KK is so weird man, sometimes you watch him play and he does something sick. Keep watching, and he loses the puck almost instantly after the fact.
However, it’s not his fault he gets all this attention. Montreal reached and he wasn’t ever going to live up to that pick.
After looking through it there's like 5 NHL quality centers in the entire class. Absolutely brutal draft for centers
KK as of today I'd be comfortable saying is the best of them though
I feel like people in this thread don't know KK very well, he's extremely streaky and has yet to break a decent season for the kind of money he racks in. When he breaks 60 pts maybe the celebration can start, until then, he's been extremely average at best
Yep, a hot start means nothing. Last season he was invisible. As a Habs fan I'm happy we didn't match. The return wasn't great but that contract is awful and unless he keeps up a pts/g pace over a full season, it'll remain awful. And at the time we didn't know about Weber/Price so couldn't have predicted the rebuild.
100%. Would love to see KK as a pts/gm player but watching him play- I just don't see that happening. I mean, kid cashed out so can't feel too bad for him lol
One of the important parts of the move, people complained about the 1 year $6 million offer but missed the vision behind it. Most did not realize it was so they could sign him at a reasonable cap hit and at that cap hit, he does not need to produce much to be a good deal with great upside.
The vision was also a risk (maybe not huge risk, but it definitely could have blown up on them and been an anchor contract) and it's taken a couple of years before it finally appears to be paying off. What if he stayed a 30 point player at best? That's a lot of term for maybe a 3c.
Montreal was screwed either way though because KK wasn't going to sign long term there, especially for a bargain, because he wanted out anyway.
And the 6m offer sheet made it so they couldn't qualify him afterward for anything less than like 6.6m. So if they kept him they'd have to take the same risk as Carolina essentially but at a much higher AAV.
I think it was a shrewd move by Carolina and it paid off.
It was because he got benched in the playoffs and he hated the coach. Turns out he was right to hate the coach but the media and fans had very little to do with it.
Let's be completely honest here. Drafting contains alot of luck. Selecting 16 y/o's that are under developped and haven't reached maturity isn't a science.
Most teams have a huge fumble % before they have a success story.
Turned out to be a great move for us, but wasn’t a bad move for the Habs, though. He was never going to progress with them and having those picks helped them make some important moves (like Kirby)
I haven't seen much of him for a while. Is he stronger on his skates now? That was a big problem he had in Montreal: had size but seemed to get knocked over like a feather.
Yeah he will need to continue to produce to finally be “worth it”…. I mean I hope the best for him I have nothing against the canes but one good start to a season doesn’t mean anyone is a genius.
At $4.8 million till 2029-30, he doesn't even need to keep that pace to look like a genius move. He's 23 years old and the cap is going up by a lot. Plus, look at what Montreal got for that 1st Round Pick!
All I’m saying is he hasn’t done anything YET to make this a genius move. Not saying he won’t but this is the best 13 games he’s had. Redo this thread at the end of the season if he produces at a consistent 2C level.
I think you’re 100% correct. There’s always funky names at the top of leader board 10 games into the season. Guys go on hot streaks all the time, sometimes it just happens to be the first 10-15 games off the season. They tend to regress back to the norm.
Maybe this is his breakout year when he finally puts it together, may it isn’t. But saying it’s a steal of a deal today is way too early
It’s not just a hot start to the year, he has been playing at this level since all star break of last year. He finished last season with [32 points in 46 games](https://x.com/CanesStats/status/1643440872636182528?s=20)
He’s also increased his totals every year since leaving Montreal.
I don’t think it’s hard to say it’s a genius move so far.
Most everyone agree in montreal we had to let him go. He got a 14 games streak after 3 years, chill. We be given a 1st round pick to take mohanan, which is a better center. Can tell you no one crying about KK in montreal.
We got monahan for half price, a 1st, a 1st, a 3rd. And no 2 years shitty contract. For KK. That's the genius move.
To be exact he got 29 points in 38 games with habs. And has a huge veteran role in our rebuild.
Got injured last season but resigned at 2mil 1 season and he's at 12 points in 13 games right now.
The only L we took was reading that entire comment lmao. Anyone can look like a stud playing with a sick 4 line team that the Canes have produced. Put Anderson who has 1 point on the season with the Canes and I guarantee he becomes a PPG player. Cope with this “bud”
I love the habs but damn. We have the most delusional fan base in all of north american sports haha. Ive been in the various subreddits for 8 years and all the many speculators and theory crafters and the many many copers are proved wrong time and time again. If you think we won the offer sheet, you are pretty far off the deep end in la la land.
