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Post by Doc Holliday on Dec 11, 2006 8:27:18 GMT -5
...I've been highly critical of that prospect so far but I must say the kid seem to be finally getting it together. Something definitely clicked in his mind with his last demotion.
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Post by Gogie on Dec 11, 2006 9:25:31 GMT -5
...I've been highly critical of that prospect so far but I must say the kid seem to be finally getting it together. Something definitely clicked in his mind with his last demotion. It's taken him awhile, but I think he's finally figured out that you have to put out 100% effort all the time, be it in practice or down in the minors, not just during game time in the NHL. He's realizing that he can't rely on his skill alone - a good work ethic is a defining characteristic of a good hockey player. In his defense, he did come over as a young, non-English speaking kid and was "thrown" to the wolves in professional hockey. He was forced to learn the defensive side of the game, something I suspect he had never even thought about before coming to North America. It's taken him more time than your typical North American junior to develop, but I think he's had more to deal with at the same time. I like the way he's coming along and I still believe he'll be a top six forward (I'm a bit hesitant to say it because I don't want to jinx him, but I really believe that he'll be a consistent 30-40 goal scorer in the NHL). P.S. - the spelling is K-O-S-T-I-T-S-Y-N. Commit it to memory, because you'll be writing about him alot in the future ;D |
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Post by ropoflu on Dec 11, 2006 10:06:43 GMT -5
Personally, I had a good impression of KostsytitisNyn's last stint with the habs earlier this season. Found he was pretty confident out there and playing bigger that I thought. Work ethic is improving? all the better and that could be the very last thing that kept him away from the NHL.
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Dec 11, 2006 12:04:51 GMT -5
Not at all surprised. Liked the pick when it was made, and the way he's been accelerating the learning curve since. Could well be the second youngest Hab before season's end.
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Post by Doc Holliday on Dec 11, 2006 12:56:58 GMT -5
Personally, I had a good impression of KostsytitisNyn's last stint with the habs earlier this season. Found he was pretty confident out there and playing bigger that I thought. Work ethic is improving? all the better and that could be the very last thing that kept him away from the NHL. I'm still not fully sold personally but at least he's able to show some offense in a league where he should clearly be a cut above him, something he hasn't done so far. My only worry: Kosthysyninyn has a lot of problem communicating and adapting to the North American game and his recent surge coincide with being paired with Grabovsky, a fellow countrymen. Not sure what to make of this. Does he only turn up his game once with fellow Belarussians? |
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Post by ropoflu on Dec 11, 2006 14:31:34 GMT -5
Not sure what to make of this. Does he only turn up his game once with fellow Belarussians? Perhaps. However I would tend to believe that this less a matter of turning it up or not, but more a natural cohesion between countrymen of about the same age, who previously played in similar systems (Belarussian and Russian). Just to specify, I'm referring here to a Rangers type of cohesion more than a Kovalev-Samsonov one  To your point, peer pressure works wonder for some people, but it works better when people can interact effectively (no language barrier) so that might have pushed Kosty Major a bit. Not that it has any scientific value, but I, for, one, am a far better player when I play with my bro on the same line. |
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Post by duster on Dec 11, 2006 14:32:47 GMT -5
Agreed. I don't think it's so much a matter of turning it on but, rather, one of familiarity. They've played together before in Belarus and it shows. Grabovski seems to know where Kostitsyn is on the ice and vice versa. Perhaps having a talented and skillfull centre with good on ice vision is all Kost needed.
