KevSkillz4
Registered User
- Apr 11, 2016
- 6,994
- 11,374
Yeah Zibanajed is a great example. These guys need time...
Not at all. He stepped up in the playoffs; he has nerves of steel. He has been battle tested. Get him some good wingers and look out.Unreal you say?
Is finding this opinion questionable "hating", or are we allowed to disagree only about the level of awesomeness in regards to Kotkaniemi?
Why is this a bad thing though? The team's goal is to win. I'd rather add good, established centres to the team to try and compete than cross our fingers and pray by handing KK second line duties.And for the first time in 4 years he's actually going to have an opportunity to be a 2nd line center.
Although i'm sure MB is hard at work trying to make sure that challenge is as difficult as possible.
I never said I’d have an issue with getting Kk some insulation.Why is this a bad thing though? The team's goal is to win. I'd rather add good, established centres to the team to try and compete than cross our fingers and pray by handing KK second line duties.
If KK proves that he's the second best centre on the team, then awesome, give him the ice and run with it, but you shouldn't hand the offensive keys to an, at this point in his career, 30 point centre and expect success. It's a tough division and he's still young.
If we traded KK, the return should be for a Eichel. (big package).
Because if we can't receive a good return... this will be Mika Zibanejad 2.0.
Zibanajed's 20 year old season was significantly better than KK'sYeah Zibanajed is a great example. These guys need time...
If KK put his rookie season + his physical ability this year + his skating next year = The player we wanted at #3.
I already know the next excuse is that it's a shorter offseason so it's harder for him to be prepared. If KK doesn't hit 40 points next season, I think everyone should be concerned. Ya, he's only 21 but it's his 4th NHL season and you'd expect some kind of growth.Not sure he has a long enough offseason to really improve. I wouldn’t be surprised to see status quo this season.
Fair enough. I'm not too worried about Poehling/Paquette, although one is practically a rookie and the other has to return to form.
Kotkaniemi/Evans as our middle 6, however, is unacceptable.
I already know the next excuse is that it's a shorter offseason so it's harder for him to be prepared. If KK doesn't hit 40 points next season, I think everyone should be concerned. Ya, he's only 21 but it's his 4th NHL season and you'd expect some kind of growth.
Nah it's just another excuse. He looked like a completely different player after a similar amount of time off coming back for the bubble. If he's still got endurance issues in his 4th NHL season, then there should be a concern.it would be valid, you shouldn't expect that much improvement physically in 7ish weeks time. As for 40 pts, first let's see his usage, wingers, etc.. If he's a 2nd line winger then I would expect at least 40 points, but it's about how he plays etc... and what MB does that matters.
Scotty Bowman said he felt KK would take 2 years, that was this past season so if he's not there yet this season, then he's not there yet.
If KK put his rookie season + his physical ability this year + his skating next year = The player we wanted at #3.
I wouldn't say "not very good" but you saw him do a lot more offensively compared to now. And that's still with the 3rd line linemates and low ice time.KK wasn't very good in his rookie year. It was only acceptable because he was 18
I wouldn't say "not very good" but you saw him do a lot more offensively compared to now. And that's still with the 3rd line linemates and low ice time.
Nah it's just another excuse. He looked like a completely different player after a similar amount of time off coming back for the bubble. If he's still got endurance issues in his 4th NHL season, then there should be a concern.
KK wasn't very good in his rookie year. It was only acceptable because he was 18
Well do you know when he was recovered and able to train? The difference in time off isn't substantial whatsoever. He can definitely be good, and he needs to be. It's his going to be his 4th year.KK played his last game of the season on March 3rd, then training camp for the playins didn't start until July, now of course he was injured so unless you know when he was able to start training, vs the time he left for camp, then from this year in how long if any time off he took before he started training to when camp starts in Sept. I wouldn't say he was completely different player either, but that's semantics really.
its true when kotka came into the league he had some amazing assists he could do that really were amazing.. unexpected and yet very precise its almsot like that type of pass completely dissapeared from his game..
thats what rushing a player does.. they focus on surviving instead of thriving and they make it a way of life.. some will figure it out and still become better some wont and will be stuck in that undefined identity.
let just hope he figures it out. cause I start to be concerned.
Rushing a player but giving him rope can work. Rushing a player and then pouncing on him for all mistakes is dumb.
I'm sure Buffalo will pay him what he's worthThoughts on what KK's next contract could/should/will look like?
Well do you know when he was recovered and able to train? The difference in time off isn't substantial whatsoever. He can definitely be good, and he needs to be. It's his going to be his 4th year.