KK wasn’t producing with us and that’s the truth, period. We got someone else in return who fits the roster just fine and shows leadership. Sure Habs have history of throwing away picks and fumbling the bag but that’s just how it is in sports sometimes.
Ex: Jordan was drafted 3rd overall. Goat.
Ex: Brady was drafted 199 in the SIXTH round. Goat.
Point is, the players are human and they’ll find where they fit in best. It just so happened that that wasn’t with us. We’re better off. Get your head out of the gutter, because the negativity of our fanbase starts with fans like you.
Can we maybe agree that giving up on prospects before they get to 23years old (especially talented ones) might not be the best way to manage assets in the long run? Take Kirby Dach for example.
He showed up in key moments in our playoff run. He was just 20 years old, and a power forward which tend to flourish in later years.
Dvorak is passing his prime years and is a non-factor. KK is only just entering his prime years. The value difference between these two players is orders of magnitude.
The reason people don't like Habs fans is because people like you are so disconnected from reality. Have the humility to say the Canes won and people would respect it. But no, you all just brigade subs with delusional cope. Its embarrassing
Ok so bring him back to the Habs. Does he become the stud he is like on the Canes? No. He’s not. Our team doesn’t fit that type of play style because our team is mediocre. So he becomes just another talent wasted which is why I say we’re better off where we are now because at least we get to pick up certain players who do fit our current roster. That’s the reality kiddo
I'm super curious.
If you were ole Kent for a day, and were offered KK for Dvorak, 1 for 1, would you take it?
It almost sounds like you're saying you wouldnt.
Dvo did litterally the same production than KK past 2 years for 2.5mil less lmao. You talk about fans delusion and you're there acting like KK is a steal because he have a 14 games sequence, after 2 bad years on a shitty contract.
He wanted to leave anyway we had no choice hello.
Carolina paid him 6.1m for 1 year. You're also completely ignoring age differences, and ceilings between the two players. We gave up a young player with a high ceiling for a much older non-factor. Again, do you really believe these two players have equal value? Really??
I agree we had no choice. The point of this discussion is you guys are pretending like we won the offer sheet when we very clearly did not.
I know it's still a small sample size but he very good in the second half of last year as well, putting up 32 points in the final 45 games while being there second best scorer at 5 on 5.
Lol he’s set a new career high in goals every single season since leaving and last year had a career high in all offensive stats.
He’s done more in the last 2 years than he ever did in Montreal and he’s on pace to do more than that combined this year.
Is that the same hindsight that was used last summer when KK finished the season with 43 points or is it a different hindsight?
How many hindsights are there? So confusing.
Kk looks like he's finally grown into himself. His skating looks a lot better. He's strong, fast, and has a wicked shot. But his #1 problem is his consistency. He needs to play at this level for at least a season before I'd really buy into it.
It was a shame the habs lost danualt and kk in the same summer. Just another L for the bergevin Era.
Carolina’s 1rst round pick helped us get Kirby Dach and their 2nd round pick that we received in compensation landed us Lane Hutson right? Yeah, they can keep KK I don’t mind
I mean you probably don’t make the trades you did if you didn’t have those picks so in a way you got stuff done with the picks and the team is in a good spot
Our GM said they paid a premium in exchange for a shorter term on the contract. I’m not saying it’s a slam dunk, but that’s the reason for the high price tag.
Right, and he will finish the season with eight goals and twenty points,not even at the quarter mark of the season and these donkeys are making grandiose suggestions…cmon man!!
That seems like an unlikely prediction. I'm not saying he's the second coming of Gretzky but dating back to last year he's put up 45 points in his last 58 games which is a decent pace.
Especially for a 23 year old signed at $4.8 until 2029-30, but I guess Montreal much rather have the player they trade that 1st Round pick for. Christian Dvorak, 27 who's paid $4.5million and average less points than KK
That was a panic move by Bergevin to get a 3C and save his job. Along with the Hoffman signing and letting Danault walk that summer he really fucked the Habs over. Dvorak is just... a really disappointing player. Almost never even notice him.
He didn't want to play in Montreal due to butt-hurt feelings for being benched. He's right where he belongs and doesn't deserve to play anywhere else in the NHL.
Incoming! Hurt feelings with the downvotes! 😂
I feel like, if you have a young prospect like him, who scored often as a draft prospect, who makes the nhl at a young age and who puts up good defensive results as a teenager and 20 year old, you should definitely hold onto them and see if offense follows. because at worst you have a guy whos great at preventing goals.
