Prospect Info: Welcome to Montréal, Jesperi Kotkaniemi (1st round pick, 3OA 2018 - signed ELC)

[Kriss E]

And that's what makes this pick even more of a positive. He's impressive and his progression ascended as the year went on and he's still got room to grow physically and hockey wise.

I don't know why people get super high or quite low on prospects.
If we draft a Matthews, Crosby, McDavid, Kane, Ovechkin, Dahlin, then ya, I'd get the excitement.
But we are talking about Kotkaniemi here, chances are he'll become a 2nd center more than anything else.
It's good but really, nothing game changing here.

Now if he can develop like PK and just overgrow his projections, well, I'll jump on the exciting bandwagon. For now I'm on the "cool but wtv" train.

 

[TheBuriedHab]

My only wish is don't you dare play him in the nhl this year. Leave him in Liiga, let him play at the WJC this year. It will be worth it in a year.

 

[Death]

Excited about Kotkaniemi, I was high on Zadina but I'm okay with trying to fill a need and going for a C. His numbers in a pro league at his age make me quite enthusiastic. I would let him play next season in Liiga, at C this time, he knows the league and his team already, has his family around ... let him concentrate on playing C at the pro level without changing his whole lifestyle, improve in this league. He should also play with Finland U20, maybe Team Finland in euro tournaments, maybe play the WC at the end of the season. He can come in NA next year full of confidence if everything goes well, begin the year in AHL, continue his development with high objectives.He's still young and the Canadiens are going nowhere anytime soon. I'd rather protect him from this mess and bring him along when we see the light at the end of the Bergevin tunnel.

 

[417]

I'd say bring him to the AHL, get strong veteran AHL wingers to play on his line that way you don't have to worry about him playing with other young prospects that might get called up.
Sign AHL vets, keep them on his wing, don't call him up.
If Lefebvre was still in charge of the team down there, then 100%, keep him in Europe. But I trust Bouchard a lot more, so I'd get him for Laval.
Plus, he'd already be in Montreal, so he would already be adapting to the local area.

Agreed with this...that's what we hired Bouchard for no?

 

[BehindTheTimes]

Very excited about this pick.

 

[417]

I don't know why people get super high or quite low on prospects.
If we draft a Matthews, Crosby, McDavid, Kane, Ovechkin, Dahlin, then ya, I'd get the excitement.
But we are talking about Kotkaniemi here, chances are he'll become a 2nd center more than anything else.
It's good but really, nothing game changing here.

Now if he can develop like PK and just overgrow his projections, well, I'll jump on the exciting bandwagon. For now I'm on the "cool but wtv" train.

I think his age, rate of progression and mature game are what have me hyped up.

If he continues to progress like he has the last year, it's going to change alot of perceptions about this pick.

 

[Adam Michaels]

I don't know why people get super high or quite low on prospects.
If we draft a Matthews, Crosby, McDavid, Kane, Ovechkin, Dahlin, then ya, I'd get the excitement.
But we are talking about Kotkaniemi here, chances are he'll become a 2nd center more than anything else.
It's good but really, nothing game changing here.

Now if he can develop like PK and just overgrow his projections, well, I'll jump on the exciting bandwagon. For now I'm on the "cool but wtv" train.

That's fine if you're "cool but wtv." I'm high on this kid and very happy they took him at 3.

 

[schnapshot]

I’m just mad we didn’t get the Tkachuk pick we were promised for weeks...

All jokes aside, love the pick. Was warm on Zadina for a long time but Kotkaniemi is the real deal.

 

[azcanuck]

I'd say bring him to the AHL, get strong veteran AHL wingers to play on his line that way you don't have to worry about him playing with other young prospects that might get called up.
Sign AHL vets, keep them on his wing, don't call him up.
If Lefebvre was still in charge of the team down there, then 100%, keep him in Europe. But I trust Bouchard a lot more, so I'd get him for Laval.
Plus, he'd already be in Montreal, so he would already be adapting to the local area.

He's still too young . And playing on the euro rinks will improve his skating that much more. It's a natural transition to stay in Europe. Plus mom's cooking.

 

[BLONG7]

It seems to be a great pick...........would have liked Zadina, but if we are doing this with the following year in mind, then yes it makes sense...

 

[Clearedwaivers]

Also now that I think about it could SN coverage have been any more rude to Kotkaniemi who went 3rd overall?

I don't understand why he was the only player they didn't air a live interview for - instead they seemed to have several setup shots for live air to cut to and goof on. That was really glaring to me anyways

I thought the same thing. It seemed so bush league or something. I hope the kid makes them look stupid.

 

[calder candidate]

I'm not sure if I prefer leaving him in Liiga or bringing him in the AHL. On one hand there is less changes and crazyness for him in Liiga, but on the other hand the team have a lot more controle on is develloppement in the AHL and he has more time to adjust to NA ice...

