the goal scoring and despite the vision/puck skills being among the top forwards in the lineup, isn't played in that role or with that focus

if they view him as a physical "banger" and not as a skilled top-6 C, wouldn't surprise me if they use him as a trade chip rather than as an asset to build around. If so, just hope we get good value and don't end up in another Drouin type blunder...

he started the game well, was one of our better forwards in the first, then sits most of the 2nd since he doesn't get used in PK and they try to go with Danault/Suzuki lines in between penalties, has an uneven 3rd, makes a mistake, and gets his ice time cut for it... is what it is, but it's also the kind of thing that sends a message to the kid that they don't have confidence in his ability to impact... apparently ignoring that he was one of the key contributors to both of the previous series wins... so much for merit lol

 

[Natey]

Blaming KK's linemates for the 23189th time. Lets go!

Kotkaniemi has as many goals in the playoffs alone as Anderson has in his last 32 games. And Anderson is supposed to be a goal scorer.

 

[Gravity]

i'm getting the feeling that we will see him traded this summer... Team just doesn't seem invested in setting him up for success the way they are with other young guys like CC and Suzuki.

one mistake, gets leash pulled (meanwhile Chiarot sees his minutes go up regardless of errors, anderson's minutes stay constant despite months of unproductive play, they give his minutes late in the game to staal lol... )
told to play a game that, physically, he's not ready to play in an impactful way... even if he can do it decently. Meanwhile, despite the goal scoring and despite the vision/puck skills being among the top forwards in the lineup, isn't played in that role or with that focus

if they view him as a physical "banger" and not as a skilled top-6 C, wouldn't surprise me if they use him as a trade chip rather than as an asset to build around. If so, just hope we get good value and don't end up in another Drouin type blunder...

he started the game well, was one of our better forwards in the first, then sits most of the 2nd since he doesn't get used in PK and they try to go with Danault/Suzuki lines in between penalties, has an uneven 3rd, makes a mistake, and gets his ice time cut for it... is what it is, but it's also the kind of thing that sends a message to the kid that they don't have confidence in his ability to impact... apparently ignoring that he was one of the key contributors to both of the previous series wins... so much for merit lol

That would be monumentally stupid and would say a lot about the drafting and developing capabilities of this org.

 

[TheBuriedHab]

Kotkaniemi has as many goals in the playoffs alone as Anderson has in his last 32 games. And Anderson is supposed to be a goal scorer.

You can keep bringing up the goals. I love that KK scored some greasy goals earlier in the playoffs. But it doesn't change the fact that right now he can't hang on to the puck, he turns it over, he falls over and is a much bigger liability than a winger. He's a center and with that comes a lot more responsibility to create offense for your wingers, which KK isn't doing. I'm sorry I've seen this over the past 3 years with KK. He will go into long periods of time where he is hurting the team more than helping.

 

[Naslund]

KK will not be traded. That would be completely stupid, although MB has his moments.

He is doing well. He scored four important goals so far in these playoffs at 5vs5. He just need to keep getting stronger, faster, quicker, which will naturally happen with time. The kids will grow together and peak at the same time, between 25-30. Next year, the club will integrate Poehling. The year, after that, Ylonen and Primeau, then Tuch, Guhle and hopefully others. This years' playoff run is a bonus for the kids. It will help them realize what they have and what they have to improve if they want to take the next step. Compare this with the Leafs, which are losing Matthews in three years (or less), have no interesting prospects, have no depth, and are deluding themselves thinking they are a cup contender.

 

[habdynasty]

The 2 offensive centres are pretty much still boys. Staal is old and Danault has zero offence in his game. I guess the boys are getting playoff experience.

 

[CHfan1]

That would be monumentally stupid and would say a lot about the drafting and developing capabilities of this org.

Hopefully this organization has more patience than this fanbase. Yeah he’s in his third season, but he’s still only 20 and the youngest centre in these playoffs. He was drafted knowing he would take a while to reach his peak, he’s still years from that.

The Habs haven’t had any good centres in years, now they have two that are 20 & 21 to build around and they should trade one of them? That would be a big mistake.

 

[Gravity]

Hopefully this organization has more patience than this fanbase. Yeah he’s in his third season, but he’s still only 20 and the youngest centre in these playoffs. He was drafted knowing he would take a while to reach his peak, he’s still years from that.

The Habs haven’t had any good centres in years, now they have two that are 20 & 21 to build around and they should trade one of them? That would be a big mistake.

I legitimately can't believe how stupid sections of this fanbase are. You just know that after a loss or a game where he didn't play well this thread will pop up with people pointing out oh he wasn't noticeable last night or yadda yadda. Don't hear this for any other players..........

 

[26Mats]

That's Ducharme's game plan. That plan got torpedoed by Theodore's floater from the blueline that Price didn't see.

It's kind of sad, predictable and tragicomic to see people blast Montreal players, forwards especially, for not having an offensive edge, when the entire game plan is based on rock solid defense with offense as the third or fourth consideration.

I don't believe in having offense as the 3rd or 4th consideration. I just think:

A) we need to have better defensive coverage.
And, B) Vegas are good defensively. I just don't think realistically, given our talent level up front, we'll score a ton this series. We can't expect to give up 4 goals off of blown defensive coverage and win.

 

[gillyguzzler]

It's just one game and he was pretty good previously but I didn't like his game at all yesterday. He looked tentative and intimidated.

Hopefully he's back next game more assertive and a bit quicker with the puck.