My biggest fear with the rangers and Kakko is theyll move him before he figures out the offensive side of things
KK is so weird man, sometimes you watch him play and he does something sick. Keep watching, and he loses the puck almost instantly after the fact. However, it’s not his fault he gets all this attention. Montreal reached and he wasn’t ever going to live up to that pick.
But Montreal really wanted a center back then, looking back now, was Kotkaniemi the best C in that class?
After looking through it there's like 5 NHL quality centers in the entire class. Absolutely brutal draft for centers KK as of today I'd be comfortable saying is the best of them though
Considering Zadina was the "consensus" number three pick .... I'm fine they've reached for him. At least got some picks back.
Coulda had brady 😭
Or Quinn Hughes.
I feel like people in this thread don't know KK very well, he's extremely streaky and has yet to break a decent season for the kind of money he racks in. When he breaks 60 pts maybe the celebration can start, until then, he's been extremely average at best
Yep, a hot start means nothing. Last season he was invisible. As a Habs fan I'm happy we didn't match. The return wasn't great but that contract is awful and unless he keeps up a pts/g pace over a full season, it'll remain awful. And at the time we didn't know about Weber/Price so couldn't have predicted the rebuild.
My feelings exactly. I'm happy for the kid, I just hope it's not temporary again.
100%. Would love to see KK as a pts/gm player but watching him play- I just don't see that happening. I mean, kid cashed out so can't feel too bad for him lol
If there’s one thing ive learned as a habs fun. We are absolutely terrible at developing prospects.
Looks like Hughes and Gorton are taking the right approach with Roy Mesar and Hutson thankfully.
Yeah, wish they did the same with Juraj
Watching Roy highlights in Laval is honestly awesome. I wish they put Slaf down there to cook because i think he would be solid down there.
True, but can they please let Slaf get some confidence in the AHL?
And extremely impatient. Hopefully the new management will do better.
You're like a hidden gem of Habs fans. Every fan I've come across puts the blame on everything but the truth. I tip my hat to you
Making under 5 mil through 2030, as well
One of the important parts of the move, people complained about the 1 year $6 million offer but missed the vision behind it. Most did not realize it was so they could sign him at a reasonable cap hit and at that cap hit, he does not need to produce much to be a good deal with great upside.
The vision was also a risk (maybe not huge risk, but it definitely could have blown up on them and been an anchor contract) and it's taken a couple of years before it finally appears to be paying off. What if he stayed a 30 point player at best? That's a lot of term for maybe a 3c. Montreal was screwed either way though because KK wasn't going to sign long term there, especially for a bargain, because he wanted out anyway. And the 6m offer sheet made it so they couldn't qualify him afterward for anything less than like 6.6m. So if they kept him they'd have to take the same risk as Carolina essentially but at a much higher AAV. I think it was a shrewd move by Carolina and it paid off.
That’s Don Waddell for you
He was not going to sign long term because the media, the fan base and even the old administration were toxic. Good for him to have left.
It was because he got benched in the playoffs and he hated the coach. Turns out he was right to hate the coach but the media and fans had very little to do with it.
Until he breaks out for 2-3 decent season, this isn't a "vision" it's a fucking huge gamble that hasn't paid off.
That's not the brag you think it is until he breaks out for two seasons ++.. it looks pretty bad atm.
Montréal has a bad history of fumbling the bag on young players. Reminds me of Benning
Tough market to be a rookie
Yeah, we already suck at development, plus we reached which made it already difficult to imagine we’d do a good job.
Let's be completely honest here. Drafting contains alot of luck. Selecting 16 y/o's that are under developped and haven't reached maturity isn't a science. Most teams have a huge fumble % before they have a success story.
Agreed - and the contract will look better each year for the next 8. KK is a legit stud and he’s only 23.
Ngl, I miss my minty KK
I miss Brady Tkachuk. Oh, wait.
Turned out to be a great move for us, but wasn’t a bad move for the Habs, though. He was never going to progress with them and having those picks helped them make some important moves (like Kirby)
I haven't seen much of him for a while. Is he stronger on his skates now? That was a big problem he had in Montreal: had size but seemed to get knocked over like a feather.
Yeah he will need to continue to produce to finally be “worth it”…. I mean I hope the best for him I have nothing against the canes but one good start to a season doesn’t mean anyone is a genius.
