Player Discussion Jesperi Kotkaniemi - Staaled Out Edition

[Mrb1p]

Was KK healthy scratch in last game or did he have some injury or illness?

Healthy scratched. Beyond puzzling.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

He’ll get in for Evans likely. Hope he was paying attention to how the team played because that’s how he needs to play. If he plays like his ass is on fire, he can be a great piece for us.

 

[Wats]

When KK plays physical, he doesn't even need to put up points to be effective. Would be great to see him come back in last play-ins beast mode (3-4 hits/game)

 

[1909]

Healthy scratched. Beyond puzzling.

He deserved it. Wake up kid !

 

[417]

When KK plays physical, he doesn't even need to put up points to be effective. Would be great to see him come back in last play-ins beast mode (3-4 hits/game)

I'd rather see 3-4 shots on goal/attempts.

He has to find a way to use his shot more.

 

[azcanuck]

KK has offered little in terms of offense the last 20 games. He just skates around hoping the puck doesnt come to him.

After watching last night's game I cant see how KK will help. We had little offensive pressure outside of Anderson and a few last night.

 

[montreal]

KK has offered little in terms of offense the last 20 games. He just skates around hoping the puck doesnt come to him.

After watching last night's game I cant see how KK will help. We had little offensive pressure outside of Anderson and a few last night.

In the final 15 games of the season Anderson had points in 1 game. He looked gassed just like many Habs did, yet after a break of 8 days in between games he was one of our best players last night.

Look at Evans. The guy goes 40 games without a goal, gets a 12 day break in between games and comes back and is one of our best players in the final games of the regular season.

There's no telling what KK would look like after having a 10 day break in between games. Maybe he will look like shit and his confidence is lost, maybe the 24 games in 42 days mixed with moving all over the lineup and struggling took a major toll on his mental and or physical well being but after some time off and being refreshed he will play much like he did in the first 70% of the season.

 

[azcanuck]

In the final 15 games of the season Anderson had points in 1 game. He looked gassed just like many Habs did, yet after a break of 8 days in between games he was one of our best players last night.

Look at Evans. The guy goes 40 games without a goal, gets a 12 day break in between games and comes back and is one of our best players in the final games of the regular season.

There's no telling what KK would look like after having a 10 day break in between games. Maybe he will look like shit and his confidence is lost, maybe the 24 games in 42 days mixed with moving all over the lineup and struggling took a major toll on his mental and or physical well being but after some time off and being refreshed he will play much like he did in the first 70% of the season.

It could happen but if confidence was the issue as I suspect, and you sit a guy in the most important game of the year, somehow he will come back in game 2 and be a confident player? I have grave doubts. (and why I said you need to play him in game one if you think he's a cornerstone moving forward instead of playing mind games with him).
And if anyone can handle a lot of games it would be a 20 year old kid. should have endless energy.

 

[montreal]

It could happen but if confidence was the issue as I suspect, and you sit a guy in the most important game of the year, somehow he will come back in game 2 and be a confident player? I have grave doubts. (and why I said you need to play him in game one if you think he's a cornerstone moving forward instead of playing mind games with him).
And if anyone can handle a lot of games it would be a 20 year old kid. should have endless energy.

I can't stand how they have managed KK or just about any prospect/young player in the Molson/MB era. Just a terrible job all round with so many bad decisions.

As for KK, who knows what went wrong. We saw a lot of players on this team just look gassed and struggle to produce during the worst schedule I have ever seen. I'm sure his confidence took a big hit. But there's no telling how much a 10 day break could do for him mentally and how he would respond. I would give him a shot and see how he does.

 

[CHfan1]

It could happen but if confidence was the issue as I suspect, and you sit a guy in the most important game of the year, somehow he will come back in game 2 and be a confident player? I have grave doubts. (and why I said you need to play him in game one if you think he's a cornerstone moving forward instead of playing mind games with him).
And if anyone can handle a lot of games it would be a 20 year old kid. should have endless energy.

I think the rest will do him a lot of good. If he can play like he did in the bubble he’ll be a big help for the Habs.

 

[Doc5]

I think the rest will do him a lot of good. If he can play like he did in the bubble he’ll be a big help for the Habs.

If I got a $1 for each time I saw a post sharing this tweet I wouldn’t have to go in for work this evening

 

[montreal]

I think the rest will do him a lot of good. If he can play like he did in the bubble he’ll be a big help for the Habs.

this is what i've been saying all season in regards to Suzuki and KK. When posters were saying Suzuki should be sent to Laval, or the taxi squad or the press box. When KK was getting ripped for his struggles. We are talking about the most condensed NHL schedule over a 6 week period likely ever seen before. It clearly was a big issue for the players as the team was barely watchable in those final games as they limped into the playoffs. They should not have been asked to play such a brutal schedule, but who knows how much it impacted some players but it's clearly a factor to some degree.

