Prospect Info: Jesperi Kotkaniemi

[Surrounded By Ahos]

Speaking of names, and based on these threads and mentions elsewhere, "Kotkaniemi" seems to be a magical combination of letters that is immune to misspelling in North America. Compare that to poor Antti Niemi who was "Neimi" half the time.

Finnish names usually give me fits. I have to double check Kaapo Kakko every time. For whatever reason I always want to spell it Kappo Kaako. Something about the double letters following the Ka- just causes my brain to shut down.

Of course, then you have the occasional name like Pitkänen or Jokinen that are easy and spelled just like they sound.

 

[AD Skinner]

I'm spelled like I sound
And I'm hungry like the wolf

 

[Porvari]

Yeah, picking up vowel and consonant lengths is a Finnish savant thing, kind of like the Chinese with their tones.

But if it's any consolation, "Kaapo Kakko" is just a plain old weird name that no child should be burdened with.

 

[Svechhammer]

Haha watched Bergevin press conference and read what habs are saying (french), Hilarious , saying things like every team would have traded KK and a 2nd for Dvorak and a 3rd ,Bergevin saying it would be illegal for the canes to sign KK for less than 6.1 , i could see habs fan wearing those Make Habs Great Again lol

The meltdown in January will be glorious, and there isn't a f***ing thing he can do about it.

 

[Paddyjack]

I Google'ed "Jesperi Kotkaniemi falling down" and got zero hits. What is all this talk about him "falling all the time?"

Our nickname on the board for him was Bambi to reflect his balance issues I think it is simply a matter of getting stronger legs, he has a long and lanky frame still.

 

[Heffyhoof]

I Google'ed "Jesperi Kotkaniemi falling down" and got zero hits. What is all this talk about him "falling all the time?"

He fell down decently frequently in his first season but has gotten much better. This season there was a group of toxic fans who would go giddy anytime he fell, even if it was once in three games. They pushed an overblown narrative that's since been picked up now that Kotkaniemi is utter trash for no longer being a habs player; there's almost no such thing as reasoned hockey talk with a habs fan that involves Kotkaniemi.

 

[cptjeff]

Yes. Confirming of which reminded me:



It made into headlines in the old country when a fan noticed Jepu's stick being ink-marked "Get angry already you f***ing asshole".

Armia and Lehkonen were suspected.

Not quite the "have fun" that Cam Ward wrote on all of his sticks, is it?

 

[SakuKoivu11]

He fell down decently frequently in his first season but has gotten much better. This season there was a group of toxic fans who would go giddy anytime he fell, even if it was once in three games. They pushed an overblown narrative that's since been picked up now that Kotkaniemi is utter trash for no longer being a habs player; there's almost no such thing as reasoned hockey talk with a habs fan that involves Kotkaniemi.

not true
I think KK has good speed but his skating strides doesn’t look natural. It’s possible he doesn’t have the lower gravity but again he’s still a kid growing into his frame. When he gets stronger he won’t fall down as much. But his skating strides needs to be fixed if he is to take another level.

Overview
Talent/skill is excellent
Shooting/Wrist shot is deadly
Slaps shot is average
Skating is below average
Hockey sense excellent
Confidence right now I say below average

For sure he won’t be a number one center like Aho. He may develop into a number two center like a Peter Nedved. Worst case he will be a 3rd line center like Rob Niedermayer.

 

[Garbox]

I Google'ed "Jesperi Kotkaniemi falling down" and got zero hits. What is all this talk about him "falling all the time?"

Jesperi has had a tendency to fall easily when changing direction quickly. More about his skating technique than anything else. And that can be taught even in his age (Barkov took lessons with a figure skating coach in his draft +2 and 3 off-seasons... might remember the years wrong).

Jesperi for sure wouldn't have benefited staying in Finland his d+1 season. Ässät was a tire fire that season. And he did have good season in the NHL, learning all the aspects of the game there. Then a knee surgery the first off-season, bulked up a bit too much (and didn't get to skate much) and he didn't have legs at all. Should've been sent to A a lot sooner then, maybe even scratched totally in order to be able to skateskateskate.

All in all, I don't see the early start to be a negative thing as he wasn't just surviving. Sheltered? Of course, but playing well in that spot. But I think the management, like some fans, forgot that he was always supposed to be a long term project. It's like they didn't have a plan with him or they ditched it after the good start.

Jesperi is not a complete player and as long as people remember that, I think everything is allright.

Must say that I am expecting a bit stronger season than the last one, but he had quite short off-season after a long play-off run (and he played in Finland before the season started in NA).

 

[jiggy35]

Where does Kotka slot in the lineup?

