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

[Scriptor]

Zero chance he plays in Laval. As per the Montreal Gazette, two years left on his contract playing for his Dad (head coach) and the out close is for the NHL, like it was with Lehkonen, I believe.

Canadiens plug hole, selecting Finn Jesperi Kotkaniemi No. 3 overall at NHL draft

 

[DangerDave]

Love this pick. I don't care if he's not the most talented guy on the board. Finally the habs go for a big center in the first round.

 

[Cobra Commander]

Zero chance he plays in Laval. As per the Montreal Gazette, two years left on his contract playing for his Dad (head coach) and the out close is for the NHL, like it was with Lehkonen, I believe.

Canadiens plug hole, selecting Finn Jesperi Kotkaniemi No. 3 overall at NHL draft

Let his dad keep working with him for at least one more year, they are doing great work for his progression.

 

[Deebs]

What's nice is Kotka will be playing Center this year against men in a weaker league, which will ease him into that role. Then he can go to the AHL and face tougher competition on small ice which will only benefit him further. I really hope they go this route.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

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

I do look for PPG improvement, it’s a very telling statistic when it comes to developmental leaps (especially in forwards). Is that to say you can look at it on its own? No, definitely not. You have to factor in a lot of different factors such as team performance, league scoring, line mates, usage, etc.

Generally speaking you’re looking for a good leap in production in the D+1 season, and history shows that most of the time it’s not a good sign if there isn’t.

 

[Dagistitsyn]

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

Oh jesus christ, here we go again.

Serious question from someone that has never seen him play..
Does this kid possess the elite vision & playmaking potential that could make him a number one center? He better have damn high upside because I've seen Zadina play here in Halifax and we passed on possibly the best pure goal scorer in the draft.

 

[BB88]

The ppg I'd look for Kotka next year is .85-1ppg in Liiga while playing full time C, he hits that and he'd keep showing #1C potential.
He hits that and I'd be with the mindset of he needs NHL time next season to develop as well as possible.

 

[Andrei79]

Oh jesus christ, here we go again.

Serious question from someone that has never seen him play..
Does this kid possess the elite vision & playmaking potential that could make him a number one center? He better have damn high upside because I've seen Zadina play here in Halifax and we passed on possibly the best pure goal scorer in the draft.

Yes to the elite playmaking and vision. That's the part of the game I like most. But, he also has great hands a scorers shot and high compete.

 

[le_sean]

To think they might have traded back and been forced to take Hayton because they were desperate for a centre. That would have been a disaster.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

To think they might have traded back and been forced to take Hayton because they were desperate for a centre. That would have been a disaster.

Hayton was a huge reach at 5 IMO. I had him mid-teens.

 

[Andrei79]

To think they might have traded back and been forced to take Hayton because they were desperate for a centre. That would have been a disaster.

Curious, how'd you rate our draft this year ?

 

[Hannibal]

Hopefully he has a "Vesalainen" type of year in Finland next year.

 

[Fazkovsky]

I don’t think he is gonna reach ppg with a team like Assat it’s a tough task

 

[yianik]

Habs can't afford to F around anymore with their half assed development approach.

They better put together a top notch training regime for this kid to especially work on his leg strength if needed, and hook him up with one of the best skating coaches out there.

He has the IQ, vision/ sense and the hands. Good shot also. Improve his explosiveness with the edgework that goes with it and he could be deadly on the cycle. And presto, 1st line C no question in my mind.

 

[Korkki]

I don’t think he is gonna reach ppg with a team like Assat it’s a tough task

Why not?

Probably he is playing with Sakari Salminen on his wing who has a 0,73 ppg for his career and about 5 years ago was touted as one of the best players outside NHL.

And I don't take the words that someone said that Liiga is weaker league that AHL. They are about at the same level, but the game is quite much different between them.

 

[jaffy27]

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

He’s a centre....he just played some wing eRlier in the year because he was so young going into a senior leaugue.....earn his way so to speak.....his dad is coaching the team so you gotta think he has his sons best interest at heart

 

[le_sean]

Curious, how'd you rate our draft this year ?

I love most of the picks, I found others to be head scratchers. They really reached for the defenders. But their centre depth went from poor to good in a single draft, so that counts for something.

 

[habsgirl5000]

Oh my god I'm so happy. A big talented center.

im not getting any hopes up....odds are very good he will be traded before he even plays a game for us

 

[Tonneau]

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

Rookie centres tend to play wing in professional leagues, especially when they're minors.

 

[DaJackal]

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 is physically not ready for the AHL grind. Staying in FEL will leave him more time to work on his skating and physique, because travelling times are way shorter. FEL is a good place to learn to play C. (See: Sebastian Aho. The Finnish one, I mean. )

The last thing I want to happen is some goon cheap shot him and start a journey along Concussion Avenue. (Those players exist in FEL too, but at least the league is doing their best in dealing out multi-game penalties for pretty much all head shots.)

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Kotkaniemi has stated that his biggest dream is to win a Liiga championship, so he's certainly not coming over to play in the AHL...

 

[McGuires Corndog]

Kotkaniemi has stated that his biggest dream is to win a Liiga championship, so he's certainly not coming over to play in the AHL...

Not likely to win one with Ässät

 

[Bearr]

Not likely to win one with Ässät

Not with our piss poor roster and economic situation, no.


I mean it's not that anyone believed in it in 2013, but these things only happen every 35 years or so.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Not with our piss poor roster and economic situation, no.


I mean it's not that anyone believed in it in 2013, but these things only happen every 35 years or so.

What do you think the opening night top 6 will look like for Ässät? They'll probably keep Kärki with Kotkaniemi, but they lost some players and brought some new ones in. Where do Rekonen and Tiivola fit?

 

[Koivu11]