The Canadiens’ two best forwards since the start of the playoffs celebrated their 20th and 21st birthdays this summer. A team must be able to count on excellent young people to be successful… in a youth league. Finally, the CH can follow this trend.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been through all kinds of roller coasters since his selection by the Canadiens in June 2019. Disappointing development camp… extraordinary training camp… exceptional first season, until he broken towards the end of winter… difficult second season… return to Laval at the end of January… lucrative and productive stint with the Rocket…
Then, 2020 series at the height of his talent and above the most optimistic expectations!
The guigne of the second year seems to be behind young Kotkaniemi. He is the fifth-ranked NHL scorer this summer and he could have added two or three on Sunday night (posts). He was the most used striker by Kirk Muller that night, spending nearly 20 minutes on the ice.
What a change from his 2020 regular season! Let’s say thank you to Joël Bouchard and the two power skating coaches he hired during the confinement in Finland!
Still not excited about the game of Kotkaniemi? Note that Serge Boisvert, amateur recruiter for the CH whose territory studied is Quebec, argues that it’s only just beginning with Kotkaniemi. That the young Finn has only scratched the surface of his potential so far. #SkyIsTheLimit
TO SEE | It looks very good for “KK” ???? https://t.co/mRCYVYxI1L
– TVASports (@TVASports) August 17, 2020
“Kotkaniemi is just starting to develop. At 18-19, he could have played in the junior, but he was a second or third center in the National League. It’s not nothing […] He was sent to the minors and it did him good. Joël Bouchard showed him what it takes to become a real pro. “ – Serge Boisvert about Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Kotkaniemi improved his speed and skating, his stability, his shooting and this, while maintaining his superb vision of the game. He is responsible defensively and he says the right things when speaking to the media.
What do you think is its full potential? Does he have what it takes to become a real good first center in the NHL?
Several would have answered non in January or February … but we have to admit that enthusiasm for KK has never been as high as it is now. How quickly things can change in the hockey world …
Note that Kotkaniemi displays a differential of plus-5 presently, 14th best of all players on the Bettman Tour this summer.
All he has to do is win more face-offs …
The Canadian will (again) need Kotkaniemi this afternoon. The team is counting on him. Will he be able to make the difference?
A lot of
– Will Kirk Muller bring back Phillip Danault with Brendan Gallagher and Tomas Tatar (on the first line) this afternoon?
What changes do you expect from the Canadiens today? They’ve made some after every loss in these playoffs so far. One that wouldn’t surprise me: Danault and Suzuki switch spots.
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) August 18, 2020
–
– Connor McDavid is a machine (badly surrounded).
– In two weeks (already)!
The pre-season calendar is unveiled #LHJMQ https://t.co/R9fm6thoQz
– Mikaël Lalancette (@MLalancetteTVA) August 18, 2020
–
– Cyclist Hugo Houle is currently living with COVID-19… and he is not feeling any symptoms. For now, he’s training in his hotel room and hopes to resume his outdoor training on Thursday. Listening to him talk, the time in compulsory isolation is worse than the illness (for him).
Hugo Houle suffering from COVID-19: “It’s not a disaster” https://t.co/Ps6Vs9RUoh
– La Presse Sports (@LaPresse_Sports) August 18, 2020
–
– Marco Di Vaio is a guy of class, respect and collective.
Large Marco DiVaio
“Schällibaum offered him at the start of the season to take the penalties. Marco came to me to tell me that he refused to do it because I was shooting them well and there was no need to make a change. “#IMFC https://t.co/cjigdwXCDG
– Nilton Jorge (@NiltonJorge) August 18, 2020
–
