Jesperi Kotkaniemi: his contract is easy to buy back

The descent into hell continues for Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

After an excellent start to the season, the forward found himself on the Hurricanes’ fourth line for yesterday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

It’s a shame, because he had 12 points in his first 12 games of the season.

Things are going so badly for KK in Carolina… that we can even begin to wonder what awaits him with the Hurricanes in the future.

The center has just five points in his last 30 games (!!!) and can’t find a way to be useful in Rod Brind’Amour’s lineup.

That’s why you’d think the Canes would be weighing up their options… and one of them is a contract buyout.

Because, in reality, it’s a much more affordable option than you might think.

What you need to understand is that if a team buys out the contract of a player who is under 26 at the time of the buyout, it doesn’t have to pay 2/3 of the remaining amount, but rather 1/3. So, if the Hurricanes buy out KK ‘s contract between now and 2026, the annual amount to be paid would be… less than $900,000.

In fact, if he is bought out in the summer of 2024, the Hurricanes will pay $835,000 per year until 2035-36 (except between 2027-28 and 2029-30, when the amount would be $455,000).

If it happens in the summer of 2025, the annual amount would be $841,333 until 2034-35 (with the exception of the 2027-28, 2028-29 and 2029-30 seasons, when it would be $461,333).

And if it happens in the summer of 2026, the annual amount would be $850,833 until 2033-34 (and during the three-year period, it would be $470,833 per season).

The three-year period is explained by the fact that his annual salary is higher in those seasons. So, by buying him out, the club saves a little more money.

You get the idea, though: as long as it’s done before Kotkaniemi blows out 26 candles, the Hurricanes can buy out the Finn’s contract at a very affordable price. It would take them a long time to pay him, but it’s about the equivalent of a minimum-wage player, which is pretty manageable.

If this were to happen in the summer of 2027, on the other hand, the amounts would be much less advantageous: we’d be looking at figures of between $1.3 million and $1.8 million a year, roughly speaking.

Hence the fact that, if the Hurricanes decide to buy out Kotkaniemi’s contract, it could very well happen no later than the summer of 2026.

This will be an option for the Hurricanes to consider, especially if Kotkaniemi doesn’t settle down in the next few years. Because, in reality, he may have until the end of the 2025-26 season to show the Hurricanes that they’d better keep believing in him and his $4.82 million per year salary.

I don’t think a buyout could happen this summer… but you never know.

Breaking news

– Nice read on Luke Tuch, who explains that he often sees Habs executives in Boston. At the same time, he plays with Lane Hutson…

– David Reinbacher never sits on the bench during the game. He’s either on the ice or standing, waiting his turn.

– Good point.

– Nice read.

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– TVA Sports (@TVASports) January 23, 2024

– Heading to Pittsburgh for Aroldis Chapman.