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Post by ropoflu on Dec 11, 2006 14:56:54 GMT -5
Agreed. I don't think it's so much a matter of turning it on but, rather, one of familiarity. They've played together before in Belarus and it shows. Grabovski seems to know where Kostitsyn is on the ice and vice versa. Perhaps having a talented and skillfull centre with good on ice vision is all Kost needed. Now I expect them to be leading scorer of the Dogs within a few weeks (I mean if we are so deep in terms of scoring forward prospect, Maxime Lapierre shouldn't be point leader in Hamilton or he shouldn't be in Hamilton at all). They should show some leadership down there while they wait for an opportunity to demonstrate their talent in MTL (if Samsonov gets injured for example). EDIT: I'm so wrong. Milroy is leading the dogs. ------------------------GP-----G-----A-----PTS---PIM Duncan Milroy---------- 24 --- 12 --- 14 --- 26 --- 8 Andrei Kostitsyn-------- 21 --- 7 --- 13 --- 20 --- 19 Maxim Lapierre--------- 26 --- 8 --- 11 --- 19 --- 49 Mikhail Grabovski------- 24 --- 7 --- 12 --- 19 --- 8 Mathieu Roy------------ 25 --- 6 --- 10 --- 16 --- 19 Corey Locke ----------- 26 --- 6 --- 9 --- 15 --- 14 Matt D'Agostini--------- 22 --- 6 --- 8 --- 14 --- 16 Kyle Chipchura---------- 26 --- 5 --- 9 --- 14 --- 19 Jonathan Ferland-------- 26 --- 7 --- 5 --- 12 --- 44 |
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Post by Gogie on Dec 12, 2006 10:28:05 GMT -5
Just to put Kostitsyn's season into perspective, I've broken down his stats as follows:
Bulldogs first 10 games:
...GP......G......A......Pts......+/-
.....8.......0......3.......3........+1
Bulldogs last 16 games:
...GP......G......A......Pts......+/-
....13......7.....10......17.....+10
Since coming back from the Habs:
...GP......G......A......Pts......+/-
....10......6......6......12.......+6
I think it's obvious that Kosty has turned his game around. I don't know the reason for this, but I can speculate a bit. I believe that he was hurting a bit at the beginning of the season and he actually missed a couple of games early on. This might explain his slow start - he only had 3 assists in the Bulldogs' first 10 games. In the Dogs' next 3 games Kosty seemed to be healthy and picked up his first goal of the year as well as 4 assists (and was a +4). This resulted in his call up to the Habs, where he didn't look too bad IMHO. Since coming back down he has been playing very well (6 goals, 12 points, +6 in 10 games). You can speculate that playing him with Grabovski has helped pick up his play, but I think it cuts both ways - Grabovski has played better since Kosty joined him! Regardless, it looks like AK is finally displaying the skills we've been waiting to see.
P.S. - Might a minor injury have been the deciding factor in the Habs sending him down to Hamilton at the beginning of the season? This way they could let him recover and play himself back into shape and then have a look/see when he was fully healthy.
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Post by Doc Holliday on Dec 12, 2006 11:20:43 GMT -5
I think it's obvious that Kosty has turned his game around. I don't know the reason for this, but I can speculate a bit. I believe that he was hurting a bit at the beginning of the season and he actually missed a couple of games early on. Carbo sent him back on his most recent stint because the guy was lazy. The talent is there and so he can and has to dominate at the lower level he's playing. |
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Dec 12, 2006 11:42:29 GMT -5
...Kostitsyn the Elder. He does seem to need linemates who can make the most of his creativity and skill. A knock against him in his first season witth the Dogs was that he always seemed to want to do it all himself when he was out there - probably in part because he was used to carrying the Belarus national team on his back, and in part because he had no supporting cast. He's worked at improving his defensive game - last season he tied for the team lead with two short-handed goals. He certainly didn't look out of place during his call-up last season; still a bit rough around the edges, but he'll be ready for peime time soon enough... ...I didn't see any evidence of Kostitsyn slacking off, quite the contrary. Besides, I don't think he's had two call-ups out of mere curiosity. Players mature at different rates, and indications are, by first-hand reports on the Prospect board and comments made by coach Lever, that Kostitsyn continues to progress well in areas of weakness (see Komisarek, Mike).
The kid certainly hasn't looked out of place during either of his cups of coffee. Patience. |
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Post by habmeister on Dec 12, 2006 14:51:41 GMT -5
i had a feeling that last cup of coffee would inspire him, smart move by carbo and company to bring him up, give him a taste and send him back. it seems to have worked, lets hope he doesn't need to spend anytime in the press box. this team could have 4 scoring lines by playoffs. wow.
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Post by blny on Dec 12, 2006 22:26:32 GMT -5
I was prepared to patient with him. He played a freestyle game coming into the pros. It was going to take time for him to put the pieces together. Next camp will be the litmus test.
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Post by habmeister on Dec 13, 2006 2:46:45 GMT -5
...Kostitsyn the Elder. He does seem to need linemates who can make the most of his creativity and skill. A knock against him in his first season witth the Dogs was that he always seemed to want to do it all himself when he was out there - probably in part because he was used to carrying the Belarus national team on his back, and in part because he had no supporting cast. He's worked at improving his defensive game - last season he tied for the team lead with two short-handed goals. He certainly didn't look out of place during his call-up last season; still a bit rough around the edges, but he'll be ready for peime time soon enough... ...I didn't see any evidence of Kostitsyn slacking off, quite the contrary. Besides, I don't think he's had two call-ups out of mere curiosity. Players mature at different rates, and indications are, by first-hand reports on the Prospect board and comments made by coach Lever, that Kostitsyn continues to progress well in areas of weakness (see Komisarek, Mike).
