Seravalli: Canes discussing long term deal with Kotkaniemi, Canes want 8 years

[Foppberg]

He's still not worth $4 million per year for 8 years...too inconsistent... eventually, the Canes will be stuck with this lousy contract.

I mean.. He's 21 years old putting up respectable numbers. Way too soon to be writing him off.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Montreal should offer sheet him

 

[3074326]

I mean.. He's 21 years old putting up respectable numbers. Way too soon to be writing him off.

Where was he written off in that post? The poster simply said he wasn’t worth an 8 year contract at $4M/year.

 

[Foppberg]

Where was he written off in that post? The poster simply said he wasn’t worth an 8 year contract at $4M/year.

He said the Canes will be stuck with that contract as he's not a 4M dollar player and too inconsistent. As if the player he is today will be the same player he is at 25+

AKA writing him off.

 

[Not The One]

Canes aren't rolling with KK as Trochek's replacement and hope to compete. If KK is a 2C, its on a weak NHL team that is unlikely to be competing. Canes aren't that.

At this stage, Staal is taking up a potential spot for KK as the 3C.

Trade / dump Staal with a sweetener?

What?

NHL Stats

So they are going to "grooming" KK to replace a guy who's played 129 minutes of PK this year with another one who they played... 19 seconds on the PK?

NHL Stats

They are also preparing KK to take over from Staal and his 881 faceoffs (most on the Canes) taken by having him take 255 faceoffs (fifth on their team)?

LOL. This ain't a video game.

 

[Garbageyuk]

I mean.. He's 21 years old putting up respectable numbers. Way too soon to be writing him off.

Another way you could look at it is that he hasn’t improved any aspect of his game 4 years into his NHL career. He’s the exact same player from 4 years ago. He’s going to be a career 3rd liner - at best.

 

[Rene Saari]

If it is 8 years, it will be 6 million per year. Likely to crack 40 pts next year, 50 after that. It`ll be bargain between years 3-8.

 

[Oddbob]

YIKES! Players like JK are not the ones you build around on long term deals like this. Unless he is signing for 8 years X 3 million per or something. He has 22 pts in 52 games, which is nothing great. That is replaceable player level.

 

[Rene Saari]

YIKES! Players like JK are not the ones you build around on long term deals like this. Unless he is signing for 8 years X 3 million per or something. He has 22 pts in 52 games, which is nothing great. That is replaceable player level.

Yes, and already at 21 years of age!! Get a grip. Btw, speaking of points, how much Caufield has? I tell you, he has ”replaceable” amount of pts.

 

[Oddbob]

Yes, and already at 21 years of age!! Get a grip.

You sign good players to long deals, not ok players which is all JK is right now.

 

[Ainec]

can't think of a luckier nhler than kotkaniemi

gets overpaid bigtime on a RFA contract of all things

goes to a team that clearly respects him and his potential and giving him prime opportunities to develop

now gets an eight year deal

 

[Garbageyuk]

He is still young but for his age and minutes ranks well if u compare to many stars. He has more grit and i think he does less mistakes. I just dont get the constant bashing just because you guys lost him. Or would u really have dvorak instead of him long term?

I’ve been “bashing” him long before he ever went to CAR because he sucks. He’s always been somewhat gritty in that he isn’t afraid to lay the body - when he feels like it, i.e., when he isn’t sulking, or thinking he’s a superstar talent. I wouldn’t call that an improvement. He seems to make mistakes just as often as he did; he just plays sheltered minutes on a better team now. That’s probably the extent of the “improvement”.

 

[Chan790]

As a Canes fan, this doesn't make me happy. I've been thoroughly unimpressed in JK. We took a chance at a cost that worked for us, no harm in that...it didn't work.

I'm rather more in favor of not tendering him an offer at all and letting him walk as a UFA. No point in chasing wasted assets with more assets...I'd rather have the cap space and roster spot than JK.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

As a Canes fan, this doesn't make me happy. I've been thoroughly unimpressed in JK. We took a chance at a cost that worked for us, no harm in that...it didn't work.

I'm rather more in favor of not tendering him an offer at all and letting him walk as a UFA. No point in chasing wasted assets with more assets...I'd rather have the cap space and roster spot than JK.

This is a smart take imo. Took a gamble and it didn’t pan out. Cut your losses and improve the roster in other ways rather than trying to shove a square peg in a round hole.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I had to review the title a few times to make sure I read it right.

 

[Joe McGrath]

What?

