No buyout for Kotkaniemi; Romanov is on the market; and Werenski might consider Toronto

Félix Forget
No buyout for Kotkaniemi; Romanov is on the market; and Werenski might consider Toronto
Credit: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

As my colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois pointed out this morning, there are now just over 48 hours left before the NHL's contract buyout window closes. Teams have until 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening to make a buyout; after that, it will no longer be possible (unless a player on the team goes to arbitration this summer).

And the most interesting case in this regard is that of Jesperi Kotkaniemi. This is the last summer during which the Hurricanes can buy him out for one-third of his contract (rather than the usual two-thirds), and there was speculation as to whether the club would use this option to get rid of his $4.82 million annual cap hit.

Especially since, after acquiring John Carlson's rights yesterday, the champions need money to sign him.

But now, just minutes ago, Frank Seravalli reported that we shouldn't expect the Hurricanes to buy out the Finn's contract.

The reason? With the salary cap skyrocketing and a lack of depth at center, the team believes Kotkaniemi has trade value, even at $4.8 million.

Keep in mind that if the Hurricanes had decided to buy out his contract, KK would have had a cap hit of only about $850,000 through 2034. That's a long time… but it's an almost negligible amount relative to the overall cap.

But apparently, the team's plan is instead to try to trade him. Let's see if any team takes the bait now.

Alexander Romanov on the Market

Alexander Romanov has been plying his trade with the Islanders for a few years now. The former Canadiens player has become exactly what we expected: a left-handed defenseman who's solid in his zone, delivers solid checks, and is capable of eating up ice time.

But offensively, he's pretty limited… and injuries haven't spared him over the past two years.

What's interesting, though, is that according to David Pagnotta, the defenseman's name is currently being mentioned in trade talks. And this is despite the fact that he signed an eight-year contract extension (worth $6.25 million per year) with the Islanders just one year ago.

Just because his name is being mentioned doesn't mean he'll definitely be traded—we're on the same page there. But it's worth noting that starting July 1, 2027, Romanov will have a full no-trade clause.

Do they want to test the market to see what they could get before their hands are tied by that clause? Possible.

Zach Werenski Might Consider Toronto

As we know, Zach Werenski could very well be traded soon. The defenseman has let the Blue Jackets know that he doesn't really intend to sign a new contract with the team… and with two years left until free agency, trading him this summer might be the best way to maximize his value.

He just won the Norris Trophy, after all: his value will never be higher.

And obviously, logic would suggest that the Michigan native would want to continue his career in the United States. But according to Pierre LeBrun, who discussed the situation in an article for The Athletic, there is still one Canadian team the defenseman might consider: the Toronto Maple Leafs.

It's still surprising to see a Canadian team among those Werenski might consider. That doesn't mean he'll necessarily end up there (the list of U.S. teams vying for the defenseman is pretty long), but John Chayka must be surprised to see this.

Except that, once again, he certainly won't be alone. And LeBrun even wonders if the Lightning might get involved.


In a Nutshell

– Interesting.

– Touching.

– Great news for the organization.

– George Russell wins in Austria.

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