Player Discussion Jesperi Kotkaniemi (Part X)

[Sterling Archer]

Granted I haven't been in here in a gazillion years but is this the general sentiment? Seems like fake news.

Latendresse, Chucky etc. Anytime we have a somewhat promising prospect the media and fan base place all their hopes and dreams on them as if they’re saviours who are going to singlehandedly save the franchise and can’t make any mistakes, ever.

That isn’t fake news, it’s the reality of hockey in Montreal.

 

[Mrb1p]

The problem is what do they do with Drouin, his defensive game sucks and we all know CJ and defense. Then you have Domi who isn't great on draws (I don't feel like looking up the numbers) and he's not great in his own end. For the long term I would look at putting Domi Kotka Gallagher as a line as it would put Kotka in a position to have hard working wingers that can put the puck in the net and give him good speed on the wings while being a defensive solid line as well.

Drouin could then go on a line with Danault and Tatar. I know many will hate to break up the Danault line and more will hate moving Domi back to wing since he had such a good year. But we had those guys there and still didn't make the playoffs and to me this would be about doing what's best for the future, not trying to hope we make the wild card spot.

Drouin can Puck off for all I care. He's not someone Ill ever plan my roster around because he's just bad. He can sulk all day on Domis wing, didn't stop Domi from scoring every game.

I care mostly about forming duos then pluggin someone that fills the need on the line
Kotkaniemi-Gallagher
Domi-?
Danault-Armia

This leaves us with : Tatar, Drouin, Suzuki, Poehling, Lekhonen, Byron to fill the gaps.

I didn't mention the fourth line, I don't care about it.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

the problem is that's very risky thing to do with your 18 year old 3rd OA pick. Kotka means so much to our future and needed to mature physically. I like what the Nucks did with Pettersson, I'm a lean towards taking caution instead of taking a big risk with your biggest asset for the future of the organization.

If he did go to Liiga and wrecked the league like Pettersson did in the SHL, won gold with Team Finland at the WJC's, they could have brought him over this summer and he would hopefully be more physically mature. Then you hope Julien would trust him more and not shelter him so much, he's the 3rd OA for a reason, put him in out there in key spots and see how it works. If they thought he was ready for that, which he should be if they went that route.

I don't think we risked anything. He was clearly, ready and able to play in the bigs. He just tired out towards the end, first year as a pro, this is normal. I thought Julien played him about right and I think his minutes will go up over time. I don't have an issue with his handling at all.

 

[montreal]

I don't think we risked anything. He was clearly, ready and able to play in the bigs. He just tired out towards the end, first year as a pro, this is normal. I thought Julien played him about right and I think his minutes will go up over time. I don't have an issue with his handling at all.

that's crazy, you are always taking a big risk putting an 18 year old in the NHL, there's no way you can say otherwise. sure he did better then expected but that's only in hindsight.

 

[Vachon23]

I hope they will give him a real chance in the top 6 some where in the next season and at least in Pre Season.

 

[Mrb1p]

He should get his chance to fight for a roster spot, just like Kotkaniemi did. People were ****ting on Jeppu when he didn't have a very impressive rookie camp but he did enough to stay, and by the end of camp it was clear he deserved a spot.

But was it the right move to play him 12 minutes a night....

 

[NotProkofievian]

But was it the right move to play him 12 minutes a night....

I think so. I had the same concerns as you did going into the season, and the NHL season proved to be just a little bit too much. But I think it was still in the productive range of difficulty for him.

 

[Mrb1p]

I think so. I had the same concerns as you did going into the season, and the NHL season proved to be just a little bit too much. But I think it was still in the productive range of difficulty for him.

IMO theres nothing like burning down villages to develop your game and at best Kotkaniemi kicked a trash can.

 

[jaffy27]

But was it the right move to play him 12 minutes a night....

We will know this year.......

 

[FormerLurker]

But was it the right move to play him 12 minutes a night....

12:00? He averaged 13:44. Nothing wrong with that for an 18 year old.

 

[Mrb1p]

12:00? He averaged 13:44. Nothing wrong with that for an 18 year old.

Stop.

Hes not an 18 years old.
Hes a 3rd overall pick with supreme talent. Lets stop equating age and talent.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Either that joke wasnt funny or it flew higher than a 747 on a clear day

He had his village burned down by Kotkaniemi.

 

[admiralcadillac]

Stop.

Hes not an 18 years old.
Hes a 3rd overall pick with supreme talent. Lets stop equating age and talent.

Actually, he was 18.

13:44 minutes per game certainly isn’t 12 however.

 

[jaffy27]

He had his village burned down by Kotkaniemi.

 

[Mrb1p]

He had his village burned down by Kotkaniemi.

I member now

 

[vokiel]

But was it the right move to play him 12 minutes a night....

I don't know if there's that much of a difference between 12 minutes and 14 minutes for a forward. (~14 is if every line plays equally)

 

[Mrb1p]

I don't know if there's that much of a difference between 12 minutes and 14 minutes for a forward. (~14 is if every line plays equally)

Every second matters. Also, teammates matter a lot.

 

[Runner77]

When the minutes arent there, or when the player is clearly not ready.

Mete had growing pains, yes, but he played big minutes. Thats paramount to good development.

Kotkaniemi did good, but had very little minutes. Thats not really good IMO.

Had not realized Kotkaniemi played so few minutes last season.

 

[Mrb1p]

@Runner77 13:44 per game average is inadequate for your top 3 OA supposedly franchise player, no matter his age. Players need ice. You dont get better, ever, by being on the bench. Theyre not bench players, theyre hockey players.

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[peate]

This would've been funnier if posted in the hunting and fishing thread.

 

[admiralcadillac]

Had not realized Kotkaniemi played so few minutes last season.

That’s because he didn’t. He averaged almost 14 minutes, and his minutes were significantly reduced towards the end of the season after Kotkaniemi himself admitted to being tired. He played more hockey last year than any other hab too.

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[Mrb1p]

No training video or anything from Jeppu. I hope hes not slacking...

 

[ChikN]

I'd like it if Claude was a bit more flexible during games. I get it the guy is young and needs to ''learn'' the NHL game, but at the same time he is a very talented 3rd overall pick that could help us for the next decade +. Why not surprise other teams during games, by giving him the best wingers for a few shifts here and there... Don't have to be the 1st line center for the whole season or anything, just be flexible and throw him out there with your top firepower when losing or just to surprise the opponents. Move Domi to left wing for a few shifts when we're losing and roll with Domi-Kotkaniemi-Gallagher every now and then, especially when in a losing situation going into 3rd period...

Just a little bit of flexibility Clod...