All Montreal Canadiens fans had their eyes on Pori, Finland this weekend as Jesperi Kotkaniemi returned to his old club, Ässät, in order to get some games in and prepare him for the upcoming NHL season.

1. EuropeanProspectReport:Jesperi
Kotkaniemigetshisfirstgameaction
As several players struggle for points, new addition Alexander Gordin is ripping it up in
Russia.
By Patrik Bexell @Zeb_Habs Oct 26, 2020, 6:00am EDT
EUROPEANPROSPECTS PROSPECTS
8
Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images
Jesperi Kotkaniemi,Ässät[Loan],Liiga,Finland
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2. All Montreal Canadiens fans had their eyes on Pori, Finland this weekend as Jesperi Kotkaniemi
returned to his old club, Ässät, in order to get some games in and prepare him for the upcoming NHL
season.
The game had barely started before Ässät was 1-0 down, and the contest continued the same way. In
the end, Ässät lost 6-1, and had gotten their coach, Ari-Pekka Selin, sent up to the stands after an
argument with the referees.
Kotkaniemi hadn’t gelled with his teammates just yet. There were flashes of what will doubtless come,
but it seemed like his temmates didn’t trust him to hold off, nor beat, his defender as they more often
than not sent an easier pass to a less-dangerous area.
The Finnish centre brought a more physical game to the team, especially on the forecheck:
He also used his new NHL skills on the power play to take control the puck and try the wrap-around, but
was held off by a frantic goalkeeper.
PatrikBexell
@Zeb_Habs
Kotkaniemijustdestroyedsomeone....
1148PM·Oct24,2020
320 60peopleareTweetingaboutthis
PatrikBexell
@Zeb_Habs
JesperiKotkaniemigettingcloseaftersomehardwork

3. He finished the game with a 50% Corsi-for percentage, was 63.2% in the faceoff circle, and had skated
more than anyone else on either team (5200m) in 20:24 of ice time.
Ässät’s next game is on Tuesday against Sport.
JacobOlofsson,SkelleeåAIK, SHL, Sweden
Following up on his words to Eyes On The Prize last week, Olofsson showed up with intent in the top
game against Rögle on the weekend. He was rewarded with his highest time on ice of the season:
13:21. He also had a beautiful assist when he held off a defender by using his strength and delivered a
very smart pass, showing some confidence much in the same way as he played just before his injury
last season.
behindthenet,andthentryingtowrapitaroundthekeeper
andforcinginhisownreboundonthepowerplay.#habs
138AM·Oct25,2020
126 17peopleareTweetingaboutthis
PatrikBexell
@Zeb_Habs
JacobOlofssonwithastrongindividualefforttosetup
RickardHugginfrontofthenet.
Greatplayandnicebackhandtodeliverthepassfromthe

4. MattiasNorlinder,Frölunda,SHL, Sweden
Norlinder is not a normal defender. His skating and especially his skill with the puck is amazing, and he
wants — and is encouraged — to use his offence in Frölunda. That really came to everyone’s attention
on a Tuesday night in Malmö:
#Habsprospect.
941PM·Oct24,2020
33 SeePatrikBexellʼsotherTweets
PatrikBexell
@Zeb_Habs
#HabsMattiasNorlindertriestheMichigan,NilsHöglander
and
AndreiSvechnikovneedstolookout!
(Correctedaspellingmistake)