C/W Jesperi Kotkaniemi (2018, 3rd, MTL) Part III

[Kaako Kappo]

I'd rather see him play in the NHL than u20

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I really hope they're that generous. Would be awesome to have him in the Finnish team.

No way it'll happen. He would dominate the WJC.

 

[BB88]

I think if he keeps it up he could battle for a calder nomination, he won’t win it but should be a top 5 rookie this year.

If he had been playing with Tatar+ Gallagher from the start he could be a top3 pick right nor for Calder.

 

[FinPanda]

I'd rather see him play in the NHL than u20

Why not both? He'll miss like 6 NHL games.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Why not both? He'll miss like 6 NHL games.

Has a single NHL team ever released a roster player to the World Juniors?

 

[habsterr]

Has a single NHL team ever released a roster player to the World Juniors?

Victor Mete?

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

Has a single NHL team ever released a roster player to the World Juniors?

Mete & Lazar. I don't believe MTL will release him, he isn't a fringe player on the team like those at the time.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Victor Mete?

Was he a roster player at the moment? If he was, then he is one (didn't remember Mete)
- did he play (was he dressed) for the Habs prior his departure?

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Mete & Lazar. I don't believe MTL will release him, he isn't a fringe player on the team like those at the time.

Lazar...right. 2015 world juniors

 

[sergejean]

Was he a roster player at the moment? If he was, then he is one (didn't remember Mete)
- did he play (was he dressed) for the Habs prior his departure?

He did but the context was different. Habs were a disaster last year and getting him in a winning environment was a good move. This year, the context is positive and the team is battling hard so I don't see them sending Kotka down for the WJC.

 

[covfefe]

Was he a roster player at the moment? If he was, then he is one (didn't remember Mete)
- did he play (was he dressed) for the Habs prior his departure?

Yes...he played quite a few games through October and November prior to leaving for WJC camp. Upwards of 22/23 mins on some occasions.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Yes...he played quite a few games through October and November prior to leaving for WJC camp. Upwards of 22/23 mins on some occasions.

Okay.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

He did but the context was different. Habs were a disaster last year and getting him in a winning environment was a good move. This year, the context is positive and the team is battling hard so I don't see them sending Kotka down for the WJC.

This is my thoughts exactly, i don't see Habs releasing Kotka.

 

[Deficient Mode]

If the Habs are still in the playoff mix, there's 0 chance he'll be released for the WJC. Mete was totally different with how poorly they started last year.

If he had been playing with Tatar+ Gallagher from the start he could be a top3 pick right nor for Calder.

Habs shouldn't break up the Danault line and how well it's clicking just to get Kotkaniemi higher in the Calder race. Tatar+Gallagher are two of the team's three best defensive and play-driving wingers and are needed to make that a successful matchup line. Maybe next year Julien will trust Kotkaniemi enough not to hide him from the deployment where Tatar and Gallagher are necessary. The winger shuffle should happen with Drouin, Lehkonen, and Hudon instead.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

 

[Mrb1p]

If he had been playing with Tatar+ Gallagher from the start he could be a top3 pick right nor for Calder.

Agreed, were looking at a PPG forward if he's with at least one of Gally or Tatar and he plays first PP.

Were looking at a lot more points int he standings too, and a lot more points on Gally or Tatars sheet.

If the Habs are still in the playoff mix, there's 0 chance he'll be released for the WJC. Mete was totally different with how poorly they started last year.



Habs shouldn't break up the Danault line and how well it's clicking just to get Kotkaniemi higher in the Calder race. Tatar+Gallagher are two of the team's three best defensive and play-driving wingers and are needed to make that a successful matchup line. Maybe next year Julien will trust Kotkaniemi enough not to hide him from the deployment where Tatar and Gallagher are necessary. The winger shuffle should happen with Drouin, Lehkonen, and Hudon instead.

I hate the defensive argument, because Danault won't just vanish if he's not centering that line, he can still play "shutdown" (Lol, hes not shutting down anything.) with Armia, Byron, Lekhonen, and one of Gally/Tatar if theyre not on the same line. The effectiveness of everyone would go up, Danault too, by playing with a guy like Armia or Lekhonen, who both cycle the puck good, which would help Danault grind it out and keep possession, something he's not exactly doing.

 

[Deficient Mode]

Agreed, were looking at a PPG forward if he's with at least one of Gally or Tatar and he plays first PP.

Were looking at a lot more points int he standings too, and a lot more points on Gally or Tatars sheet.



I hate the defensive argument, because Danault won't just vanish if he's not centering that line, he can still play "shutdown" (Lol, hes not shutting down anything.) with Armia, Byron, Lekhonen, and one of Gally/Tatar if theyre not on the same line. The effectiveness of everyone would go up, Danault too, by playing with a guy like Armia or Lekhonen, who both cycle the puck good, which would help Danault grind it out and keep possession, something he's not exactly doing.

You can argue who is responsible for the shutting down on that line, but there's no denying that the Habs give up far fewer shots and chances against when the Tatar-Danault-Gallagher line is on the ice, and that that has been one of the most effective lines in the league at controlling shot and chance quality for and against. Hence it is a shutdown line, and a scoring line. Playing your best defensive center with two of your three best defensive wingers improves the defensive ability of the line in a way that spreading them out wouldn't.

Tatar is scoring at roughly the same pace that McDavid did last year and Gallagher isn't far behind. They have been producing at a rate that they can't sustain, and it's absurd to think they'd somehow improve on that if Kotkaniemi had been with them instead. That line is clicking extraordinarily well right now, and it shouldn't be broken up until that stops.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

 

[MasterMatt25]

He's decent

 

[le_sean]

It’s incredible the moves he can pull off considering how long his stick is and how he still has an awkward skating stride.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

He's decent

Gotta start hitting the net though

 

[sandviper]

Gotta start hitting the net though

Agreed. His shot generation is in line with other rookies but his % is low. I know he hit a bunch of posts though and not everyone can have a crazy 35% like Petersson.

Not sure if playing with Agostino is going to help him though.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Agreed. His shot generation is in line with other rookies but his % is low. I know he hit a bunch of posts though and not everyone can have a crazy 35% like Petersson.

Not sure if playing with Agostino is going to help him though.

I mean....everyone can have crazy 35%. It's a hot streak. And a small sample size.

 

[HuGo Sham]

pretty sure habs waiving plekanec is another indication he's staying the year

 

[13 others]

pretty sure habs waiving plekanec is another indication he's staying the year

Not being sent down after 9 games means he's staying the whole year. Not surprising.