Reviewing the Jesperi Kotkaniemi offer-sheet on Christmas

Merry Christmas Caniacs! I thought it would only be right to honor the occasion with the continued beating of a dead horse. That horse is what everyone and their dog were talking about this most recent off-season. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and the offer sheet saga that came over both the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes in the summer. It’s Christmas, so let’s look at the gift the Finnish centerman has been on Raleigh.

Kotkaniemi holds a distinction that is rare among the Canes players right now. He’s not missed a game this season so far. A flexible piece on the roster and an everpresent in the lineup, Kotkaniemi has done everything the Canes organization could have asked of the Pori, Finland native. While he’s not been ground-breaking, to say he’s been bad is just a flat-out lie. He’s been very solid.

At the beginning of the year, Jesperi Kotkaniemi started on the left-wing and was largely a non-factor. It wasn’t that he was great or bad, he was just a non-entity. He got his first goal in his former home when the Canes traveled to Montreal but wasn’t ever a true threat. He was solid, but not more than that. Not until the game in Vegas where the Canes made a change that shook up the season.

Six weeks ago, Carolina moved Kotkaniemi to the center spot for a game in Vegas. Since then, he’s put up 5 goals and 6 assists for 11 points in a largely 4th line role. Since he was given an elevated role with half the roster on the COVID-19 list, he’s been fantastic. Five points in his last three games really shows how good he’s been when asked to be a bigger piece of the puzzle.

With that in mind, now we need to look at the off-ice aspects of Kotkaniemi for the Canes moving forward. His $6,100,035 cap hit is substantial, and it is the third-highest on the team. He’s a restricted free agent at the end of the year but would require his current salary as a qualifying offer to tender him as an RFA. While there have been rumors surfacing about a KK extension being at 65% of the cap hit with term, nothing can become official until the new year anyway.

While a lot of fans have recently been calling for the Finn to get a larger role in the lineup, it does become difficult to find a spot for the 2018 3rd overall pick without dropping another truly fantastic player to the bottom line. It’s a difficult task to find the line between giving him enough time to prove himself on the ice and keeping him sheltered enough to continue to find these great results.

However, that is not our problem to resolve on this day. It’s Christmas time, and the Canes currently sit atop the Metropolitan Division standings. Jesperi Kotkaniemi was the present the organization got back in the summer, and he’s become the gift that keeps on giving. Enjoy your holidays everyone, stay safe, and remember that Canes hockey will be back soon!