KOTKANIEMI’S YOUTHFUL BLISS STRIKES CHORD WITH HABS FANS
How does an 18-year-old celebrate after scoring the first two goals of his NHL career in the same game?
“I went home, I drank one Coke there, went to the bed,” Jesperi Kotkaniemi said following an optional practice Friday morning in Brossard after scoring twice the night before in a 6-4 win over the Washington Capitals at the Bell Centre. “Slept well. Came to the rink this morning.
“Coke Zero, of course,” Kotkaniemi added with that big, boyish smile that has quickly won the hearts of Montreal hockey fans. Coke Zero should write the kid a cheque for his first endorsement deal.
Kotkaniemi has helped make the Canadiens fun again with his style of play and that smile fans can’t seem to get enough of. Those fans have had a lot to smile about themselves this season with the Canadiens off to a surprising 7-3-2 start heading into Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Bell Centre (7 p.m., SN360, CITY, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio).
“It was a memorable night to me and it was very special,” Kotkaniemi said about his twogoal performance. “I think I will remember that all my life.”
So will the 20,279 fans at the Bell Centre who were there to witness it, the majority of whom stuck around afterward to see Kotkaniemi introduced as the first star to a thundering ovation.
When was the last time so many Montreal fans stuck around for the three-star introductions? This kid is special.
“I’ve never seen him not smile, so that’s a good thing,” teammate Nicolas Deslauriers said about Kotkaniemi after Friday’s practice. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him in a bad mood.
“I don’t think I was in a bad mood at 18 as well,” Deslauriers added with a grin. “It’s fun to see a young guy that works hard and gets rewarded. He doesn’t talk too much ... maybe that’s a good thing. He doesn’t seem too shy. We talk to him quite a bit. A lot of jokes here and there and he’s been good. He’s got a good sense of humour, but at the same time you don’t know if he’s laughing before the joke or he’s laughing after. But he always has a smile and it’s contagious.”
Where does that smile come from?
“I think from my mom,” Kotkaniemi said. “My mom is pretty similar to me. My brother is more like my dad. He’s more serious.”
Kotkaniemi’s mother spent some time living with him in Montreal and helped set up his downtown condo, but she returned home to Finland about a week ago, so the kid is living alone. Kotkaniemi, who is mature beyond his years, said he’s starting to get recognized around town, adding fans have been respectful: “They just ask: ‘How are you?’ and say hi and I think that’s very nice.”
Kotkaniemi has become this city’s adopted son.
Head coach Claude Julien was asked Friday if he feels he has to wear two hats with Kotkaniemi — as a coach and as a father figure.
“I’m not sure I’m his kind of dad,” Julien said. “But I do get what you’re saying. It’s one of those things where I have to be his coach; at the same time, I have to understand where he is in his life. He’s an 18-year-old that usually they’re in junior hockey with billets and that kind of stuff. So you’ve got to kind of make sure that you’re keeping an eye on him in different things. A little example: there are times after practice I’ll see him hanging around an area (at the practice facility) where veterans are kind of hanging around. I have to tell him: ‘Like maybe in two years from now you can do that. Right now, go in there and do a little extra work.’ That’s being the coach and that’s kind of being the dad. Don’t get comfortable.
“But overall he’s a great individual, great kid,” the coach added. “He’s played pro before (in Finland). This isn’t his first time playing with pro players, so he’s got that experience going for him a little bit. But he’s been good. I don’t think I’ve had to do much of that ( being a father figure). At the same time, as a coach you have to coach him in a way where you’re trying to give him some confidence and give him some experience without hurting your hockey club.”
At 18 years and 118 days, Kotkaniemi became the secondyoungest player in Canadiens history to score a goal, trailing only Mario Tremblay, who was 18 years and 75 days when he scored his first NHL goal.
Friday’s practice was an optional one with only 10 players taking part, so Kotkaniemi could have taken the day off. But there was no way that was going to happen.
“I’m having too much fun right now,” he said.
So are smiling Canadiens fans.
I’ve never seen him not smile, so that’s a good thing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him in a bad mood.