We are six games into the season for the Carolina Hurricanes and with 8 points, the Canes have put together some strong efforts but still have some fine-tuning to be done before it all comes to Rod Brind'Amour's approval. Amid a long road trip, the team has the chance to grow together and get on the right foot heading into the holiday season.
Over a long season, it is natural for players to have hot and cold streaks but fans are looking for specific players to get going early. In Edmonton, Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas had multi-point evenings, and now are first and second on the team in points with 7 & 8 respectively. A player who recorded a point in both Alberta games was Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
Kotkaniemi has been an interesting topic since being acquired via signing an offer sheet from the Montreal Canadiens in 2022. Offer sheets are always controversial but Kotkaniemi was not quite a finished product at that point in his career. A strong playoff performance was the highlight of his Montreal stint. Other than being the third overall draft choice in the 2018 NHL Draft, most of the Kotkaniemi hype was just that, hype. The 8-year extension with a salary cap hit of $4.82 per year was the topping on the cake.
At just 24 years old, the Finnish forward has already surpassed 400 games in the NHL over 7 years but has yet to reach the 20-goal mark. A career year for him in 2023 saw him register 18 goals and 25 assists. It was a promising season for the young forward and the team as they reached the Eastern Conference Finals.
Last season was a significant step back for Kotkaniemi as he was only able to produce 12 goals and 27 points and saw his ice time drop almost 2 minutes a game. It was clear that Brind'Amour was losing trust in him with a long-term contract ahead.
With a large salary cap hit, the production level for Kotkaniemi is hurting the top line production and limiting the roster flexibility for general manager, Eric Tulsky. Rumors were swirling this summer about the potential for buying out the contract or moving him to a suitor but at this point selling low did not provide much of a return in a potential trade.
So the team stuck with Kotkaniemi and through the first 6 games it has paid off as he is almost at a point-per-game pace. Yes, it is still early but with the direction that the youngster was headed, any positives are great to build on. A long, 82-game season is ahead so the ups and downs will come for any player but the good start was essential for Kotkaniemi and the Canes after a rough summer.
For the contract and term, I am not sure Kotkaniemi can ever live up to it and I am afraid that ultimately, the ending will be a contract buyout, whether it is this summer or the near future. It is a strong sign that he has 5 assists, but I am skeptical that the pace will continue and the goals will need to start.