NHL Stats

So they are going to "grooming" KK to replace a guy who's played 129 minutes of PK this year with another one who they played... 19 seconds on the PK?

NHL Stats

They are also preparing KK to take over from Staal and his 881 faceoffs (most on the Canes) taken by having him take 255 faceoffs (fifth on their team)?

LOL. This ain't a video game.

They are trying to win the Stanley Cup so they are using their current best players on the PK and face offs, not trying to exclusively develop this one player.

 

[japhi]

Carolina has openings in their midd6 with Trocheck and Staal and Carolina is a top tier in this league with lots of Finns on the roster

They could run next year with
Aho
Kotka
Staal(match up line)
in the middle which leaves plenty of good wingers for Kotka.

Svec, Necas, Jarvis, TT for example

KK is going to improve and round out as a player but he needs to improve his skating significantly if he wants to run with top 6 talent. While in theory he could replace Trocheck's production, it could come at the cost of his linemates. Don't think it's a coincidence that he has produced better in that 4th line role, he doesn't have top 6 pace.

Habs fans know this story, Galchenyuk ultimately failed as an NHL'r because of his skating. KK will have a far better career then Galch but the league is so fast, will be interesting to see if he can get quicker over the summer.

 

[Mac Attack]

It would need to be more enticing than stringing along $6.1 mil 1 year deals for the next several years.

Yep and it's not like this guy is ever likely to earn a star level contract so he should do whatever he can to maximize earnings now. If he ended up free agent cuz canes wouldn't do his minimum then someone would overpay for someone as young as him with draft pedigree.

 

[Unbiased Fan]

Giving Kotkaniemi an 8 year deal with what he has shown so far in the NHL would be bizarre. But maybe I'm just more conservative with who I want to give out long term contracts to.

Personally I like the idea of long term contracts given to players pre breakout to minimize cap hits. That’s how you get players at extremely cheap cap hits.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Personally I like the idea of long term contracts given to players pre breakout to minimize cap hits. That’s how you get players at extremely cheap cap hits.

And if they never break out, you have an albatross on your hands that is buyout proof.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I mean.. He's 21 years old putting up respectable numbers. Way too soon to be writing him off.

I think he will be a decent middle 2C once he matures. This if the funny part though... there is no way we get that reply from you and others if he was with the Habs still.

Decent numbers? Not that much different that what he did last year for the Habs. 20/56 vs 22/52 but a little more goals playing on a much better team.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Personally I like the idea of long term contracts given to players pre breakout to minimize cap hits. That’s how you get players at extremely cheap cap hits.

You are correct but you are then hoping that the breakout happens. It's a gamble either way when you consider short term vs long term. This kid was drafted as a long term prospect so if you believe in him, go for the long term deal. I do think he will improve more yet still but how much is guess work. Not even KK knows that

 

[LMFAO]

Ima guess 8 years 34M

 

[Prairie Habs]

As a Canes fan, this doesn't make me happy. I've been thoroughly unimpressed in JK. We took a chance at a cost that worked for us, no harm in that...it didn't work.

I'm rather more in favor of not tendering him an offer at all and letting him walk as a UFA. No point in chasing wasted assets with more assets...I'd rather have the cap space and roster spot than JK.

So if you are treating him like a rental anyway would you look to move him for a rental that is a better fit? The acquiring team would have to be willing to give him a contract that is more enticing than his QO, so probably a team like Arizona or Seattle that has a bunch of room and should be taking chances on young guys like him.

Kessel would be the obvious one if you are looking to trade a developing scorer for a proven scorer, but Canes don't really need a right wing. Crouse would probably be the most interesting target as he is scoring at a similar pace to KK, but he is better suited to lower lines, much cheaper, and RFA without a huge QO.

On Seattle Gio is the big UFA, but again Canes don't really need a LD. Jared McCann would be the best target for the Canes, but Seattle is unlikely to move him. You would probably move him for futures then flip those futures to a different team in that case.

 

[BLONG7]

I think he will be a decent middle 2C once he matures. This if the funny part though... there is no way we get that reply from you and others if he was with the Habs still.

Decent numbers? Not that much different that what he did last year for the Habs. 20/56 vs 22/52 but a little more goals playing on a much better team.

Hard not to come back to the fact, he is still just 21.
His fourth year in the league..........yes he should never had been put in the league so soon, by the habs, but the kid is still just that............still thinking he coul be a 45-55 pt producing 2-3 C in the league.....
As for the contract, 8 years seems a stretch....more like 5-6 years would make more sense?