When the Carolina Hurricanes snagged Jesperi Kotkaniemi from the Montreal Canadiens via an offer sheet, there was a lot of noise surrounding it. The former third overall pick was signed for more than what most felt he was worth, and Habs fans wouldn't let us hear the end of it. This move, paired with the attempted Sebastian Aho offer sheet, brought renewed heat to an old-school rivalry.
The Hurricanes signed Kotkaniemi to a long-term extension almost as soon as they could, locking him in for eight years. Now, in the fourth year of his deal, it might be time for Kotkaniemi to get a fresh start. At least, that is what NHL insider Elliotte Friedman suggested on Friday morning in a quick blog post on Sportsnet's website.
Truthfully, this news isn't very surprising. As Friedman points out, Kotkaniemi's name has been involved in several discussions this season, including Quinn Hughes before he was traded to Minnesota, and Phillip Danault before he returned to Montreal. That the Hurricanes are trying to trade him isn't ground-breaking.
Kotkaniemi has battled injuries this season, but, even when he is healthy, his time in the lineup hasn't been guaranteed. He has been limited to just 25 games, recording two goals and four assists. His most recent point, an assist against the Lightning on December 20, was the 200th of his NHL career.
Even before his injury issues this season, Kotkaniemi hadn't transformed into the second line center the Hurricanes hoped he'd become when they signed him. He recorded a career-high 18 goals and 43 points in 2022-23, but he hasn't topped 12 goals or 33 points since then. He had some good moments during that postseason, too.
This week, Rod Brind'Amour might've put the final nail in the coffin. With the recent addition of Noah Philp and the ongoing struggle to find consistency at center behind Sebastian Aho, the bench boss pointed out how Kotkaniemi hasn't produced enough and that he hasn't figured out the role he wants to take on. Watching Mark Jankowski score his goal against Anaheim on Thursday didn't help either.
In his post, Friedman suggests that the Hurricanes are currently considering offers for Kotkaniemi, though he didn't provide much detail beyond that. I don't think there's a big deal in the works. If anything, this feels like a move that the Canes will just get a draft pick or two for and call it a day. It doesn't feel like a massive, season-altering trade is coming.
If this is the end of Kotkaniemi's time in Raleigh, and the team seems to be making an honest effort to find him a new home, it'll become one of the biggest "what ifs" in team history. There were definitely great moments to his tenure, but not consistently enough. Montreal fans will rag on the Canes, as if their time with Christian Dvorak was any better. We might just need to roll with the punches.