Prospect Info: Jesperi Kotkaniemi: The Eagle has landed (Made the team!)

[Le Tricolore]

Actually, it took Ribeiro years to get over his strength and skating issues and establish himself as an NHLer.

So you're saying it took years for Ribeiro to become... stronger?

 

[Lepardi]

And in honor of our favorite local Finn ...

"Sisu" really doesn't come to mind when you think of an elegant player like Kotkaniemi whose hockey IQ is through the roof. "Sisu" is what players like Ville Nieminen and Leo Komarov have. Sisu enables players who aren't that skilled or talented to stay in the NHL for many seasons.

 

[FrankMTL]

If Kotkaniemi does indeed start the year in Montreal, would he be the youngest player to play for the Habs in the modern era? I would have to think that he's the youngest or one of the youngest. Sergachev, although very young as well, was a couple of weeks older than him.

 

[Lepardi]

firing their hugely popular (second ever female in Liiga) but in the end incompetent CEO with her fancy champagne bars

Champagne bars in Pori? Are you serious? In a town that's widely known as the redneck capital of Finland.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

"Sisu" really doesn't come to mind when you think of an elegant player like Kotkaniemi whose hockey IQ is through the roof. "Sisu" is what players like Ville Nieminen and Leo Komarov have. Sisu enables players who aren't that skilled or talented to stay in the NHL for many seasons.

His IQ is through the roof but he chooses to go into corners and to the net even though he's physically outmatched. That's "Sisu"...to me at least. Sisu just means not giving up.

 

[Lepardi]

His IQ is through the roof but he chooses to go into corners and to the net even though he's physically outmatched.

I have to admit I haven't seen him play that much but from what I've seen he's not anything like Saku Koivu in this sense. But I think he looks more graceful than young Saku did. Hopefully being about 4 inches taller and not quite as intense as Koivu was will help him stay away from the injury list.

 

[peate]

If Kotkaniemi does indeed start the year in Montreal, would he be the youngest player to play for the Habs in the modern era? I would have to think that he's the youngest or one of the youngest. Sergachev, although very young as well, was a couple of weeks older than him.

Chucky was 18 when he played his first game, so was Svoboda, but they both turned 19 the following February. So yeah, he could be the youngest.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Chucky was 18 when he played his first game, so was Svoboda, but they both turned 19 the following February. So yeah, he could be the youngest.

Mario Tremblay was two months younger than EagleOldGoalie

 

[Lepardi]

Mario Tremblay was two months younger than EagleOldGoalie

Mario Tremblay debuted on November 14th 1974:

Mario Tremblay Stats and News

 

[peate]

Mario Tremblay was two months younger than EagleOldGoalie

We might have a winner here.

 

[Lepardi]

We might have a winner here.

If Kotkaniemi plays in the season opener, he'll be about half a month older than Tremblay was in his NHL debut.

 

[FrankMTL]

We might have a winner here.

Indeed! Looks like Tremblay was a couple of weeks younger than Kotkaniemi will be if he plays on October 3rd. Now, it just depends on what your definition of "Modern era" is as this was still 44 years ago.

 

[mitchmagic]

Actually, it took Ribeiro years to get over his strength and skating issues and establish himself as an NHLer.

Ribeiro also had other issues that could have prolonged his development.

 

[peate]

Indeed! Looks like Tremblay was a couple of weeks younger than Kotkaniemi will be if he plays on October 3rd. Now, it just depends on what your definition of "Modern era" is as this was still 44 years ago.

Don't remind us.

 

[Scriptor]

Actually, it took Ribeiro years to get over his strength and skating issues and establish himself as an NHLer.

And he still hasn't gotten over all the other issues...

 

[BaseballCoach]

Indeed! Looks like Tremblay was a couple of weeks younger than Kotkaniemi will be if he plays on October 3rd. Now, it just depends on what your definition of "Modern era" is as this was still 44 years ago.

By most popular measures, the modern era usually includes Maurice Richard and Gordie Howe, but at the very latest for me, it would be when the schedule went to 70 games.

 

[Genghis Keon]

We might have a winner here.

Olivier Michaud is probably the youngest, though he was an emergency call up and only played 18 minutes in his NHL career.

Born September 14, 1983, and played October 30, 2001 (18 years and 1.5 months old).

 

[Hannibal]

Remember when he was a bust because of his play in the prospect tournament?

Now everyone is arguing to have him stay all year.

In all honesty, his play in prospect tournement wasn't encouraging.

But godamn the improvement is making everytime he's on the ice. IQ of the charts.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

In all honesty, his play in prospect tournement wasn't encouraging.

But godamn the improvement is making everytime he's on the ice. IQ of the charts.

It was 1 bad game and 1 average game.
For such a small sample size, there was way too much overreaction on this board

 

[Runner77]

"Sisu" really doesn't come to mind when you think of an elegant player like Kotkaniemi whose hockey IQ is through the roof. "Sisu" is what players like Ville Nieminen and Leo Komarov have. Sisu enables players who aren't that skilled or talented to stay in the NHL for many seasons.

 

[76]

What a pick, what a kid, what a player. Since same time last season he is on a skyrocket progression.
They'll go with daily evaluation all year long with him like they did with Mete last year. That experience served Mete really well as we can see this season so far.

The decision has also a lot to do with Kotkaniemi environnement, he will be well surrounded with guys like Lehkonen, Armia, Niemi and others. If he struggles during the season he will get some time not too far in another great environnement with Bouchard and the Rocket.

His reach is really something and I also like a lot how he moves his feet, he can turn on a dime and position himself very quickly in about any situation. That's a major attribute in today's NHL game. It allows him to avoid contact and create new passing and shooting lane efficiently.

What a great first surprise for this very interesting new season to come.

 

[Mrb1p]

The radio talkshows and callers are f***ing pathetic. 98.5 is cancerous.

Hes a bust Zadina, Tkachuk two goals yaddayadda
To
Leave kotkaniemi in the nhl ffs hes our best player

Typical

 

[LastRide]

Kock has to go back to Finland for a year. Let him get a little bigger and stronger, and dominate over there. See how the season goes. If we are at the bottom of the barrel, than hopefully we are in the running for Jack Hughes.

 

[le_sean]

Honestly, watch out next year. Both Kotkaniemi and Poehling could realistically be in the NHL and the Habs could have someone like Kakko or Byram joining the team. Add to that Mete-Juulsen are for sure full time NHLers next season. Could be an exciting team.

 

[Zalos]

He will start the year on one of the first two lines. He deserves it after all he has done. There is no excuse to send him back to Finland at this point.

People on here are just overly paranoid after what happened to previous young players in Montreal. It is different this time, however. Keke is not Galchenyuk, Latendresse, or the Kostitsyns. He is better than all of them.