Carolina Hurricanes to sign Jesperi Kotkaniemi to eight-year contract extension
The Carolina Hurricanes will be signing forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi to an eight-year contract extension as soon as March 21st, PuckPedia reported Saturday.
News of the deal was first broke by Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, who on March 4th reported the two sides had been recently meeting. He reported the Canes were hoping to get Koktaniemi signed to an eight-year deal.
According to PuckPedia, the extension will pay him an AAV of $4.82-million — a homage to sweater number 82 which he wears.
The expectation is #LetsgoCanes are re-signing 21 y/o F Kotkaniemi to 8 year $4.82M Cap Hit deal on March 21
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) March 12, 2022
Was pending RFA w/ $6.1M qualifying offer after signing 1 yr $6.1M offer sheet
Deal covers 5 UFA years
Rep’d by Markus Lehto @wassermanhockey https://t.co/x5WZojyV6J
However, this time Montreal was unable to match the significant one-year, $6.1-million offer sheet. In return, the Habs got back a first and a third-round pick.
Kotkaniemi has appeared in 54 games this year for the Hurricanes scoring 11 goals and 23 points in 54 games — a point total already surpassing his 2020-21 production with Montreal.
He’s fit in well in Carolina’s bottom-six and with him on the ice at 5×5, the Canes have controlled 57.35 percent of the shot attempts, 53.19 percent of the goals scored and 53.62 percent of the expected goal share.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.