Player Discussion Jesperi Kotkaniemi Part IV

[montreal]

continue ...

I get the feeling you don't care for the player?

I like him just fine, I would have preferred to trade down if possible and get a late 1st or early 2nd. If we could have done that then I would have went with Boqvist to replace the loss of Sergachev. I don't scout though, I only watch Hab prospects but the little I saw him I was very impressed. Taking Kotka worried me that we would repeat the Galchenyuk mistake although with him being much better defensively he would be used better then Galchenyuk.

But I like him a lot, just don't think he's looked that good at all when you factor in he's a 3rd OA in a sick draft and for the most part has been very sheltered. He's not been bad at all, I just find him to be hold on out there. I hated the idea of him being here, would much rather see him working on his skating, getting quicker, more explosive, stronger, filling out his frame while not in the crazed limelight of the Hab fans/media. I don't think delaying things a year would hurt him at all, but we'll see what rushing him does as I am sure he's making the team as I don't see CJ and MB messing with what's working.

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[Vachon23]

Sad that we have 0 sniper in our team because I would love to see him play with KK. I think we need to put some one else then Armia with KK but I don't know who.. don't want a touch at the Domi and Danault lines so even if I don't like Sherback and if it was me he would be traded it's been a long time, could we try him at the place of Armia ?

 

[Runner77]

Can't start a new Kotkaniemi thread without this ...

 

[Saundies]

Thought he had his best game in a while against the Blues; looked involved and got a couple of chances. He's got the typical rookie trait of trying to defer the puck to veterans on his line rather than gripping it and ripping it when he gets in tight, but that should come with confidence and time.

As long as he gets okay ice time and keeps trending upward/learning, I'm fine with keeping him in the line up all year.

 

[Runner77]

It was from a preseason game.

http://intentionaloffside.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/1-kotkaniemi-III.jpg

Great photo posted by Natey who is using a cropped version as his avatar. Thanks for the link!

 

[Runner77]

I've resized Natey's pic:

 

[Mrb1p]

Martin Necas has been sent down to the AHL, whos, IMO, a bit ahead of Jesperi in his development and both have 1C potential. Its not a bad idea.

 

[417]

Martin Necas has been sent down to the AHL, whos, IMO, a bit ahead of Jesperi in his development and both have 1C potential. Its not a bad idea.

Unlike Kotkaniemi though...Necas has been getting destroyed and more importantly was barely playing.

 

[Mrb1p]

Unlike Kotkaniemi though...Necas has been getting destroyed and more importantly was barely playing.

And not unlike Kotkaniemi, both have two points.

 

[417]

And not unlike Kotkaniemi, both have two points.

We focus too much on production, especially for young players.

Kotkaniemi does a lot of good things on the ice, the production will eventually follow, i'm not worried about that personally.

 

[Habs Icing]

Martin Necas has been sent down to the AHL, whos, IMO, a bit ahead of Jesperi in his development and both have 1C potential. Its not a bad idea.

What I've seen of the kid I like but he needs to go to Laval or Finland. I would prefer Laval. I don't see him in the same light as many other posters. I see him struggling out there and being physically overpowered. If records were kept I'd say he falls more often than DD ever did.

 

[Habset]

What I've seen of the kid I like but he needs to go to Laval or Finland. I would prefer Laval. I don't see him in the same light as many other posters. I see him struggling out there and being physically overpowered. If records were kept I'd say he falls more often than DD ever did.

It's similar to what we saw from Paccioretty when he 1st came to the team. He then asked to be sent to the AHL and came back a better player. I'd like to see that same for Kotkaniemmi and I don't mind if it's in Finland or AHL as long as they give him minues in Finland I think it'll help him even more with developing offence but AHL might be better for physicallity.

 

[HOPE]

We focus too much on production, especially for young players.

Kotkaniemi does a lot of good things on the ice, the production will eventually follow, i'm not worried about that personally.

I don’t realy care about production at this point but what i realy care about right now is him having the puck on his stick the most he can. He won’t do that in the NHL if he keeps playing with his current linemate. So sent him down or make him play with puck possession players.

