Why did Montreal draft Kotkaniemi in 2018?

[LeProspector]

One of the dumbest draft decisions ever, drafting Kotkaniemi over Brady Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes, Evan Bouchard and Noah Dobson.

Why did Montreal do it? Looked bad at the time, Looks even worse in hindsight. It was a decision that set the team back 10 years.

Click to read more...

 

[Seb]

Because he had a very interesting profile. The pick itself wasn't bad, he is a failure because of these two reasons :

1- Horrible development
2- His own motivation to get better

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Insistent on a center.

His stock rose late in the year but even then I don't think anybody had him going higher than five over the consensus Dahlin/Svechnikov/Tkachuk/Zadina.

The reports had come out right before the draft that Montreal wanted him though.

 

[ijuka]

Because they needed a center.

Insistent on a center.

His stock rose late in the year but even then I don't think anybody had him going higher than five over the consensus Dahlin/Svechnikov/Tkachuk/Zadina.

The reports had come out right before the draft that Montreal wanted him though.

Kotkaniemi wasn't even considered top 10. He was like top 15.

Then, after the season was over and no games were played anymore, Kotkaniemi's stock rose, most likely because the reporters caught wind that Montreal wanted to pick him.

But analysis during the season had Kotkaniemi closer to the #15 range.

 

[5cotland]

Because he had a very interesting profile. The pick itself wasn't bad, he is a failure because of these two reasons :

1- Horrible development
2- His own motivation to get better

The pick was pretty bad. He was ranked between 10-15. The only person to rank him higher was Bob McKenzie.

The Habs took a risk and went way off the board.

 

[MasterMatt25]

Because they needed a center.


Kotkaniemi wasn't even considered top 10. He was like top 15.

Then, after the season was over and no games were played anymore, Kotkaniemi's stock rose, most likely because the reporters caught wind that Montreal wanted to pick him.

But analysis during the season had Kotkaniemi closer to the #15 range.

He was ranked in the top 10 by Button and McKenzie in the month prior to the draft

 

[CanadienShark]

Needed a centre and he looked like he had interesting potential.

 

[jfhabs]

One of the dumbest draft decisions ever, drafting Kotkaniemi over Brady Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes, Evan Bouchard and Noah Dobson.

Why did Montreal do it? Looked bad at the time, Looks even worse in hindsight. It was a decision that set the team back 10 years.

Same reason Detroit drafted Zadina and Arizona Hayton. They thought they were the player who would help them the most going forward.

KK was actually not a bad pick considering what he did at 18 years old. The issue was after. They should have sent him down to the AHL. He essentially never progressed outside of gaining upper body strength, he's essentially bigger and can lay a good hit of he can catch you (not often with this skating...).

A better question would be why Carolina offer sheet him...

 

[jfhabs]

Because he had a very interesting profile. The pick itself wasn't bad, he is a failure because of these two reasons :

1- Horrible development
2- His own motivation to get better

This, but management should've seen it coming and send him down. I believe, from the multiple comments from journalists, ex teammates and coaches, that he become/is entitled.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Because they needed a center.


Kotkaniemi wasn't even considered top 10. He was like top 15.

Then, after the season was over and no games were played anymore, Kotkaniemi's stock rose, most likely because the reporters caught wind that Montreal wanted to pick him.

But analysis during the season had Kotkaniemi closer to the #15 range.

Lol...

Kotkaniemi surges into top five of TSN Draft Ranking - TSN.ca

Finn’s strong performance at the World Under-18 Championships in April has some scouts believing he’s a potential future No. 1 centre, Bob McKenzie writes. His late push could make the top 10 of the draft more unpredictable than originally anticipated.

www.tsn.ca

 

[Chan790]

A better question would be why Carolina offer sheet him...

Needed a centre and he looked like he had interesting potential.

Clearly, because we made the same mistake y'all did. The potential is there and it's very appealing. A two-way, all-situations, top-6 C with size. The execution doesn't meet the expectations though.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Same reason Detroit drafted Zadina and Arizona Hayton. They thought they were the player who would help them the most going forward.

KK was actually not a bad pick considering what he did at 18 years old. The issue was after. They should have sent him down to the AHL. He essentially never progressed outside of gaining upper body strength, he's essentially bigger and can lay a good hit of he can catch you (not often with this skating...).

A better question would be why Carolina offer sheet him...

We all know why Carolina offer sheeted him lol.

Shot their own dick off trying to get their get back.

 

[Danarqhy]

Was he a bad pick or does this guy's attitude and determination to get better just stink? he's going to be 24 now, feels like he hasn't gotten better since his draft year. Total stagnation in development hints more that this dud has a terrible attitude problem.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Was he a bad pick or does this guy's attitude and determination to get better just stink?

Yes...

 

[Gainesvillain]

One of the dumbest draft decisions ever, drafting Kotkaniemi over Brady Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes, Evan Bouchard and Noah Dobson.

Why did Montreal do it? Looked bad at the time, Looks even worse in hindsight. It was a decision that set the team back 10 years.

Positional need.

Ironically, if you could create a player in a laboratory to be absolutely ideal for then-GM Marc Bergevin and head scout Trevor Timmins, that player would look exactly like Brady Tkachuk. And they blithely passed on him.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Was he a bad pick or does this guy's attitude and determination to get better just stink? he's going to be 24 now, feels like he hasn't gotten better since his draft year. Total stagnation in development hints more that this dud has a terrible attitude problem.

Both

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

Sweet before long we’ll have an entire 1st page of kk threads

 

[tarheelhockey]

HF, get ready for the Summer of Kotkaniemi around here

 

[CTHabsfan]

Jesperi Kotkaniemi's stock was rising during his draft season, going from being projected as a late 1st-round pick to being an early 1st-rounder. Marc Bergevin had not been able to draft or develop a #1 centre for the Canadiens and felt like he could not pass on KK. If I remember correctly, Bergevin looked to trade down at the draft but decided against it when he knew that he could not drop down and still get Kotkaniemi.

It's easy to look back and say Bergevin should have drafted Tkachuk (that's who I wanted), but he would have been crucified if he passed on Kotkaniemi and KK developed into a #1 centre for another team.

 

[CanadienShark]

HF, get ready for the Summer of Kotkaniemi around here

Do you wish you retained mod powers to clean up the mess, or would you rather just sit back and watch the world burn?

 

[jfhabs]

Clearly, because we made the same mistake y'all did. The potential is there and it's very appealing. A two-way, all-situations, top-6 C with size. The execution doesn't meet the expectations though.

Still believe that...? That same year there were at least 4 players better than KK worth the offer sheet.

Clearly they thought he had some.potential, but it was a revenge offer sheet.

 

[Rorschach]

One of the dumbest draft decisions ever, drafting Kotkaniemi over Brady Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes, Evan Bouchard and Noah Dobson.

Why did Montreal do it? Looked bad at the time, Looks even worse in hindsight. It was a decision that set the team back 10 years.

Donut hole at center. They even traded for Dvorak to help fill this need.

 

[jfhabs]

Clearly, because we made the same mistake y'all did. The potential is there and it's very appealing. A two-way, all-situations, top-6 C with size. The execution doesn't meet the expectations though.

Still believe that...? That same year there were at least 4 players better than KK worth the offer sheet.

Clearly they thought he had some.potential, but it was a revenge offer sheet

 

[sansabri]

he still turned out better than Zadina who was the consensus 3rd

 

[BondraTime]

Same reason they drafted Reinbacher last year, he was the best at his position available.

Awful way to run the draft table