Confirmed Signing with Link: [CAR] F Jesperi Kotkaniemi signs extension with Hurricanes (8 years, $4.82M AAV)

[jfhabs]

Dach is the same age as when Kotkaniemi was traded. They've played a similar number of NHL games up to that point in their careers, 161 vs 190.

Just some food for thought.

Anyway Kotkaniemi is pretty meh and will probably get dragged to ~40 ES points just by being between Svechnikov and Necas. But the Canes can buy him out for less than League minimum before July 6th, 2026 and he has no trade protection until 2025, then a 10 team no trade list. In other words they can make him go away easily if he fails to improve. The whinging over the contract is silly.

I think it's reasonable to assume they could've had a better return for their 1st and the $ the past 2 years. From now on the contract is a good gamble, but perhaps on a team who doesn't plan to compete right now imo. They could've retain Trotchek, a much better player, for almost equivalent $.

 

[SlafySZN]

It’s pretty sad how so many habs fans are desperate to see this kid fail. Get on with your lives, seriously.

It’s the medias.

If the medias weren’t trying to talk about him or making up things like saying he has an horrible start of the season it woudn’t give the ‘’opportunities’’ to the nobodies to bash on him.

 

[jfhabs]

When you repeat the BS of some other bozo habs fan who has no idea what they're talking about, guess what? Makes you look pretty dumb. Try watching a hockey game, chief.

You think KK has good balance and core strength ?

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I think it's reasonable to assume they could've had a better return for their 1st and the $ the past 2 years. From now on the contract is a good gamble, but perhaps on a team who doesn't plan to compete right now imo. They could've retain Trotchek, a much better player, for almost equivalent $.

That's just now how the Canes front office operates though. When a guy gets to that 28/29/30 age and wants a long term deal, they move on from him.

Did it with Faulk
Did it with Hamilton
Did it with Trocheck
Did it with Nino

They aren't afraid of older guys clearly if the term is lower, but they aren't keen on giving out long term deals to guys in that age range. I'm not saying that strategy is always right, or that they won't change their tune when a guy like Slavin comes up for his next contract at that age, it's just how they've operated to date with the focus on long term competitiveness.

I agree with your initial premise though, that there may have been a better use of the assets vs. the offer sheet, but that's water under the bridge now.

 

[HuGo Sham]

KK has played 244 games to Dach's 160. That's not a similar number of games. Not even close.

Why do people make shit up?

Just to be clear, I wanted habs to match the offer-sheet and was disappointed when bargain-bin let him walk. I also think he was rushed, which exacerbated the entitlement he felt as a high pick, unrealistic expectations etc.

I've been a little surprised at how average he has been to start the year. I expected more from him, aside from the D awareness and F.Os playing with 2 elite wingers. Maybe he figures it out but I don't see the skating ever developing.

It's clear from this thread that the outsized expectations for him are based on being drafted 3rd- which should never have happened.

As per Dach, he's also underperformed and may also bust or never reach his draft pedigree. Watching both of them, KK comes off as the better F.O and defensive player + grittier while Dach is a much better skater with better offensive skills.

Time will tell

 

[1909]

Some in our fanbase never believed in KK, doesn't mean they are homer because they still think he sucks now that he left.

I was a believer, but was hoping he'd work on his lower body/skating/balance. He never really did unfortunately. It's limiting him to this day, but it's not neceaaarily too late.

Dach has is issues, lot more tools imo, but the toolbox is questionable.

Both players have - had issues. Habs should never had drafted KK or traded for Dach.

 

[Riddum]

This guy didn't have the hands?


He's playing as a 2C on a top team in the league as a 22 year old. He's going to be a good player for a long time.

His game is more suited for the big ice. He'll never be an offensive force because in North America because, 4 years later, he still has a slow release. That said, I could see him become a very good 3C.

 

[Scintillating10]

He was a teenager lol. He's now centering the 2nd line on a top team in the league.

So so petty.

I just glad KK is gone. I was praying Montreal wouldn't match that offer sheet. I said if Bergevin can get a first and third for KK, plus dump that cap hit, take it and run as fast as he can go. I knew KK was 40-45 point guy tops. Benoit Pouliot type. No core strength, no balance, limited how good he can get

 

[Koivu11]

Good example of taking trolling too far and having it come back to bite you in the ass.

 

[bleedgreen]

Good example of taking trolling too far and having it come back to bite you in the ass.

I think the funniest part of this is that Habs fans actually think this was done as some sort of revenge.

The Canes knew they were going to have to replace Trocheck and Staal. Im not convinced it was a great move as a Canes fan but from the team building point of view I get why they did it. They certainly didn’t do it to troll Habs fans.

 

[Koivu11]

I think the funniest part of this is that Habs fans actually think this was done as some sort of revenge.

The Canes knew they were going to have to replace Trocheck and Staal. I don’t agree with all this whole thing as a Canes fan but from the team building point of view I get why they did it. They certainly didn’t do it to troll Habs fans.

You’d have to be naive to think it was just a coincidence they decided to submit an offer sheet to Kotkaniemi after the Aho one.

 

[bleedgreen]

You’d have to be naive to think it was just a coincidence they decided to submit an offer sheet to Kotkaniemi after the Aho one.

Of course I think it’s a coincidence. You’d have to think the whole world revolves around your team to assume another team would throw tens of millions at a player just as “revenge” for signing Aho to a team friendly deal that worked out great for us. The Aho deal was for way less than Canes fans thought we were going to sign him for. We celebrated the offer generally. Yes he’ll be ufa sooner but it helped out cap until then.