 

[SakuKoivu11]

Where does Kotka slot in the lineup?

to be honest I don’t see him first line wing because Svechnikov is your #1 LW. I would be hesitant to put him RW off wing.
Maybe second line where Nino is? But my best guess would be third line LW with Jordan Staal.

 

[geehaad]

Here's a vote for locking this thread.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

Can we further the marketing shenanigans by signing Kotkaniemi to the Dvorak extension? 6 x 4.45? Maybe 5 x 4.45 because we are already using a year.

nice solid Spiderman gif with Kotkaniemi and Dvorak pointing at each other.

 

[Svechhammer]

to be honest I don’t see him first line wing because Svechnikov is your #1 LW. I would be hesitant to put him RW off wing.
Maybe second line where Nino is? But my best guess would be third line LW with Jordan Staal.

Prevailing thought right now is that we go

Svech-Aho-Teravainen
Kotkaniemi-Trocheck-Necas
Nino-Staal-Fast
Martinook-Stepan-Leivo

With Lorentz likely to slot in throughout the lineup during the season to allow guys to rest.

 

[SakuKoivu11]

Prevailing thought right now is that we go

Svech-Aho-Teravainen
Kotkaniemi-Trocheck-Necas
Nino-Staal-Fast
Martinook-Stepan-Leivo

With Lorentz likely to slot in throughout the lineup during the season to allow guys to rest.

nice lineup. For some reason I think KK with Staal makes sense to learn from the vet.

 

[MinJaBen]

Prevailing thought right now is that we go

Svech-Aho-Teravainen
Kotkaniemi-Trocheck-Necas
Nino-Staal-Fast
Martinook-Stepan-Leivo

With Lorentz likely to slot in throughout the lineup during the season to allow guys to rest.

I'd love to swap Turbo and Nitros on the right between those two lines. I think Koko Miami would benefit from having TT's steady presence on the opposite wing. Also, I'd love to see Necas with Svech and Aho. That line would be straight fire.

 

[MinJaBen]

nice lineup. For some reason I think KK with Staal makes sense to learn from the vet.

I'd like to see him on the second line, but I think he will play with Staal to start because Rod loves to work a kid up the line up slowly.

I'm looking forward to getting mad at Rod's line ups again soon.

 

[SakuKoivu11]

I'd like to see him on the second line, but I think he will play with Staal to start because Rod loves to work a kid up the line up slowly.

I'm looking forward to getting mad at Rod's line ups again soon.

It’s about confidence and judging from his exit interview he doesn’t look like he has confidence right now. Time to rebuild him if Rod can.

 

[Svechhammer]

I'd love to swap Turbo and Nitros on the right between those two lines. I think Koko Miami would benefit from having TT's steady presence on the opposite wing. Also, I'd love to see Necas with Svech and Aho. That line would be straight fire.

Aho and Necas together last year was a cheat code. Svech and Aho together in the past has been a cheat code. Svech, Aho, and Necas together might be the Konami code.

The only worry I would have with this would be that if you have KK-Trocheck-Turbo together, the only proven finisher we would have on that line is Trocheck, unless KK takes a big step up. That said, he's already shown he can bury opportunities when he gets a great setup pass, and that's what Turbo specializes in, so perhaps it could work.

The thing is, the Top 6 we're likely to have should effectively be interchangeable based on matchups. Tons of flexibility, with an added bonus of being able to load up a legit hero line when needed without really hurting the 2nd line. KK gives us that extra middle-6 guy that allows us to slot Nino down on the 3rd to give them a bit of a scoring punch without sacrificing up front, which could or should be huge for us.

 

[WreckingCrew]

I definitely think Kostco Miami would benefit from starting the year on Staal's wing with Fast...veteran guys who can teach him to be responsible defensively and build up his game/confidence.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

I didn’t think JK’s issue was defensive responsibility. It was scoring

 

[AD Skinner]

Aho and Necas together last year was a cheat code. Svech and Aho together in the past has been a cheat code. Svech, Aho, and Necas together might be the Konami code.

Konami should definitely be the go to nickname for Kotkaniemi

 

[Svechhammer]

Konami should definitely be the go to nickname for Kotkaniemi

Kokonami?

 

[Moosetache]

I definitely think Kostco Miami would benefit from starting the year on Staal's wing with Fast...veteran guys who can teach him to be responsible defensively and build up his game/confidence.

The issue I see with this is that is just a ton of D zone starts. Why put him in that position constantly?

 

[WreckingCrew]

The issue I see with this is that is just a ton of D zone starts. Why put him in that position constantly?

True, but we did the same with Svech for a while until he started to establish himself a bit