Mike Kotska
What is the deal with this guy. Under the radar and is now leading his team in scoring not to mention among AHL leaders in scoring.
Is he now a legit prospect?
I'd like to see a guy dominnate the A for at least one year before considering him a legit prospect, especially if he doesn't have the pedigree. I feel two years of domination is legit worthy, barring a set back...jmo.Originally Posted by Lug Tread Lager
League:Fantrax 18 Team Dynasty, H2H (4C, 8W, 6D, 1G)
Cats:G, A, GWG, PPP, SHP, SOG, H+B, FOW, S, SV%, W, GAA
C: Backstrom,Giroux,MacKinnon,Seguin
W: D.Brown,Hartnell,Hossa,P.Kane
Kesler,Marleau,Perron,Zibanejad
D: Boyle,Del Zotto,Doughty,D.Hamilton,Hedman,Markov
G: Rinne
Bench: Braun,Comeau, Demers,DeHaan,Polak,Stempniak,Wingels --Fleury
Two things work for him right now:
-He is not undersized
-Older dmen have received chances in recent years (Giordano, Wisniewski, Garrison, etc)
Right now I don't recommend adding him in any league but he is worth keeping an eye on.
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Here's the scoop: http://www.tsn.ca/toronto/blogs/jonas_siegel/?id=412297
F: P. Kane, Oshie, N. Foligno, Thorton, Coyle, Marleau, Pavelski, Dubinsky
Steen
D: seabrooke, Subban,wizniewski,garrison, Carle
G: Niemi, Fleury,
G/A-1 pt PIM- .25pts
Win-2pts Shutouts- 5pts(2+3)
Keep 10. Top 13 count (4 d, 1 g, 6 Frwd and next highest-any position)
Id definitely rec'd picking him up in larger leagues with big farmclubs.
Being in Toronto I see him alot. Its always been a confidence issue with him(Hopefully hes overcome that now - Sure looks determined out there).
Don't expect fancy. He gets it done & does evrything in a solid fashion.
Been there, Done that. 2010-11 Rochester Americans.
16G 39A 55Pts
That was the first take notice of him for the avg fanl. But those who followed him b4 that knew he always had it in him.
In 30 team leagues maybe, but I'm in a 24 team league with 23 man pro rosters and 27 farm spots and there are still several guys I would pick up off the wire before him. Granted, not everyone is paying attention because of the lockout so it is possible that another team could own him by now if people were more committed. For those familiar with the Yahoo/CBS/Fantrax web service hosts Kostka is a "watch list" kind of guy.
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He just needs a good opportunity. Or another team as a FA next year
Possibly he could get a shot on the 2nd PP unit with the leafs. But again Burke likes him more then just his offence.
So it really comes down to role and opportunity.
In one of my leagues we have spots for 25 on the farm(20teams) and i'll tell you Id take him over anyone on the FA list.Hes worth the risk over the fringe there.
Really depends who the several guys are on your FA list.
Go back and look who was leading the AHL in scoring among dmen during the last lockout. Look throughout the list....just keep that in mind when evaluating.
Not sure i know what you mean?
Id think the competition would be tougher during lockouts too, no?
04-05 Top Defensemen in the AHL:
Anton Volchenkov - 55 - NHLer
Niklas Kronwall - 53 - NHLer
Dan Hamhuis - 51 - NHLer
Travis Roche - 50 - Solid AHLer couldnt cut it in the NHL (play and attributes compares well to Mike Koska)
Chris Campoli - 49 - Fringe NHLer, one sided
Denis Grebeshkov - 49 - NHL capable but likes Russia
Brian Pothier - 48 - Fringe NHLer
Greg Hawgood - 47 - Career Minor Lger
Joel Kwiatkowski - 45 - Career Minor Lger
Andrew Hutchinson - 45 - Fringe NHLer, one sided
Brett Clark - 45 - low end NHLer
John Slaney - 44 - Career Minor Lger
Dennis Wideman - 43 - NHLer
Lawrence Nycholat - 43 - Career Minor Lger
Kurtis Foster - 42 - low end NHLer
Dennis Seidenberg - 41 - NHLer
Joni Pitkanen - 41 - NHLer
Ryan Whitney - 41 - NHLer
Kevin Bieksa - 39 - NHLer
Nolan Baumgartner - 39 - Career Minor Lger
Marty Wilford - 37 - Career Minor Lger
Christain Ehrhoff - 35 - NHLer
Mike Commodore - 35 - Shutdown NHLer
Mike Mottau - 35 - Career Minor Lger
Kevin Dallman - 34 - Career Minor Lger
Trevor Daley - 34 - NHLer
Thats top 26... (http://www.eliteprospects.com/league...ort=Defensemen)
Current Top Defencemen in the AHL: (and my personal projection)
Justin Schultz - 45 - NHLer
Mike Kostka - 31 - Career Minor Lger
T.J. Brennan - 29 - NHLer
Tyson Barrie - 25 - NHLer
Mark Barberio - 22 - Fringe NHLer, one sided
Justin Faulk - 22 - NHLer
Adam Clendening - 22 - NHLer
Andre Benoit - 21 - Career Minor Lger
Oliver Ekman-Larsson - NHLer
David Savard - 21 - Fringe NHLer, one sided
Brian Connelly - 21 - Career Minor Lger
David Rundblad - 20 - NHLer
Bobby Sanguinetti - 19 - Fringe NHLer
Tim Erixon - 19 - NHLer
Tomas Kundratek - 18 - Fringe NHLer (I'm yet to see much of him, but have good reports)
Michael Stone - 18 - Career Minor Lger
Sami Vatanen - 18 - NHLer
Thomas Pock - 18 - Career Minor Lger
T.J. Brodie - 18 - NHLer
Jake Gardiner - 17 - NHLer
Patrick Wiercioch - 17 - NHLer
Paul Postma - 17 - fringe NHLer
Sena Acolatse - 17 - NHLer
Paul Ranger - 17 - NHLer
Derek Meech - 17 - Career Minor Lger
Brayden McNabb - 17 - Fringe NHLer
Chad Billings - 17 -(I haven't seen enough of him nor noticed him in games I've watched)
Like Sparrowtrini, I don't quite understand why we are keeping in mind the past for today in relation to Mike Kostka other than our opinions of him and the relation I made towards Travis Roche...