No one was that pissed you signed him. It was an easy match.

You guys freaked out ten times more than any Canes fan did about Koko than we did about Aho. Management was the same way. They pretty much laughed and matched. There was no need to sign the guy to a huge contract to get revenge.

 

[abo9]

You’d have to be naive to think it was just a coincidence they decided to submit an offer sheet to Kotkaniemi after the Aho one.

Not the person you replied to, but I think a combination of both theories is probably right:

canes needed a young 2-3 C for the future after Trochek/Staal.

Kotkaniemi being still insigned was a prime target for a trade, and in this case they could force a trade by signing the OS.

There also seems to be kind of a "code" around OS where teams very rarely do it - but the Habs already did with Aho, so no reasons for the Canes not to do it.

Just a perfect storm of events. Canes truly bekieve in Kotkaniemi clearly, witht hat hige contract.

 

[Bilgerat10]

Hoffman Sux.

Notice how Suzuki has to work around that pylon Hoffman to set up Caufield's goal. Holy Cats!

 

[JeffreyLFC]

It’s pretty sad how so many habs fans are desperate to see this kid fail. Get on with your lives, seriously.

Not to be a jerk but guaranteed that if the role were reversed (let's assume Aho joined the Habs) you would also want him to fail badly.

 

[NewEraGM]

I think the funniest part of this is that Habs fans actually think this was done as some sort of revenge.

The Canes knew they were going to have to replace Trocheck and Staal. Im not convinced it was a great move as a Canes fan but from the team building point of view I get why they did it. They certainly didn’t do it to troll Habs fans.

It was definitely done as revenge/petty.

They didn’t need a centre last year and they had just drafted Seth Jarvis

2 points in 7 and 2/3 games….yiiikes.
What bugs me most about KK is his ridiculously long wind up…he holds it back for ever! Easy poke and puck is gone.

 

[La Bamba]

Kotkaniemi is the luckiest player

Gifted a 6M contract and then an 8-year ~5M contract to be mediocre on an elite team. All because of pettiness lol

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

Not to be a jerk but guaranteed that if the role were reversed (let's assume Aho joined the Habs) you would also want him to fail badly.

Nope.

 

[bleedgreen]

It was definitely done as revenge/petty.

They didn’t need a centre last year and they had just drafted Seth Jarvis

2 points in 7 and 2/3 games….yiiikes.
What bugs me most about KK is his ridiculously long wind up…he holds it back for ever! Easy poke and puck is gone.

Seth Jarvis doesn’t play center for us. Has never been in discussion as a center. The coach tends to be loathe to trust youngsters so the idea that they didn’t need Koko at center because they had just drafted Jarvis shows a significant lack of Canes knowledge as well as general common sense. You never know if someone is going to turn out.

 

[jfhabs]

Not the person you replied to, but I think a combination of both theories is probably right:

canes needed a young 2-3 C for the future after Trochek/Staal.

Kotkaniemi being still insigned was a prime target for a trade, and in this case they could force a trade by signing the OS.

There also seems to be kind of a "code" around OS where teams very rarely do it - but the Habs already did with Aho, so no reasons for the Canes not to do it.

Just a perfect storm of events. Canes truly bekieve in Kotkaniemi clearly, witht hat hige contract.

I think you are right. There were probably better OS option that year, but 2 birds 1 stones was too good to pass up. Also don't underestimate the ego of a billionaire.

 

[NewEraGM]

Seth Jarvis doesn’t play center for us. Has never been in discussion as a center. The coach tends to be loathe to trust youngsters so the idea that they didn’t need Koko at center because they had just drafted Jarvis shows a significant lack of Canes knowledge as well as general common sense. You never know if someone is going to turn out.

You’re right , I really don’t know much about the canes…

 

[Naslundforever]

It’s the medias.

If the medias weren’t trying to talk about him or making up things like saying he has an horrible start of the season it woudn’t give the ‘’opportunities’’ to the nobodies to bash on him.

It’s because of Twitter, video games and k pop. We all lost touch at some point.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Imagine paying basically 5 millions for 8 years to a 15+25 guy who is not even elite defensively...

I don't understand this. He's 22 years old. The contract is clearly supposed to overpay him now but bank on him reaching his potential.

Add in increasing cap space which makes it skew at least much closer to a good deal 4 years from now. I get being salty at the player bc he screwed mon but why make yourself look bad like you don't get basic hockey stuff while doing it?

 

[Colezuki]

Way to much whining going on in this is thread from both sides. It’s done, I didn’t like the move for Carolina then not because I doubted kk but because Carolina gambled on extending there core with kk as opposed to pushing all in.

Kk is overpaid for what he brings, but these comparisons to dach are also silly.

Carolina hope you enjoy him

 

[HabsQC]

I think the funniest part of this is that Habs fans actually think this was done as some sort of revenge.

The Canes knew they were going to have to replace Trocheck and Staal. Im not convinced it was a great move as a Canes fan but from the team building point of view I get why they did it. They certainly didn’t do it to troll Habs fans.

You must be forgetting the words used by the Canes when they made the offer sheet (the exact same Bergevin used for the Aho offer sheet). You also must be forgetting about the 20$ bonus. Or all the twitter stuff...

Bergevin went public by saying he thought the Canes owner couldn't afford the bonus in Aho's 1st year and he obviously took it really personal. Like another poster said, you'd have to be naive to think it was only a coincidence.