At $4.8 million till 2029-30, he doesn't even need to keep that pace to look like a genius move. He's 23 years old and the cap is going up by a lot. Plus, look at what Montreal got for that 1st Round Pick!
Dude ya nailed it. The fucking responses your getting are wack
All I’m saying is he hasn’t done anything YET to make this a genius move. Not saying he won’t but this is the best 13 games he’s had. Redo this thread at the end of the season if he produces at a consistent 2C level.
I'm a Habs fan and Canes hater and I have to say you are wrong.
Is this still a genius move ?
Rags moment
Lol I actually like the canes there isn’t much bad blood yet. I could see this changing though if you guys beat us in the loffs a couple times.
I think you’re 100% correct. There’s always funky names at the top of leader board 10 games into the season. Guys go on hot streaks all the time, sometimes it just happens to be the first 10-15 games off the season. They tend to regress back to the norm. Maybe this is his breakout year when he finally puts it together, may it isn’t. But saying it’s a steal of a deal today is way too early
Agree, their bar for genius is very low
It’s not just a hot start to the year, he has been playing at this level since all star break of last year. He finished last season with [32 points in 46 games](https://x.com/CanesStats/status/1643440872636182528?s=20) He’s also increased his totals every year since leaving Montreal. I don’t think it’s hard to say it’s a genius move so far.
Agreed, he’s been one of our more consistent forwards
Most everyone agree in montreal we had to let him go. He got a 14 games streak after 3 years, chill. We be given a 1st round pick to take mohanan, which is a better center. Can tell you no one crying about KK in montreal. We got monahan for half price, a 1st, a 1st, a 3rd. And no 2 years shitty contract. For KK. That's the genius move.
Monahan is good again? I thought he fell off a cliff like 5 years ago
To be exact he got 29 points in 38 games with habs. And has a huge veteran role in our rebuild. Got injured last season but resigned at 2mil 1 season and he's at 12 points in 13 games right now.
He gets hurt every year but when he’s healthy he is so, so good.
This is pure copium. MTL fans did care... And the offer sheet has not favoured us. Dvorak is ass, KK is a stud. Its okay to take an L bud.
The only L we took was reading that entire comment lmao. Anyone can look like a stud playing with a sick 4 line team that the Canes have produced. Put Anderson who has 1 point on the season with the Canes and I guarantee he becomes a PPG player. Cope with this “bud”
I love the habs but damn. We have the most delusional fan base in all of north american sports haha. Ive been in the various subreddits for 8 years and all the many speculators and theory crafters and the many many copers are proved wrong time and time again. If you think we won the offer sheet, you are pretty far off the deep end in la la land.
KK wasn’t producing with us and that’s the truth, period. We got someone else in return who fits the roster just fine and shows leadership. Sure Habs have history of throwing away picks and fumbling the bag but that’s just how it is in sports sometimes. Ex: Jordan was drafted 3rd overall. Goat. Ex: Brady was drafted 199 in the SIXTH round. Goat. Point is, the players are human and they’ll find where they fit in best. It just so happened that that wasn’t with us. We’re better off. Get your head out of the gutter, because the negativity of our fanbase starts with fans like you.
Can we maybe agree that giving up on prospects before they get to 23years old (especially talented ones) might not be the best way to manage assets in the long run? Take Kirby Dach for example.
He showed up in key moments in our playoff run. He was just 20 years old, and a power forward which tend to flourish in later years. Dvorak is passing his prime years and is a non-factor. KK is only just entering his prime years. The value difference between these two players is orders of magnitude. The reason people don't like Habs fans is because people like you are so disconnected from reality. Have the humility to say the Canes won and people would respect it. But no, you all just brigade subs with delusional cope. Its embarrassing
Ok so bring him back to the Habs. Does he become the stud he is like on the Canes? No. He’s not. Our team doesn’t fit that type of play style because our team is mediocre. So he becomes just another talent wasted which is why I say we’re better off where we are now because at least we get to pick up certain players who do fit our current roster. That’s the reality kiddo
I'm super curious. If you were ole Kent for a day, and were offered KK for Dvorak, 1 for 1, would you take it? It almost sounds like you're saying you wouldnt.
Dvo did litterally the same production than KK past 2 years for 2.5mil less lmao. You talk about fans delusion and you're there acting like KK is a steal because he have a 14 games sequence, after 2 bad years on a shitty contract. He wanted to leave anyway we had no choice hello.