 

[CHfan1]

If I got a $1 for each time I saw a post sharing this tweet I wouldn’t have to go in for work this evening

I’ve posted it at least a couple times myself, but it’s a good reminder that the NHL schedule can be tough, especially with the Habs finishing with 25 games in 44 days. Kotkaniemi also wasn’t the only player that struggled down the stretch.

 

[buddahsmoka1]

I'd rather see 3-4 shots on goal/attempts.

He has to find a way to use his shot more.

He gets plenty of shot attempts, they just often get blocked because his release is really subpar.

 

[Mrb1p]

Alex Newhook is going to center the 2nd line to a cup win this year and virgin MTL cant even play their 3rd overall in the POs.

 

[26Mats]

Alex Newhook is going to center the 2nd line to a cup win this year and virgin MTL cant even play their 3rd overall in the POs.

every player develops differently.

 

[26Mats]

this is what i've been saying all season in regards to Suzuki and KK. When posters were saying Suzuki should be sent to Laval, or the taxi squad or the press box. When KK was getting ripped for his struggles. We are talking about the most condensed NHL schedule over a 6 week period likely ever seen before. It clearly was a big issue for the players as the team was barely watchable in those final games as they limped into the playoffs. They should not have been asked to play such a brutal schedule, but who knows how much it impacted some players but it's clearly a factor to some degree.

MB got depth, we should have used it. We should have given players who needed rest rest. KK amd others should have had "load management" at certain points in the season.

 

[azcanuck]

I think the rest will do him a lot of good. If he can play like he did in the bubble he’ll be a big help for the Habs.

I hope so. People point to good spurts that KK has had . Almost every NHL player has those. The key is some consistency. Excuses are rampant in discussing KK. The only valid one left is he's 20 and has room to grow. Even when he went to Finland and the AHL he didnt dominate at all with lesser competition.
But I really want to see him play. He should not have sat the first game. What a message to send your supposed cornerstone.

 

[JoelWarlord]

Alex Newhook is going to center the 2nd line to a cup win this year and virgin MTL cant even play their 3rd overall in the POs.

Even the Trotz/Lamoriello NY Islanders are using Dobson and Wahlstrom lmao

 

[azcanuck]

MB got depth, we should have used it. We should have given players who needed rest rest. KK amd others should have had "load management" at certain points in the season.

He had 10 days off up to the first playoff game , but they choose not to play him. That's quite a message.

 

[Mrb1p]

every player develops differently.

In Montreals case, they often dont develop at all.

If anybody thinks that Alex Newhook deserved the 2C spots on the best team in the league after

3 pts in 6 games in the reg
9 pts in 8 games in the AHL
12 pts in 9 games in the NCAA

And that Jesperi didnt deserve the spot after going. 5 ppg they can go jump in a sarlak pit.

So f***ing done with all this. So done.

I was a fan of Newhook and I think he was always a comparable to Kotkaniemi, in skill and in overall quality and readiness, this is the greatest example of the f***ing failure that is Bergevin.

 

[26Mats]

He had 10 days off up to the first playoff game , but they choose not to play him. That's quite a message.

To me that's silver lining. While I 'd like to see him, I hope this kick in the teeth motivates him in his offseason training.

 

[26Mats]

In Montreals case, they often dont develop at all.

If anybody thinks that Alex Newhook deserved the 2C spots on the best team in the league after

3 pts in 6 games in the reg
9 pts in 8 games in the AHL
12 pts in 9 games in the NCAA

And that Jesperi didnt deserve the spot after going. 5 ppg they can go jump in a sarlak pit.

So f***ing done with all this. So done.

I was a fan of Newhook and I think he was always a comparable to Kotkaniemi, in skill and in overall quality and readiness, this is the greatest example of the f***ing failure that is Bergevin.

KK is 20. It's far too early for anything to be done.

But yeah, it's great the Avs didn't have such a shit team that they didn't have to rush Newhook and that he got 2 post-draft seasons to continue to develop before coming up to the NHL...

 

[Mrb1p]

Even the Trotz/Lamoriello NY Islanders are using Dobson and Wahlstrom lmao

Gotta earn it!

Notables not earning it but being given every opportunities to run with it

Kaprizov
Necas
Newhook
Wahlstrom
Tolvanen
Dobson
Zach Whitecloud
Rasmus Sandin
Kyrou

 

[Schwang]

When KK plays physical, he doesn't even need to put up points to be effective. Would be great to see him come back in last play-ins beast mode (3-4 hits/game)

He needs to be defensively responsible too though. Just being physical isn't enough. He's not been great in his own end.