Insider shares what exactly went wrong with Jesperi Kotkaniemi after his offer sheet to Carolina
Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
NHL analyst Cory Lavalette is revealing what exactly went wrong with Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi after his offer sheet.
The Carolina Hurricanes first brought Jesperi Kotkaniemi to town after signing him to a one-year offer sheet from the Montreal Canadiens, who declined to match the offer sheet.
It wouldn't be long before Kotkaniemi had himself a major extension with the Hurricanes for six years, but his stats have gradually been going down.
So far this year, he only has six points (2G, 4A) in 25 games, and is one of the more talked about players embroiled in NHL trade rumours.
Per a new report from NHL analyst Cory Lavalette, Kotkaniemi has never been able to find a true identity for his game.
While Kotkaniemi's attitude was never questioned, he did seem to fail to find an identity to his game. There were times when he showed flashes of offensive potential that made him intriguing to the Canadiens in the 2018 draft and the Hurricanes in 2021.
The more likely scenario may be the Hurricanes recouping as many assets as they can. Carolina is committed to a Stanley Cup run and isn't looking to subtract talent from its roster. With Noah Philp back in the concussion protocol, Kotkaniemi is one injury away from being back in the lineup regularly.
But make no mistake: The expectation is that Kotkaniemi's time in Raleigh is coming to a close. - Cory Lavalette
The more likely scenario may be the Hurricanes recouping as many assets as they can. Carolina is committed to a Stanley Cup run and isn't looking to subtract talent from its roster. With Noah Philp back in the concussion protocol, Kotkaniemi is one injury away from being back in the lineup regularly.
But make no mistake: The expectation is that Kotkaniemi's time in Raleigh is coming to a close. - Cory Lavalette
Jesperi Kotkaniemi Is Now On The Trading Block
Kotkaniemi was taken by the Canadiens with the third overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, and he would play the first several years of his NHL career in a Habs sweater before being pried away by the Hurricanes.
He has 200 points (78G, 122A) in 501 career games, and it looks more and more like he'll be wearing a new NHL sweater in short order.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 11|312 ANSWERS Insider shares what exactly went wrong with Jesperi Kotkaniemi after his offer sheet to Carolina Will the Hurricanes trade Jesperi Kotkaniemi before the Trade Deadline? | ||
| Yes | 218 | 69.9 % |
| No | 94 | 30.1 % |
| List of polls | ||