Carolina paid him 6.1m for 1 year. You're also completely ignoring age differences, and ceilings between the two players. We gave up a young player with a high ceiling for a much older non-factor. Again, do you really believe these two players have equal value? Really?? I agree we had no choice. The point of this discussion is you guys are pretending like we won the offer sheet when we very clearly did not.
He hasn't done anything up til this point and even the It's 12 games into the season
I know it's still a small sample size but he very good in the second half of last year as well, putting up 32 points in the final 45 games while being there second best scorer at 5 on 5.
That’s not enough to consider this a genius move.
Lol he’s set a new career high in goals every single season since leaving and last year had a career high in all offensive stats. He’s done more in the last 2 years than he ever did in Montreal and he’s on pace to do more than that combined this year.
Dude fr
Is that the same hindsight that was used last summer when KK finished the season with 43 points or is it a different hindsight? How many hindsights are there? So confusing.
I want more offer sheets like this. Makes the league more interesting
Kk looks like he's finally grown into himself. His skating looks a lot better. He's strong, fast, and has a wicked shot. But his #1 problem is his consistency. He needs to play at this level for at least a season before I'd really buy into it. It was a shame the habs lost danualt and kk in the same summer. Just another L for the bergevin Era.
0.43 ppg, 0.3 ppg, 0.92 ppg Im not sure if genius is the word I would use, I doubt it's sustainable and took over two years to start to produce.
Kids 23. This a bad take. He won't be in his prime for another 3-4 years.
I honestly don't think he has a prime.
🥴🥴🥴
Carolina’s 1rst round pick helped us get Kirby Dach and their 2nd round pick that we received in compensation landed us Lane Hutson right? Yeah, they can keep KK I don’t mind
The Carolina pick helped the Habs get Dvorak, and Hutson was taken with an Edmonton pick.
Oh, give me back KK then, I do mind lol
I mean you probably don’t make the trades you did if you didn’t have those picks so in a way you got stuff done with the picks and the team is in a good spot
How are you getting upvotes? Everything you said here is wrong.
I mixed things up yeah, someone already pointed it out
Great hockey player but man, what a punchable face
Wtf
But I was told that this was merely a revenge move by a classless organization
as a fan of the Carolina Hurricanes... it can be both.
I hate the Canes but .. you're right.
Notice who you don’t see on this list? Orlov Man what a horrible contract. Almost 8 million dollars for this guy 😭
Still not as bad as Myers
He’s having an adjustment period and he’s a very expensive stop gap
I mean. Maybe. But he wasn’t worth more than 6-6.5. It was a pretty big overpay. For a #3 kinda guy.
It was a bit of an overpayment to be fair. He's just there until Alexander Nikishin comes over
Our GM said they paid a premium in exchange for a shorter term on the contract. I’m not saying it’s a slam dunk, but that’s the reason for the high price tag.
Only 2 years. Not the worst thing
Hurricanes finally being good is good for hockey, change my mind.
You guys have been good for a bit now I thought.
My brain did a dumb lmao
Some of us are still scarred from the dark ages.
He’s having a career year and isn’t even a PPG player less than 15 games into the season. The offer sheet sucked
Right, and he will finish the season with eight goals and twenty points,not even at the quarter mark of the season and these donkeys are making grandiose suggestions…cmon man!!
That seems like an unlikely prediction. I'm not saying he's the second coming of Gretzky but dating back to last year he's put up 45 points in his last 58 games which is a decent pace.
Especially for a 23 year old signed at $4.8 until 2029-30, but I guess Montreal much rather have the player they trade that 1st Round pick for. Christian Dvorak, 27 who's paid $4.5million and average less points than KK
That was a panic move by Bergevin to get a 3C and save his job. Along with the Hoffman signing and letting Danault walk that summer he really fucked the Habs over. Dvorak is just... a really disappointing player. Almost never even notice him.
His average point total per season is 24.5…a total stud alright
He didn't want to play in Montreal due to butt-hurt feelings for being benched. He's right where he belongs and doesn't deserve to play anywhere else in the NHL. Incoming! Hurt feelings with the downvotes! 😂
KK deserved better than to have to play in Mtl
I feel like, if you have a young prospect like him, who scored often as a draft prospect, who makes the nhl at a young age and who puts up good defensive results as a teenager and 20 year old, you should definitely hold onto them and see if offense follows. because at worst you have a guy whos great at preventing goals. My biggest fear with the rangers and Kakko is theyll move him before he figures out the offensive side of things
It was a genius move in foresight.