Every year the list is littered with a combo of players that are 1 sided, career Minor Lgs, bonafied NHL talent and guys that are piggy backing other talents on a team...
Last Lockouts Goal numbers are very similer to this years at 5.35 Goals per game last lockout to 5.67 Goals per game this season so far (yes I worked out the #s)
The only differnce I'm seeing is the defensemen are more active in the point leaders this year with what projects to be higher totals that last lockout...
Please elaborate on your comment for us =)
Last edited by Jason_Banks; January 3, 2013 at 6:13 PM.
Current Roster:
F: H Sedin, Plekanec, Perry, Cammalleri, Oshie, Stepan, Anisimov, Kunitz, Justin Williams, Little, Baertchi, Huberdeau, Eberle, Rattie, Hoffman, Holland, Horvat, Dano, Dal Colle, Kerdiles
D: Boumeester, Green, Carlson, Del Zotto, Myers, Alzner, M Staal, Pouliot, Gormley, Mueller
G: Varlamov, Mrazek, Niemi, Vasilevski, Ramo, Hellebuyck
Another 3 points today so far with the third period yet to play. I think he could be legit. sometimes guys just take a bit longer to mature. At 27, he maybe has found his game and confidence. He will definitively get a long look when the season begins and with Gardiner still not even skating, well the door cracked open just a bit wider for Kostka.
BTW he now is something like 6th in AHL scoring and second in defence scoring.
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Nice list! Only one nitpick. I'm curious about how you see McNabb as a fringe NHLer when he's pretty much unanimously considered to be the Sabres' best D prospect by most scouts, great allround D with no real holes in his game.
GO WINGS!
McNabb is good all around, with good size and I do like the kid... but I just dont feel he has a next level to his game... I don't see him creating enough movement when im seeing him play and he has several questionable decisions in his own zone... He doesnt seem to want to use his size effectively and plays very much a stick game, only strong skaters or pure offensive D can get away with that.... also since he has turned pro he seems to have lost the nastyness to his game we seen more often in his game in Kootenay...
I expected to see more growth from him last year to this year and he just gets rather invisible, yet he somehow puts up a point many nights...
Looking at Buffalo D prospects:
Jake McCabe looked good for USA, but lets see if he continues with the wave of confidance when he turns pro...
T.J. Brennan is very explosive with his skating, shot and passing... great at moving a puck forward and in to the net area, lacks on the defensive side... but that wont hold him back...
If the Sabers want size, Joe Finley is a guy for the 6/7th man job... skating is getting better but not up to NHL standard yet and my never get there... but he is a rather intimidating people mover... I'd say fringe too and time is running out... With the other minute munchers in Buffalo's core, he would be great to have play a large mean 10-12 min a night in points where you need a momentum change, or PK net clearing...
Mark Pysyk is one of the steadist defenders in the organization, and has offensive upside... his only draw back is weight and power, he was fine in Jr, and added 15 pounds in the summer... anouther 10 and more seasoning and he becomes a great top 4....
Nick Crawford is anouther all arond D working on pro sizeing, and is a really good skater and has transitioned to pro strong and quietly... He also has offensive upside, yet is struggleing to stay in the Lineup at the moment, but when he is in, he produces... I'd say fringe or #5 type guy...
Jerome Leduc needs a much better game off the puck, but he can skate, fire rockets and move the puck well... He is a few years away, but very eye catching in the Rochester even tho the #s arent quite comeing yet... Lack of games and minutes eaten by others is his issue... I was skeptical in his Q #s, until I seen him a couple times.. and now I'm on board with him! Very good upside...
Brady Austin already has way above NHL size in Jr... Needs better skating but has an overall game that is enjoyable and projectable... I give him comparisons to Tyler Myers with a downgrade in offence...
So when I look at Buffalo's system... he is behind Myers, and Sekera as regulars... Then T.J. Brennan and Leduc are your offensive threats Buffalo are going to want to keep around, Pysyk is lined up to be a minute eater... McNabb fits as an average guy that does a little of everything but nothing exceptional and nothing that I feel he maintains a solid job in Buffalo... and with McCabe, Crawford... I feel he is Fringe in that he is capable in playing but no better than the other 2 or others, just is more developed thus seeing time... and he could play an NHL career, but at no point do I see him having a solid job locked down that teams will look at him as a major peice... just a replaceable and moveable depth guy...
I want to see more in him before I upgrade him to a staple and NHL lock...
Take my opinion as just as an opinion... Glad you questioned it, now there's more for people to read on other Buffalo D and my thoughts lol...
Current Roster:
F: H Sedin, Plekanec, Perry, Cammalleri, Oshie, Stepan, Anisimov, Kunitz, Justin Williams, Little, Baertchi, Huberdeau, Eberle, Rattie, Hoffman, Holland, Horvat, Dano, Dal Colle, Kerdiles
D: Boumeester, Green, Carlson, Del Zotto, Myers, Alzner, M Staal, Pouliot, Gormley, Mueller
G: Varlamov, Mrazek, Niemi, Vasilevski, Ramo, Hellebuyck
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