Jesperi Kotkaniemi: Hurricanes considering offers to trade him

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Jesperi Kotkaniemi: Hurricanes considering offers to trade him
Credit: Getty Images

In 2019, the Hurricanes saw the Canadiens submit a hostile offer sheet for Sebastian Aho. The player signed for Montreal, but the American club retained his rights anyway by matching the offer.

This, it will be remembered, insulted the Canes, who decided revenge was in order.

The result? Jesperi Kotkaniemi was targeted and received a hostile offer sheet too. He was paid $6.1 million in 2021-2022 and subsequently signed an eight-year contract valued at $4.82 million per year.

As expected, this contract turned out to be a disaster. With over four years remaining on his contract with the Canadiens, the Hurricanes clearly regret the whole situation.

Taking action just to get even is not in the best interests of any serious organization.

The more time passes, the more the Carolina club is caught up in KK's contract. Trade rumors abound, and we wonder if he'll ever be traded.

But now, whistleblower Elliotte Friedman has stated that Hurricanes bosses are currently considering a trade for Kotkaniemi. He reported this in a piece on Sportsnet's website this morning.

We know that in recent years, KK's name has often been bandied about. This was notably the case in the Quinn Hughes and even Phillip Danault transactions.

And let's not forget that, at one point, he was thought to be headed to Colorado in exchange for Mikko Rantanen.

What Friedman is reporting is that, with the lack of center players on the market and at the price these guys are signing for (Alexander Wennberg and Christian Dvorak are good examples), a center like Kotkaniemi is becoming more attractive than before.

The Hurricanes, who will surely want to make up for their mistake, also understand that a change of scenery could be good for the player, who seems to be suffocating.

But even so, let's just say I'd be very… cautious if I were an NHL GM. His contract may be running out, but another four and a half years is still a very long time.

This season, in 25 games, he has just two goals and four assists. And it's not like he's a Phillip Danault-style defensive master to make up for it…


overtime

– Game day for the Rocket.

– Ouch.

– Of note.

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