Player Discussion Jesperi Kotkaniemi Part IV

[Habs Halifax]

it's not unpopular stop saying non sense. I've read many people on this board shared your thought after the draft. The zadina crowd quieted down now it's turn of the Tkachuk crowd. I've read many people complaining we did not go BPA which is valid but we still got a pretty good player now in Kotkaniemi let's just see how he develops.

It's premature to say we should of drafted a guy who was a better BPA at this stage. Kotkaniemi was drafted cause he is a center and it's about the long game and how he looks when he is 20, 21, 22. As far as the Zadina and Tkachuk supporters. They are not necessarily wrong cause those are two dam good prospects as well. I never did get the Tkachuk hate by many on our boards. Those who compared him to a McCarron type pick were way off the rails. Remember the Bergevin will draft Tkachuk cause he loves those types of players comments?

The only way you know who BPA is you have ability to predict the future. Now if Zadina scores multiple 40+ goal seasons, Tkachuk ends up being a power forward who plays top line, and Kotkaniemi turns into a 3rd line center, then those who supported Zadina and Tkachuk have every right to say we should of took BPA. But that means they thought Kotkaniemi would bust and his ceiling was a 3rd line center.

 

[llamateizer]

unacceptable. Look how shaw treats KK


with sound




KK lost a bet and had to untie all players skates after the training

 

[JeffreyLFC]

unacceptable. Look how shaw treats KK


with sound

Funny as I think Shaw should replace Armia on his line. I think a Byron-Kotka-Shaw line would help Kotkaniemi a lot more. Byron speed and Shaw hussle should open Kotkaniemi more and let him grow more in confidence. I think Armia is the worst fit with Kotkaniemi.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Funny as I think Shaw should replace Armia on his line. I think a Byron-Kotka-Shaw line would help Kotkaniemi a lot more. Byron speed and Shaw hussle should open Kotkaniemi more and let him grow more in confidence. I think Armia is the worst fit with Kotkaniemi.

I think Armia would fit well with Drouin and Domi myself too- and would give Kotka Lehkonen.

 

[Runner77]

unacceptable. Look how shaw treats KK


with sound




KK lost a bet and had to untie all players skates after the training

I wonder what bet he lost.

 

[The Great Weal]

It's only a matter of time that Tatar-Kotkaniemi-Gallagher becomes a line. Or at least I hope.

 

[Runner77]

unacceptable. Look how shaw treats KK


with sound




KK lost a bet and had to untie all players skates after the training

The bet involved shooting accuracy:

Jesperi Kotkaniemi a perdu une gageure vendredi lors de l’entraînement du CH. Le jeune attaquant de 18 ans devait frapper les poteaux et la barre horizontale dans une compétition, mais il a échoué.

TRANSLATION GYST: Kotkaniemi lost a bet on Friday, during the Habs's practice. He needed to hit the posts and crossbar on a challenge but lost.

Yeah but ... he's hit quite a few posts during games, lol.

 

[teamfirst]

It's only a matter of time that Tatar-Kotkaniemi-Gallagher becomes a line. Or at least I hope.

I think your right there, and i'm a big fan of Danault's game, but at one point CJ will have to think about it.....for now things going well and they dont want to put too much pressure on the kid, when this line start to get cold a bit that's when we may see it happening

 

[Andrei79]

What I want to see next game from him is to best opposing coverage. Space isn't given easily in the NHL and he's having a hard time getting open.

Funny as I think Shaw should replace Armia on his line. I think a Byron-Kotka-Shaw line would help Kotkaniemi a lot more. Byron speed and Shaw hussle should open Kotkaniemi more and let him grow more in confidence. I think Armia is the worst fit with Kotkaniemi.

I'd like to see that line too.

 

[Kojo]

The problem I have with sending him down is that the player who is going to replace him in the line up is not that good, which would help us tank, I guess. I rather keep him as long as we play above .500 and he doesn't look like a tourist and play 14 minutes. Who cares if we waste a year of his ELC in the grand scheme of things.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

It's only a matter of time that Tatar-Kotkaniemi-Gallagher becomes a line. Or at least I hope.

I think a Danault injury and it happens instantly. Don’t think you can remove a healthy Danault from that line unless the line stops producing though.

 

[Cobra Commander]

It's only a matter of time that Tatar-Kotkaniemi-Gallagher becomes a line. Or at least I hope.

Kotka’s mother and Armia’s wife are besties. They will never separate the two players, they will beat it to death no matter how bad it is for Kotka’s point totals and career. Dum du dum dum dumb.

I would of had Kotka with Tatar and Gally From the first minute and he would be PPG+ . Yes I’m calling alternate futures right now.

 

[GHJimmy]

Kotka’s mother and Armia’s wife are besties. They will never separate the two players, they will beat it to death no matter how bad it is for Kotka’s point totals and career. Dum du dum dum dumb.

I would of had Kotka with Tatar and Gally From the first minute and he would be PPG+ . Yes I’m calling alternate futures right now.

