Kotkaniemi: 'I hope it will be my best season so far'

MONTREAL - Jesperi Kotkaniemi has high expectations for his third NHL campaign.

The 20-year-old Finnish centerman is eager to pick up where he left off when he offered up a strong playoff showing for the Canadiens against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers alike.
The former third-overall selection finished tied for the team lead with four goals in 10 games in the Toronto bubble, turning the tables on a disappointing regular season production-wise that also included a groin injury, concussion and finally a season-ending spleen injury with the AHL's Laval Rocket.
"I hope it will be my best season so far," said Kotkaniemi, following Saturday's practice at the Bell Sports Complex. "I think the whole team looks pretty good this year, and I think the whole team is ready to compete."

The Pori native arrived at training camp in peak condition after playing 10 games with Finnish Elite League club Assat before returning to Canada.
He believes it was a beneficial experience that is paying dividends already.
"I had a little feeling of the game in Finland and that helps me here," said Kotkaniemi, who registered two goals and eight points in 10 outings with his hometown squad. "I feel I'm ready now when the games are starting. I had a couple of preseason games and now the real games start."
That will come next Wednesday when Kotkaniemi and company open the year on the road against the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena.
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Between now and then, though, he'll continue building chemistry with linemates Tyler Toffoli and Joel Armia, and picking up a few tips from fellow pivot and faceoff aficionado Phillip Danault.
Danault has been a key influence for the likes of Kotkaniemi, Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans thus far on the South Shore, passing along valuable information.
"It's really big for the three of us. He's kind of a mentor for us," confirmed Kotkaniemi. "He's teaching us those little tricks every day. He's been here a while, so it's really good to have a guy like that around."

No doubt Danault has been encouraging "KK" to use his shot more frequently this season and Kotkaniemi is keen to oblige, especially on the power play where he is being featured on the second unit along the half-wall in prime position to let the puck fly.
"I'm trying to be more active shooting. I think that will help our team get some goals We saw in the bubble that I was shooting a little bit more and that was good for us," noted Kotkaniemi. "I feel really comfortable in the playmaker's spot and the shooter's spot on the power play. It's really important just to get shots towards the net and that will give good results."
Head coach Claude Julien insists Kotkaniemi can deliver offensively if he uses his shot effectively.
In fact, it's one aspect of Kotkaniemi's game that immediately caught his attention from the start.
"We always thought he had a good shot, right from the get-go in his first year. We were surprised as an 18-year-old that he was shooting the puck that well," said Julien. "He's gotten stronger, and with experience his shot has gotten just that much better. There's no doubt that's a big weapon in his arsenal that he'll be able to use more and more as he progresses. He's a guy that can score a lot of goals if he uses that shot properly."

Likewise, Danault sees good things ahead for his teammate this season and beyond.
"We all know he can score some goals. His shot is really, really good. He added some size as well. He's going to have more experience and he's going to continue working on his game," said Danault. "You can tell he played a little bit this summer. He was ready this year. It's really good to see "KK" in good shape and more ready physically for the season."
Kotkaniemi will have another opportunity to showcase his shot come Sunday night when the Canadiens play their second intra-squad game beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET at the Bell Sports Complex.
The contest will be streamed via social media.