A fantastic skater with good smarts and a dangerous shot, Kotkaniemi is already a threat in men's Liiga.
Flashy prospect declining after an excellent debut
The 17-year-old forward started the 2017-2018 season very effectively scoring 2+3=5 points in three
games with a plus/minus rating of +4.
Since then
he has played 10 matches, scoring once and adding one assist with a plus/minus
rating -3, totaling 3+4=7, +1 in all 13 games. Averaging 15:03 TOI/G Kotkaniemi
has seen steady second line ice time and some power play time as well.
His scoring
rate has decreased mostly because of his incomplete physicality and secondly
due to his tendency to try generally more difficult than easy moves.
This
tendency leads him to make not only spectacular plays, but also a lot of costly
mistakes when things go wrong. Kotkaniemi is at the moment a kind of on-off
player; after a great shift with nearly dominating performance he can step on
the ice just to lose every puck battle, make bad decisions and finally see the
puck in his own net.
Solid frame combined with an insightful game vision and powerful skating
Jesperi
Kotkaniemi is 188 cm / 6'2" tall weighing 86 kg / 190 lbs. Large frame
made it possible to dominate the game physically in the junior levels, but the
tougher competition in men's Liiga has proven it a bit difficult for him to
adjust his game.
Kotkaniemi
sees the game exceptionally well, he usually seems to be the smartest and
sharpest player on the ice. Often his line mates are not on the same page,
however, which makes him frustrated at times.
He is a
powerful skater with an excellent work ethic. His skating technique is still in
progress, though, rendering his movement a bit uneconomic.
He's already
got an amazing set of skills with the puck, giving him an ability to be
occasionally a very effective scoring forward. What he needs most considering
his play with the puck is strength: he often loses the puck just because the
opponents are stronger and sharper with their sticks.
Needs to work on rounding his game, getting strength and developing puck battling skills
The biggest
concern is his decision making: as mentioned earlier, he tends to try extremely
difficult moves and plays even when the easy pass would open the ice and result
in a scoring opportunity. Should learn to recognize situations and act
accordingly.
Doesn't
always show enough patience with the puck, is often easily separated from the
puck and loses the puck after a careless error. Must grow a bit also mentally
to become a consistent threat.
Has received too much responsibility?
Kotkaniemi
has been in the second line almost in every game, averaging 15:02 of ice time
per game. His team Porin Ässät is a bit of a surprising underdog with a good
start but declining performance due to several injuries.
I'm a bit
worried him being such a promising yet raw talent and still playing such big
minutes and carrying a lot of expectations. Kotkaniemi would benefit from a
little bit smaller role.
A raw talent with a lot of unclaimed potential
All in all,
Kotkaniemi has been a major surprise during the first rounds of Liiga this
season. Particularly his game vision and extraordinary decisions are something
I wasn't prepared to see.
He has all
the tools to become at least a 40-point-NHLer, but there is a lot of work
ahead. Should his progress continue such a rapid pace, there's a bright future
ahead of him.
The on-off
feature of his performance is a result of him being using his best assets. If
he works on his weaknesses and round up his game, I wouldn't be surprised of
him claiming the spot in the NHL in the autumn 2018.
YouTube: Jesperi Kotkaniemi - Goal & Assist in Liiga Debut - Extended Highlights
YouTube: Jesperi Kotkaniemi - 3rd Liiga Goal
YouTube: Jesperi Kotkaniemi - Goal & Assist in Liiga Debut - Extended Highlights
YouTube: Jesperi Kotkaniemi - 3rd Liiga Goal
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