 

[Miller Time]

You can keep bringing up the goals. I love that KK scored some greasy goals earlier in the playoffs. But it doesn't change the fact that right now he can't hang on to the puck, he turns it over, he falls over and is a much bigger liability than a winger. He's a center and with that comes a lot more responsibility to create offense for your wingers, which KK isn't doing. I'm sorry I've seen this over the past 3 years with KK. He will go into long periods of time where he is hurting the team more than helping.

yeah... except JKO isn't the reason that Anderson and Byron are mired in incredibly low shooting %.

That Anderson can't convert, even high quality chances, isn't a reflection of "not being set up", it's a reflection of his inability to finish... which has been the case with any C he's played with since he returned from his mid-season injury.

JKO helps the team in a myriad of ways that you apparently don't see... and yes, he hurts the team occasionally, which is part of the lumps that come with a 20 year old. CC and Suzuki have had their share of gaffes and limitations, the big difference is the patience and longer leash both are given, while being consistently put in positions to suceed... which is what you should do with a young elite talent, or, keep them in the AHL.

 

[Steve Shutt]

Saw this the other day and thought it was pretty impressive:
Most Career Playoff Goals by 20 years olds since 1990

• Jamorir Jagr = 19
• Jeremy Roenick =15
• Jordan Staal = 13
• Patrick Kane = 9
• Pierre Turgeon = 9
• Marian Gaborik = 9
• Alexei Kovalev = 9
• Sidney Crosby = 9
• Andrei Svechnikov = 9
• Rod Brind'Amour = 9
• Mike Modano = 9
• Jesperi Kotkaniemi = 8
• Patrick Laine = 8
• Simon Gagne = 8
• Miro Heiskanen = 8

One more and he's in amazing company. Two and he's among the greatest of all time

 

[Natey]

You can keep bringing up the goals. I love that KK scored some greasy goals earlier in the playoffs. But it doesn't change the fact that right now he can't hang on to the puck, he turns it over, he falls over and is a much bigger liability than a winger. He's a center and with that comes a lot more responsibility to create offense for your wingers, which KK isn't doing. I'm sorry I've seen this over the past 3 years with KK. He will go into long periods of time where he is hurting the team more than helping.

In no way have I said he's been great or anything.

But Anderson is the f***ing a worst. A huge waste of money. And I'd rather see KK out there trying to develop than Anderson who we already have for 6 years of headaches anyway.

 

[Archijerej]

That Anderson can't convert, even high quality chances, isn't a reflection of "not being set up", it's a reflection of his inability to finish...

There haven't been any "high quality chances" created for Anderson by Kotkaniemi at least since the series against the Leafs. The precious little Anderson and Byron have created came from individual efforts.

 

[DAChampion]

Meltdown after a loss.

 

[Miller Time]

There haven't been any "high quality chances" created for Anderson by Kotkaniemi at least since the series against the Leafs. The precious little Anderson and Byron have created came from individual efforts.

completely false narrative.

 

[Miller Time]

Meltdown after a loss.

if only... these awful takes on JKO have persisted going back to last season.

The combo of being a high pick (with the recent memory of how our last 2 3rd overall players never lived up to expextations), Tkachuk and Hughes being more ready to put up points in the NHL and going to teams committed to let them grow with a long leash, and that he wasn't a concensus top3 prospect in his draft year all has a bunch of the usual suspects passing snap judgements and then looking for every opportunity to validate their narrow-lens and ungrounded opinion.

His age, the impressive things he's done already, and the clear signs he's shown of high-end potential are all inconsequential to the bunch... so after any game where he doesn't score or play as the top skater/C, brings forth the deluge of repetitive and ill-informed takes...

to je to

 

[Paddy17]

Everyone would be OK with a young center starting to be dominant or at least be really good at the age of 23.

Well, in KK's case, that's still 3 seasons from now. Just a little perspective...

After the draft, almost everyone agreed that he would probably need to follow a more long-term development path. Expectations have changed because he had a good first year in the NHL for a just-turned 18 year old. He's not on the best development path right now, but I think he can still develop into a very good center at 23.

 

[angusyoung]

Saw this the other day and thought it was pretty impressive:
Most Career Playoff Goals by 20 years olds since 1990

• Jamorir Jagr = 19
• Jeremy Roenick =15
• Jordan Staal = 13
• Patrick Kane = 9
• Pierre Turgeon = 9
• Marian Gaborik = 9
• Alexei Kovalev = 9
• Sidney Crosby = 9
• Andrei Svechnikov = 9
• Rod Brind'Amour = 9
• Mike Modano = 9
• Jesperi Kotkaniemi = 8
• Patrick Laine = 8
• Simon Gagne = 8
• Miro Heiskanen = 8

One more and he's in amazing company. Two and he's among the greatest of all time

Retire the jersey already FFS!

 

[azcanuck]

Be patient. He is lanky 20 year-old. Do you think he will not get better?

We are not supposed to win this year. It's a bit of a miracle that we made it so far. Build around the new core: Suzuki, KK, Poehling, Caufield, Romanov, Guhle, Ylonen, Tuch, Primeau.

Yes we understand he's 20 years old. But he is wearing an NHL sweater and will be scrutinized for his current play. That's the way it works.

 

[Naslund]

Yes we understand he's 20 years old. But he is wearing an NHL sweater and will be scrutinized for his current play. That's the way it works.

Thanks for letting me know, I did not know how it worked.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Meltdown after a loss.

Pretty much.

Team got smoked last night and here come a bunch of folks ready to pounce on freaking KK.