 

[Deebs]

Europe this year, AHL the following year is what I'd prefer.

 

[tankinstyle]

Great pick, love his development curve playing as a teenaher against men. He has so much room to grow both physically and skill-wise. His skating is somewhat worrisome but im confident that he can and will get better.

 

[Dannyhab]

Kotkaniemi shouldn't be here for at least 2 more seasons (1 in Europe and 1 in AHL) and maybe even three if we're going to develop him properly. I don't want to see Poehling for another two either.

 

[Death]

Europe this year, AHL the following year is what I'd prefer.

I'm all for this. He discovered the pro level last season on the wing. Let him be a pro C next season before bringing him in Laval. He will then have to adapt to NA rinks and game but the C transition should be digested already. I want him to come to Laval and qucikly become a key player, if not the leader of the team. One more year in Finland should do him some good in a step by step approach. It's not like the CH is in a hurry right now.

 

[jaffy27]

Great pick, love his development curve playing as a teenaher against men. He has so much room to grow both physically and skill-wise. His skating is somewhat worrisome but im confident that he can and will get better.

Oh no, I’m definitely good with Poehling coming over after next season, hopefully Laval is a good team and he can join them for a playoff run.

Kotka should play one more year in Suomi, then maybe do the same, come join Laval. Then spend the next season in Laval till he’s ready, or maybe he’s ready out of the next years camp??

 

[Dongstoppable]

I don't know I think some kids like Zadina just have the scoring touch. I remember thinking the same thing when I watch Tyler Toffoli nothing too amazing skills but hes always in the right place at the right time and I believe Zadina has better skills than Toffoli. I could see Zadina as a 30-30 guy maybe more who going to have chip on his shoulder after the Habs and Sens took a pass on him.

Ps im more than ok Kotkaniemi pick just pleading my case for Zadina

Zadina scores pro goals. I watch Svechnikov carve through defenses and score highlight real goals, and that's cool. But I know he won't score most of his goals that way, the NHL doesn't work that way.

Zadina has an elite array of pro skills. He's always in the right spot, gets tons of deflections, good shot, elite skills in the crease, that's how he scores. He's going to translate really easily into the NHL and score a ton of goals. I think Kotkaniemi is going to be, yknow, fine and all, but this draft will be defined by passing on Zadina for positional need.

 

[Sorinth]

I'd say bring him to the AHL, get strong veteran AHL wingers to play on his line that way you don't have to worry about him playing with other young prospects that might get called up.
Sign AHL vets, keep them on his wing, don't call him up.
If Lefebvre was still in charge of the team down there, then 100%, keep him in Europe. But I trust Bouchard a lot more, so I'd get him for Laval.
Plus, he'd already be in Montreal, so he would already be adapting to the local area.

That just never going to happen, if he plays in the AHL he'll get a call up even if it's only for a couple games.

The only reason I'd want him in the AHL is if back in Finland he'd end up back on the wing.

 

[Dannyhab]

Wait...Kotkaniemi is a WINGER?? What the heck? He is supposed to be a C!

 

[417]

Oh no, I’m definitely good with Poehling coming over after next season, hopefully Laval is a good team and he can join them for a playoff run.

Kotka should play one more year in Suomi, then maybe do the same, come join Laval. Then spend the next season in Laval till he’s ready, or maybe he’s ready out of the next years camp??

Whether he plays in Finland this coming year or in Laval.

I bet he's a Montreal Canadiens in 2019-2020..

 

[McGuires Corndog]

Wait...Kotkaniemi is a WINGER?? What the heck? He is supposed to be a C!

Atleast we didn’t draft Tkachuk to be our #1C.

That was a legitimate concern

 

[Sorinth]

Wait...Kotkaniemi is a WINGER?? What the heck? He is supposed to be a C!

Last season he played wing in the Liiga and center in all the tournaments.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

Whether he plays in Finland this coming year or in Laval.

I bet he's a Montreal Canadiens in 2019-2020..

Well hopefully it hinges on his development. If he takes big strides in his game and he can put up .8ppg+ in either Liiga or AHL than sure. I’d much rather see them take time with him though.

I’d see it as pure desperation to have a 18/19yr playing C on this club. It’s alot of unnecessary pressure.

 

[417]

Well hopefully it hinges on his development. If he takes big strides in his game and he can put up .8ppg+ in either Liiga or AHL than sure. I’d much rather see them take time with him though.

I’d see it as pure desperation to have a 18/19yr playing C on this club. It’s alot of unnecessary pressure.

I'm not personally looking for any PPG threshold...just want him to continue on the progression curve he's been on since last year, the production should come naturally.

I think teams are becoming less and less concerned with using 18/19yr olds...mind you, it doesn't mean that I want them to force feeding him tough minutes next year.

But if he continues to progress like he has all year, there's no reason why he shouldn't be on this team next year