The kid certainly hasn't looked out of place during either of his cups of coffee. Patience. quoting yourself? |
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Dec 13, 2006 6:02:37 GMT -5
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Post by duster on Dec 18, 2006 14:20:04 GMT -5
Andrei Kostitsyn: There is hope at lastMatthias Brunet La Presse A meeting behind closed doors with Bob Gainey and his right arm Pierre Gauthier, may have kickstarted for good the career of enigmatic Andrei Kostitsyn. The meeting took place when Gainey and Gauthier told the team's first round pick in 2003 that they were sending him down to Hamilton after four disappointing games playing alongside Alex Kovalev and Sergei Samsonov. Both took the opportunity to be quite blunt with him. Kostitsyn barely speaks english but it looks like he got the message since he has exploded for 20 points in 12 games since his return to the AHL. This is the first time since his arrival in North America two and half years ago that the young man of 21 has performed to his enormous potential. The 6 feet, 208 lbs forward reached a personal best on Friday collecting five points - two goals and three assists - against Rochester, the best team in the league. "They told him quite bluntly what they expected of him" said Bulldogs head coach Don Lever via telephone yesterday afternoon."They told him that they want to him to play like a power forward and to become more involved around the net. Andrei is not 6 feet 3 inches tall, but he's strong and hard to push around. They told him this is the way he must play to prove he belongs in the NHL." Lever, who was critical of Kostitsyn earlier this season, is thrilled with what he's seen. "He's come a long way. He's really on fire. He communicates better. His personality is making itself felt now that he understands what's going on. It's what made the difference. He's taken Mikhail Grabovski under his wing and is even showing leadership. This is the best he's played since I've been here. He would show the occasional flashes but never on such a consistent basis. His job, at the monent, is to dominate at the AHL level and the line he forms with Grabovski and Duncan Milroy is dominant." Kostitsyn's transformation has obviously not gone unoticed by his team mates." He's become our big guy" said defenseman Jean-Philippe Côté on the phone yesterday. "He's become a target for opposing teams who don't hesitate in their attempts to intimidate him and use cheap shots to slow him down, but he doesn't complain. I have to say we, as a team, do everything in our power to provide adequate protection" The Canadiens welcomed Kostitsyn to North America with considerable enthusiasm at the beginning of the 2004-2005 season. Some experts were saying, after all, that he was possibly the most talented player of the 2003 draft. However, a disappointing 23 points in 66 games and few epilectic seizures created a certain apprehension. The Canadiens response was that he was the youngest player in the AHL and his performance at the World Junior Championship (where he beat the U.S. almost single handed) was, instead, a better indication of his progress. Kostitsyn didn't do much to silence critics last year as well. While several players taken after him the same draft year such as Jeff Carter, Dustin Brown, Brent Seabrook, Steve Bernier, Zach Parise, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Patrick Eaves, Brent Burns, Mike Richards and especially Patrice Bergeron, became established players in the NHL, Kostitsyn only managed to score 47 points in 64 games. Quietly, criticism, even from within, became increasingly marked. He was still determined not to learn English to better understand instructions given to him by the coaches and his efforts were lackadaisical. However, a solid camp in September where he competed to the very end with Guillaume Latendresse for a roster spot put him back in management's good graces. His slow start in the AHL, however, renewed previous misgivings and resulted in a meeting with Gauthier and Gainey. At the moment, Kostitsyn's 26 points in 23 games has him only six points out of the AHL's top ten, despite playing comparatively far fewer games. "We keep working with him so that he becomes a complete player" says Lever " We use him in all types of situations be it on the powerplay, short handed, end of game situations when the score is close, and he understands the game better than I thought. Will Andrei score 40 goals in the NHL? I don't know. Maybe under the right circumstances, but it's hard to make an accurate prediction. I can say, though, at this level and when he is consistent, you notice him every night and you know he will be playing in the NHL" Kostitsyn is an injury or two away from making a good impression. www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20061218/CPSPORTS01/612180771/5128/CPSPORTS01
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Post by Doc Holliday on Dec 18, 2006 14:54:24 GMT -5
...If that kick the butt delivered by Gainey/Gauthier is what it took than good for us. I'm also kind of releived to see that I wasn't the only one feeling this prospect was stalled and deceiving. Hopefully he's reached a turning point and turned off the cruise control he's been on since coming to North America.
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