Kotkanieni vs Pettersson

[SteelerNation]

Which of these young centers do you think will be the better player / have the better career. One drafted 5th in 2016 and one drafted 3rd in 2017.

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[KingTux]

Come on

Also, you have their draft year wrong. Eagle is 2018 and Alien is 2017

 

[LuckyBoeser]

Pettersson AINEC

 

[A Loyal Dog]

Kotkaniemi at 18 is pretty damn great defensively and showing some wicked skills offensively. Pettersson started playing in the NHL at 20. Not the same thing. I'm going for Kotkaniemi.

 

[IceHockeyDude]

Pettersson is clearly better at the moment. In five years the odds could be more even.

 

[135ace]

Kotkaniemi at 18 is pretty damn great defensively and showing some wicked skills offensively. Pettersson started playing in the NHL at 20. Not the same thing. I'm going for Kotkaniemi.

This really makes no sense. For example Pettersson maybe didn't play in the NHL in his D+1, but Hischier did and Nico was far more impressive last year than Kotka is this year.
Now in their d+2 EP has made the jump and is better than Nico (who is still on a great trajectory and constantly improving). Don't see how Kotka can be better than EP and the comparison really makes no sense.

 

[A Loyal Dog]

This really makes no sense. For example Pettersson maybe didn't play in the NHL in his D+1, but Hischier did and Nico was far more impressive last year than Kotka is this year.
Now in their d+2 EP has made the jump and is better than Nico (who is still on a great trajectory and constantly improving). Don't see how Kotka can be better than EP and the comparison really makes no sense.

I'm very happy for you to think that Nico was far more impressive last year than Kotka is this year. But reality is Kotka is great defensively and great offensively and already looks like a truly special player on the ice. It remains to see who turns out to be better and have the better career. For now, I'd happily stick with my Kotkaniemi pick.

 

[135ace]

I'm very happy for you to think that Nico was far more impressive last year than Kotka is this year. But reality is Kotka is great defensively and great offensively and already looks like a truly special player on the ice. It remains to see who turns out to be better and have the better career. For now, I'd happily stick with my Kotkaniemi pick.

I've watched a fair bit of Kotka, and I'm not trying to insult him. I think in a way he's similar to Nico, both are great young players who have almost no ceiling as they've just improved by crazy amounts each year. It's really hard to project guys who do that, especially when you factor in their youth and how they're still growing into their bodies and will become much stronger. But to take him over EP is kind of crazy. Sure, he could become better, but that's not a bet you take. As I said, just look at Nico's last season as a comparable. Better production, better all around play, and still a steady progression year to year and he's not on EP's level. Ironically, I think the one thing Kotka has over Nico (compared to his last season) is a better shot. But Nico put up 20 goals (which seems like a long shot from Kotka) due to being a better net-front presence/tipper and his shot has taken a massive step forward this year.

 

[sparxx87]

Kind of unfair, no? Pettersson has two extra years of development in a pro league.

Pettersson is exceptional, but Kotkaniemi looks extremely impressive as well. It’ll be interesting to see how he progresses over the next two years.

I’d wait for a larger body of work from both before I choose.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Pettersson is clearly better at the moment. In five years the odds could be more even.

I agree.

 

[FrankMTL]

Not really a fair poll for Kotkaniemi. Petersson has been a superstar this year, after dominating the SHL last year and Kotkaniemi is just getting his feet wet. If you're asking me today, it's Petersson for sure, but I would like to see where they're at in 3-5 years as Kotkaniemi has improved so quickly in about 1 year. Who would have guessed last January or February that not only would Kotkaniemi get picked 3rd overall, but that he'd be in the NHL right away and doing very well for himself?

 

[FrankMTL]

Delete, double post

 

[danyhabsfan]

The obvious pick is Pettersson.

Kotkaniemi is 20 months younger so who knows what he will look like in 20 months.

 

[Draiskull]

EP for sure. But Kotka has looked very impressive of late.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Right Now?

Pettersson
Kotkaniemi


Kotkanieni

Pettersson is also almost two years older, but you have to give the nod to him right now.

 

[Kotkaniemi15]

EP is better right now but it's an unfair comparison to KK because he's nearly two years younger than Elias. If KK was a couple months older, he'd be in the 2019 draft. If Pettersson was a couple months younger, he'd be in the 2016 draft. We can only make this comparison when there's a larger body of work. EP is a special talent though.

 

[CherryToke]

Kotkaniemi at 18 is pretty damn great defensively and showing some wicked skills offensively. Pettersson started playing in the NHL at 20. Not the same thing. I'm going for Kotkaniemi.

Actually, Pettersson started playing in the NHL at 19. This is his draft +2 season.

And he won the SHL MVP as an 18 year old...

 

[CherryToke]

Kind of unfair, no? Pettersson has two extra years of development in a pro league.

No he doesn't.

 

[sparxx87]

No he doesn't.

My mistake, I thought he was two years older.

Point still stands, though. If you’ve been watching Kotkaniemi, you have to be impressed and interested to see what he’ll do at the same stages.

 

[joe dirte]

Actually, Pettersson started playing in the NHL at 19. This is his draft +2 season.

And he won the SHL MVP as an 18 year old...

for one month. Just one month. Kotkaniemi will have a full year at age 18.

You're really trying to twist.

And I have no horse in this race.

 

[joe dirte]

My mistake, I thought he was two years older.

Point still stands, though. If you’ve been watching Kotkaniemi, you have to be impressed and interested to see what he’ll do at the same stages.

It's a year and 8 months. Not quite two years.

 

[Windy River]

I'm not a fan of ranking players solely by stats.. but how is this even a question ??
Now or in the future, not close.

 

[Mickey Marner]

I was thinking Elias, but Kotka throws a mean single-leg takedown.

 

[CherryToke]

My mistake, I thought he was two years older.

Point still stands, though. If you’ve been watching Kotkaniemi, you have to be impressed and interested to see what he’ll do at the same stages.

Yes he is impressive for 18. Really smart player.

 

[Dominance]

Voted Kotkaniemi because he’s really become a great player pretty quietly for the Habs, and Pettersson already has crazy hype. Pretty clear who’s better right now, but JK has the skill to potentially make it interesting in the future.