 

[danyhabsfan]

It's similar to what we saw from Paccioretty when he 1st came to the team. He then asked to be sent to the AHL and came back a better player. I'd like to see that same for Kotkaniemmi and I don't mind if it's in Finland or AHL as long as they give him minues in Finland I think it'll help him even more with developing offence but AHL might be better for physicallity.

Not really. Iv'e never seen Pacio doing what Kotkaniemi is doing right now. We've seen some really nice flash and he just need to trust himself to shoot the puck more.

 

[417]

It's similar to what we saw from Paccioretty when he 1st came to the team. He then asked to be sent to the AHL and came back a better player. I'd like to see that same for Kotkaniemmi and I don't mind if it's in Finland or AHL as long as they give him minues in Finland I think it'll help him even more with developing offence but AHL might be better for physicallity.

It's not similar at all...

He played on the 4th line with guys like Steve Bégin, Kyle Chipchura and Greg Stewart, Tom Pyatt, Ryan White, often times playing 6-7 mins a game.

He asked to be sent to the AHL so he could play.

Kotkaniemi is playing on the teams 3rd line with Paul Byron & Joel Armia, he's playing 14 mins a game.

Completely different situations.

 

[Habset]

It's not similar at all...

He played on the 4th line with guys like Steve Bégin, Kyle Chipchura and Greg Stewart, Tom Pyatt, Ryan White, often times playing 6-7 mins a game.

He asked to be sent to the AHL so he could play.

Kotkaniemi is playing on the teams 3rd line with Paul Byron & Joel Armia, he's playing 14 mins a game.

Completely different situations.

In 2008-2009 he played most of his minutes with Plekanec and Kovalev:

 

[417]

In 2008-2009 he played most of his minutes with Plekanec and Kovalev:

View attachment 148129

Fair enough...I was going off memory, but important to note that Plekanec had a brutal year that year.

 

[Habs]

I still would have drafted a Boqvist or Tkachuk, even though its the unpopular thing to say.

 

[BB88]

Martin Necas has been sent down to the AHL, whos, IMO, a bit ahead of Jesperi in his development and both have 1C potential. Its not a bad idea.

He really struggled with the puck, seemed to be constantly fighting with it.

 

[Dagistitsyn]

I still would have drafted a Boqvist or Tkachuk, even though its the unpopular thing to say.

Tkachuk is a beast, but I have faith that Kotkaniemi will be a great center for us. We needed a good C prospect unfortunately.

 

[Habs]

Tkachuk is a beast, but I have faith that Kotkaniemi will be a great center for us. We needed a good C prospect unfortunately.

I would have never passed on what I feel is a better player, in Tkachuk. The Habs reached big time with this kid, passed on better talent. The Brady haters are suspiciously quiet these days as he is proving to be an amazing pick up until his injury.

 

[tooji]

I would have never passed on what I feel is a better player, in Tkachuk. The Habs reached big time with this kid, passed on better talent. The Brady haters are suspiciously quiet these days as he is proving to be an amazing pick up until his injury.

Brady might be better in the moment, but he is also pretty much a year ahead in his development. Evaluating this a few years down the line I think it will be clear the habs made the right call

 

[Mrb1p]

I would have never passed on what I feel is a better player, in Tkachuk. The Habs reached big time with this kid, passed on better talent. The Brady haters are suspiciously quiet these days as he is proving to be an amazing pick up until his injury.

Jesus... again with the reaching big time crap? Jesperi is the youngest player in the NHL atm and he looks fine, Tkachuk had a hot streak, relax.

 

[Habs]

Jesus... again with the reaching big time crap? Jesperi is the youngest player in the NHL atm and he looks fine, Tkachuk had a hot streak, relax.

Do I need to invoke a trigger warning when suggesting other players are better than Jesperi? I keep forgetting. Its just my opinion, I sat though countless Tkachuk bashing threads, but he's been dominant with, and without the puck. Jesperi has been decent at times, certainly a long ways to go. The kid needs a shorter stick too, I hope they convince him to give his Chara sized stick up.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Martin Necas has been sent down to the AHL, whos, IMO, a bit ahead of Jesperi in his development and both have 1C potential. Its not a bad idea.

Necas blows.