Mid Season Grades: Kotkaniemi and Coghlan

Jan 15, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (82) misses on his shot attempt on Vancouver Canucks goaltender Collin Delia (60) during the third period at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /

Neither Jesperi Kotkaniemi nor Dylan Coghlan has made huge impacts for the Carolina Hurricanes so far this season. If they have made any impact at all.

Combined the two have 18 points on the season (Kotkaniemi 16, Coghlan 2) placing them tied with Brett Pesce and Teuvo Teravainen at 6th on the team.

Max Pacioretty has more than Dylan Coghlan in only 4 games. Calvin de Haan (a defenseman no less) has half (8) as many as Kotkaniemi with 9 fewer games. Lack of playing time has hurt both, but their inability to capitalize has been evident.

It is very possible Jesperi Kotkaniemi can get back on track in the second half of the season, but it will take a Herculean effort. In 44 games, Kotkaniemi has just 16 points. His ice time has progressively diminished with a returned Sebastian Aho and healthy Max Pacioretty. Still Kotkaniemi has struggled to make himself indispensable as the 4th Center.

Where Derek Stepan and Paul Statsny, (each taking their turn on the hot seat as the odd man out) have had big games when needed, Kotkaniemi has let these opportunities pass.

Given the lack of points and his inability to make himself a factor in the chase for a spot on any line, Jesperi Kotkaniemi gets a C-

Dec 22, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dylan Coghlan (15) looks on during warm ups before the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Where Dylan Coghlan lands is much more clear. Coghlan has just 10 games over the entire first half of the season and had not played since January 10th against New Jersey until January 15th’s game against Vancouver in Raleigh.

Not since before Christmas has the Defenseman from British Columbia, Canada put up any points. Against the Pittsburg Penguins, on December 22nd, Coghlan had 2 assist in his only positive game since.

And that is a wrap for Coghlan. He has been a healthy scratch in 30 of 44 games. In the ten games he has played, he peaked at 13:49 of ice time, again in the December game against the Penguins and bottomed out at 4: 22 on five shifts against Vancouver. Paltry numbers for the defenseman who is seeing his playing time consumed by the hot handed Jalen Chatfield and line mate Calvin de Haan.

For the first half of the season, Dylan Coghlan gets an F

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