I still think he could be a PPG but that's if he's moved to first line, but you know Julien is a dinosaur that loves older style plays

 

[Toene]

Needs to think and play a little quicker but nothing unusual for a guy his age. He still shows signs of high talent. I know people will tear me part for this but AHL may be an adequate place for him to hone his skills. I'm split between keeping him or sending him down. It's hard to predict which way is more beneficial long-term.

 

[Belial]

He looked good out there IMO, his line was our best line tonight through the whole game.

 

[Fish on The Sand]

The problem I have with sending him down is that the player who is going to replace him in the line up is not that good, which would help us tank, I guess. I rather keep him as long as we play above .500 and he doesn't look like a tourist and play 14 minutes. Who cares if we waste a year of his ELC in the grand scheme of things.

Well wasting a year of his ELC mean 3-5 million less cap space in 3 years when we may be in a position to actually win something.

 

[branch]

Watched him tonight, I definitely see the long term potential but does anyone else think he needs another year? I think he needs to physically mature a little bit.

 

[sansabri]

We're a better team with him. No reason to send him down.

 

[BB88]

Well wasting a year of his ELC mean 3-5 million less cap space in 3 years when we may be in a position to actually win something.

It's a question of do you want to have him on a ELC for an extra year or do you want to have him cheaper on his longterm contract.

Bit like Pasta vs Rantanen, Pasta signed 6.66M contract after 1 70 point season, Colorado saved a year on Rants ELC and he's already got 1 84 point season and going strong again this season, looking at what 8-9.5M contract there( of course he's signign 2 years later so it affect some) but the point is there.

 

[BaseballCoach]

We're a better team with him. No reason to send him down.

Peca's limitations are unfortunately very obvious. Plekanec's too. Neither of them makes the play that led to Byron's goal.

Yes, we are a better team with J2K. Those who don't want us to be better will not see that as an advantage, however.

 

[montreal]

It shouldn't be about if we are a better team or not with him on it, it should be about what will make Kotka the best player in 5 years from now. But we suck at developing and this management team loves to rush players to the NHL. Just hope this time it works out great for a change.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Watched him tonight, I definitely see the long term potential but does anyone else think he needs another year? I think he needs to physically mature a little bit.

might be unpopular to say here atm (is it?) but I think he needs another year.

I like what I see, I really do. I think he's going to be our 1C if we handle him properly. He has all the tools imo. He's 18 years old and already possesses amazing stick work and elite hockey IQ that can't be taught. He's a puck hound. When I see him skate around though, I feel like he needs to fill out more. I think he'd be golden with AT LEAST another 10 pounds on his frame, preferably more though.

I loved seeing him defend Price, though. After so many years of players running at Price and no one really doing anything, Kotkaniemi was right in there.

I truly believe he can be a Barkov-lite for us when he fills out some more. I'd send him to Finland or the AHL to round out his development for the rest of the season and then bring him back next year after he fills out. There's no need to rush him, imo.

 

[branch]

might be unpopular to say here atm (is it?) but I think he needs another year.

I like what I see, I really do. I think he's going to be our 1C if we handle him properly. He has all the tools imo. He's 18 years old and already possesses amazing stick work and elite hockey IQ that can't be taught. He's a puck hound. When I see him skate around though, I feel like he needs to fill out more. I think he'd be golden with AT LEAST another 10 pounds on his frame, preferably more though.

I loved seeing him defend Price, though. After so many years of players running at Price and no one really doing anything, Kotkaniemi was right in there.

I truly believe he can be a Barkov-lite for us when he fills out some more. I'd send him to Finland or the AHL to round out his development for the rest of the season and then bring him back next year after he fills out. There's no need to rush him, imo.

Yeah that’s kind of my thinking as well. This is a non partisan post since I’m a Sens fan but I do enjoy scouting and observing the progression of young players. I really like Kotkaniemi as a C but IMO he should go back to Finland for a year and seriously hit the protein shakes and weight room and come back for next year. Kind of pointless to have him on the roster. You see that the IQ is there, what’s the point of keeping him around if he can’t hang physically?

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Yeah that’s kind of my thinking as well. This is a non partisan post since I’m a Sens fan but I do enjoy scouting and observing the progression of young players. I really like Kotkaniemi as a C but IMO he should go back to Finland for a year and seriously hit the protein shakes and weight room and come back for next year. Kind of pointless to have him on the roster. You see that the IQ is there, what’s the point of keeping him around if he can’t hang physically?

The thing is that I think he can just barely hang physically, but that's not his game -- it's all about smarts and stick work and being in the right place.

If he went to Finland and added some mass? I think it'd add a new dimension to his game and he'd be absolutely dominant on the ice, tbh. The puck would be on his stick and it wouldn't leave unless he wanted it to.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

He definitely can hang in the NHL. As long as he keeps his creativity I have no issues keeping him up. Am a little worried he’s going to get hurt, but that could happen in the AHL as well. He just is constantly twisting and falling and I worry about a knee injury. But in terms of development, I don’t think he’s hurting himself in the NHL.