The Carolina Hurricanes are reportedly considering trade offers for center Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported this morning.
According to Friedman, the Hurricanes “recognize [Kotkaniemi] needs a fresh start” and are considering trade offers for the 25-year-old pivot at this time. 
He also added that he believes “there is legit interest” in Kotkaniemi, and that the Hurricanes already included Kotkaniemi in their trade talks for Quinn Hughes and Phillip Danault, who were ultimately dealt to the Minnesota Wild and Montreal Canadiens, respectively.
Kotkaniemi, the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, has had an up-and-down pro career and his time in Carolina has been no different. At times, the 6’3″ center has flashed the kind of coveted attributes that made him a top prospect in the first place, but finding consistency has been a massive issue.
Kotkaniemi had a strong 34-point season as an 18-year-old rookie in Montreal, but his inability to build on that campaign and live up to the pressure of being such a high draft choice ultimately led to his exit from the Canadiens. He left Montreal via an offer sheet from Carolina.
The offer sheet, seen by many as retribution for the Canadiens’ own offer sheet of Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho (a characterization the Hurricanes strongly denied, to be clear), was followed up by an eight-year, $4.82MM contract extension. Kotkaniemi has four years remaining after this one on that deal.
There were times in his tenure in Carolina that Kotkaniemi looked to be becoming the quality middle-six two-way pivot he was long projected to be. He scored 18 goals and 43 points in 2022-23, and added seven points in 15 playoff games. But ultimately, that season stands as a career-high, and Kotkaniemi proved unable to seize on the repeated opportunities he was provided to become Carolina’s trusted No. 2 center behind Aho.
After scoring 33 points last season, Kotkaniemi is on pace for a career-low level of offensive production. His six points in 25 games this season give him a 20-point 82-game scoring pace, though it’s worth noting he has missed some time with injuries. Kotkaniemi is averaging 11:08 time on ice per game this season without any regular special teams usage.
Given his inconsistency and inability to seize his opportunity in Carolina, it’s fair to question whether the Hurricanes will be able to receive a significant return in a Kotkaniemi trade. On one hand, he doesn’t appear to be a player worth a huge amount, especially with four additional years left on his deal at a $4.82MM AAV.
But on the other hand, there are reasons to believe Kotkaniemi, for all of his flaws, remains a coveted asset. For one, the supply of available centers on the market is extremely low, something Philadelphia Flyers GM Danny Briere confirmed after signing center Christian Dvorak to a recent extension. As a result, a team in need of a center might not have many superior options available than Kotkaniemi.
Additionally, to some, Kotkaniemi’s contract might be seen as a negative, or even a deal breaker. To others, they might see it as an opportunity. If Kotkaniemi could simply get back to his level of play from 2022-23, for example, he would be providing surplus value on that cap hit with team control until the end of the decade. If a team truly believes its staff can get the most out of Kotkaniemi, the chance to have him under control at that rate would be a positive, not a negative.
At this point, we can only speculate as to what that all means for the Hurricanes’ current efforts to trade Kotkaniemi. One thing is clear, though: the 2018 No. 3 pick is looking increasingly likely to continue his career, at some point in the near future, with another franchise.
Photos courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images