With the defensive group covered, it's time to turn our attention to the forwards. First on the list is the player arguably under the most scrutiny amongst the fanbase, especially after the last two seasons. For all of the hoops the Carolina Hurricanes went through the snatch Jesperi Kotkaniemi from Montreal, things haven't gone to plan over the last two years.
While Kotkaniemi has put together a solid NHL career, approaching 500 games and 200 points as he enters his 8th season, it hasn't quite been worth the price the team paid and the jokes made at their expense for pulling off the move. As he begins his 5th year with the Hurricanes, it's time for Kotkaniemi to step up his game.
Last season: 12-21-33 in 78 games/0-4-4 in the playoffs
For about a month, it looked like we were going to see the Kotkaniemi of old. He rolled through October and into mid-November on fire, scoring 10 points in the team's first 14 games. He was well on his way to numbers similar to 2022-23. Then, he went ice cold for two months. Over the next 32 games, Kotkaniemi scored just nine points.
A five-game point streak to finish January appeared to get Kotkaniemi back on the right track. It began with a three-game goal streak, including both goals in Carolina's 2-1 win in Dallas on January 21st. He finished with seven points in seven games, giving us hope that he'd re-found his game. Instead, he scored seven points over his final 25 games to enter the postseason with a whimper.
The playoffs weren't much better. Kotkaniemi had just four assists in 14 games, being scratched for Game 2 against Florida. One assist was important, helping Logan Stankoven tie Game 1 against Washington in the 3rd period. While his numbers improved from 2023-24, it still wasn't the year the Hurricanes and the fans hoped we'd see from Kotkaniemi.
Bold Prediction: Consistent linemates help Kotkaniemi solidify at 2C
My original thought was to predict that Kotkaniemi wouldn't be on the roster after the trade deadline on March 6th. However, instead of being negative about his play and potential shortcomings, I'm taking the high road.
It's no secret that Rod Brind'Amour likes to change the lines the second things get stagnant, often leading to crazy combinations he hopes kickstart the offense. This season, there's no shortage of talented wingers for the Hurricanes to pair with Kotkaniemi on the second line. Between Ehlers, Jarvis, Svechnikov, Hall, Blake, and Stankoven, the team can surely find someone to stick next to him.
We've seen what Kotkaniemi can do with a good cast around him. He eclipsed 40 points in 2022-23, the only time he has done so during his career. He hasn't come remotely close over the last two seasons, scoring just 12 goals in back-to-back campaigns. This level of production won't cut it for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.
This has the makings of a make-or-break season for Jesperi Kotkaniemi. This is Year 4 of an eight-year deal, and it hasn't been great for the Canes thus far. If Kotkaniemi doesn't step up his game this season, the trade speculation will run rampant. Hopefully, we won't reach that point, and he plays well enough to prevent it from becoming an issue.