Montreal Canadiens: NHL debut looks more likely for Jesperi Kotkaniemi

D and a Picket Fence

Kotkaniemi has seen four preseason games so far and has looked better in each one successively. He’s been a positive possession player in each at 5v5, including a 72.22 CF% against the New Jersey Devils, and has a goal and an assist. However, what’s standing out for Kotkaniemi are things he’s doing that doesn’t appear on the score sheet. A lot of it is incredible to take note of given his age.

To be given the opportunity to play for Claude Julien at centre, your defensive game has to be up there. There are moments throughout games in which Kotkaniemi is involved in where he is constantly covering for the point or the front of the net for his d-men. This is important given the blueline we could see the Montreal Canadiens running this season.

You may not expect Karl Alzner or maybe Jeff Petry (depending on the situation) to activate from the point and play low, but Victor Mete and Noah Juulsen could.

Not to say that’s a bad thing at all. Having an extra man in can convert a scoring change into an actual goal if things play out. However, you need your centre there to act as the third defender on the ice, and over you, in case the puck turns the other way.

That’s something Kotkaniemi has made an effort to do throughout the preseason. You rarely catch him out of position as far as coverage goes and he always looks for ways to transition the puck forward with short passes to the player on the wall to enter the zone with speed (another thing Julien seems to want to implement in the Habs layout).

His awareness comes to play in the defensive zone as well which helps him read the play and react. There are a few moments where Kotkaniemi would know where the pass is going and either try to disrupt it or get to the player first before they have time to do anything with the puck.