Prospect Info: Otto Leskinen

EXPOS123

Registered User
Jun 29, 2010
1,423
1,720
lol...and some people were trying to convince he could have had a spot on the Habs next year.

Another failed Euro signing by our scouts to add to our very long list.
 
Last edited:

montreal

Go Habs Go
Mar 21, 2002
57,633
40,750
www.youtube.com
He would certainly have been up for a spot next year depending on what MB does with the roster in the off-season, but I assume he would have been in a fight with Fleury for that 7th D spot. I would rather re-sign Gus and have him as the 7th D if he's willing to come back on a cheap deal. I wasn't a big fan of Leskinen in his first year but this year he played so much better in Laval. I can see why he left but if I were him I would have stuck it out for 1 more year unless the Habs told him what their plans were for the D next year and he saw the writing on the wall as I don't think he would ever be more then a 7th D for us.

I don't really see it as a failure, he played 6 NHL games, cost us nothing but Molson's money while being one of Laval's best players which had us as the best team in the league for most of the year.
 

Ezpz

No mad pls
Apr 16, 2013
14,925
11,089
Not terribly important in comparison with our run, but he's signed a 2-year deal with Jokerit. Guess he's done here. Maybe he thinks he doesn't have what it takes to be an NHLer?
 

Archijerej

Registered User
Jan 17, 2005
8,419
7,898
Poland
he's n0 longer a prospect to me at least as I highly doubt we bring him back but he played his first KHL game and had 2 pts with over 18 mins of TOI.
Unless we're planning to make some other moves, I wouldn't mind him fighting it out with Wideman for a spot in the lineup. He was not convincing in his short stints with the team, but we didn't exactly put him in a best position to succeed.

Edmundson - Petry
Romanov - Savard
Chiarot - Leskinen
Kulak - Wideman

I'd rather try that, than rush Norlinder.
 

Belial

Registered User
Oct 22, 2014
26,142
14,323
Montreal
Unless we're planning to make some other moves, I wouldn't mind him fighting it out with Wideman for a spot in the lineup. He was not convincing in his short stints with the team, but we didn't exactly put him in a best position to succeed.

Edmundson - Petry
Romanov - Savard
Chiarot - Leskinen
Kulak - Wideman

I'd rather try that, than rush Norlinder.
He signed in the KHL, he's gone...
 

Belial

Registered User
Oct 22, 2014
26,142
14,323
Montreal
This is a hypothetical scenario.

We let him go. Hopefully, not in order to rush Norlinder.
I think you kinda got paranoiac on this whole development rushing thing lately lmao.

Let's say we would've sent KK back to Finland when he was 18 years old, what exactly do you think would've happened down there that didn't happen here that would've made a huge difference in his development?
 

Archijerej

Registered User
Jan 17, 2005
8,419
7,898
Poland
I think you kinda got paranoiac on this whole development rushing thing lately lmao.

At some point, it's hard to ignore the results of our development strategy.

I didn't like how they handled Poehling two seasons ago. I didn't like what I saw from Romanov last year. For the life of me, I couldn't understand what Cale Fleury was doing on an NHL roster.

As you see, it's not entirely a new thing for me, although I was willing to give the management the benefit of the doubt up to a point.

Heck, I didn't even want to see Caufield graduated. Seems like I was wrong on this one, but let's see how it goes with this player once the honeymoon is over.

Let's say we would've sent KK back to Finland when he was 18 years old, what exactly do you think would've happened down there that didn't happen here that would've made a huge difference in his development?

This requires a long answer, but it's enough to say that his physical development would have taken place under much less demanding schedule and much less pressure for immediate results.
 

Belial

Registered User
Oct 22, 2014
26,142
14,323
Montreal
At some point, it's hard to ignore the results of our development strategy.

But it was not a straight line of development tactic for everybody... Hudon was marinated in the AHL for years under this same management...

Evans was also somewhat marinated.

Brook is being marinated right now.

I mean it's not like they're playing guys that don't belong.

This requires a long answer, but it's enough to say that his physical development would have taken place under much less demanding schedule and much less pressure for immediate results.

Who exactly pushed him for results?

He was still getting heavily sheltered even this last season...

No PK, lots of offensive zone starts, and plenty of PP minutes...
 

Jersey Fan 12

Positive Vibes
Nov 20, 2006
6,080
2,600
Only asking because he is still listed on Montreal's reserve list.

Leskinen joined Tappara after Jokerit dropped out of the KHL following the Russian invasion and led the team's defensemen in scoring in the Liiga playoffs.

Any likelihood he is in Montreal (or another NHL) camp thus summer?
 

dcyhabs

Registered User
May 30, 2008
4,277
2,552
Montreal
But it was not a straight line of development tactic for everybody... Hudon was marinated in the AHL for years under this same management...

Evans was also somewhat marinated.

Brook is being marinated right now.

I mean it's not like they're playing guys that don't belong.



Who exactly pushed him for results?

He was still getting heavily sheltered even this last season...

No PK, lots of offensive zone starts, and plenty of PP minutes...
Brook has never given any indication of being ready. Hudon only looked ready based on scoring stats. Evans was in the US and had to agree to turn pro.

Pretty much every player who showed anything was rushed and had to deal with Lefebvre and/or Martin/Therrien/Julien/Ducharme. I wonder what Lefebvre and Therrien would have done with Caufield, probably worse than Ducharme and he’d be in the ECHL by now.

Leskinen was a borderline prospect. He would have had some NHL time if they’d kept him around. Good AHL player.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DAChampion

Team_Spirit

95% Elliotte
Jul 3, 2002
37,736
17,617
Idk he was not that bad.. remember the Habs were without their top 2 D so nobody to eat the hard minutes vs the Sens A team.

 
Last edited:

Team_Spirit

95% Elliotte
Jul 3, 2002
37,736
17,617
Bumped the wrong thread sorry~

Leskinen played well so far, aside from that turnover last game. All our young guys on D had those brain farts it comes with inexperience.

It seems MSL loves him, caught a Bob Hartley interview and he had good words for the kid. Certainly looks better on the PP than Wideman or Barron and also better than Shuneman and Bowey in all 3 zones.

Least talked about prospect on D for sure, maybe because he's already 25?
 
  • Haha
Reactions: dasahgah

Scintillating10

Registered User
Jun 15, 2012
19,260
8,748
Nova Scotia
Bumped the wrong thread sorry~

Leskinen played well so far, aside from that turnover last game. All our young guys on D had those brain farts it comes with inexperience.

It seems MSL loves him, caught a Bob Hartley interview and he had good words for the kid. Certainly looks better on the PP than Wideman or Barron and also better than Shuneman and Bowey in all 3 zones.

Least talked about prospect on D for sure, maybe because he's already 25?
Some saying in Facebook he beat out Barron. Hard to believe but MSL generally knows what he is doing
 

Tetragrammaton

Registered User
Mar 17, 2022
2,305
2,923
He played against younger kids and weaker kids this year in the O. He will face men next year at AHL level. We will see.
We need him in Montreal, we need him to protect our players and keep the other teams honest. He’s already wayyyy better than Savard in every aspect. He’s fast, good iq, great shot, physical, mobile, he looks like the full package honestly.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad