Rumor: Kotkaniemi Extension - 8 x $4.25-$4.5

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tarheelhockey

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If KK starts producing well, then I have to think he will get all pouty about that contract and his play will tail off.

So if he succeeds he will become unhappy and start failing?


edit: When Aho went through all the offer sheet drama, one of our Finnish forumers pointed out that Finns are much less money-driven than North Americans. Obviously they care about being secure and comfortable, but they aren't going to fight over pennies. All indications are that Aho wasn't interested in a long contentious negotiation with threats of a holdout, he just wanted to sign a deal and get it over with, so he took the route that would have the whole thing finished in a week's time so he could enjoy his summer and get ready for training camp. $8.4M or $9.1M, either way he ended up secure for life.

It looks like Kotkaniemi is doing something very similar. He's going to make close to $40M on a deal like this. He may very well just not give a shit about another million one way or the other, given that he will have a bottomless bank account for the rest of his life.
 

ottawa

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So if he succeeds he will become unhappy and start failing?


edit: When Aho went through all the offer sheet drama, one of our Finnish forumers pointed out that Finns are much less money-driven than North Americans. Obviously they care about being secure and comfortable, but they aren't going to fight over pennies. All indications are that Aho wasn't interested in a long contentious negotiation with threats of a holdout, he just wanted to sign a deal and get it over with, so he took the route that would have the whole thing finished in a week's time so he could enjoy his summer and get ready for training camp. $8.4M or $9.1M, either way he ended up secure for life.

It looks like Kotkaniemi is doing something very similar. He's going to make close to $40M on a deal like this. He may very well just not give a shit about another million one way or the other, given that he will have a bottomless bank account for the rest of his life.

Have you ever heard of Scottie Pippen?
 

yianik

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So if he succeeds he will become unhappy and start failing?


edit: When Aho went through all the offer sheet drama, one of our Finnish forumers pointed out that Finns are much less money-driven than North Americans. Obviously they care about being secure and comfortable, but they aren't going to fight over pennies. All indications are that Aho wasn't interested in a long contentious negotiation with threats of a holdout, he just wanted to sign a deal and get it over with, so he took the route that would have the whole thing finished in a week's time so he could enjoy his summer and get ready for training camp. $8.4M or $9.1M, either way he ended up secure for life.

It looks like Kotkaniemi is doing something very similar. He's going to make close to $40M on a deal like this. He may very well just not give a shit about another million one way or the other, given that he will have a bottomless bank account for the rest of his life.
He might very well not care if it turns out some money is left on the table. I have no idea. I just wondered if it was too long a deal for 3C type money, that is all. For the Canes, not much down side at all so I would call that a win right out of the blocks..
 
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Not The One

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So if he succeeds he will become unhappy and start failing?


edit: When Aho went through all the offer sheet drama, one of our Finnish forumers pointed out that Finns are much less money-driven than North Americans. Obviously they care about being secure and comfortable, but they aren't going to fight over pennies. All indications are that Aho wasn't interested in a long contentious negotiation with threats of a holdout, he just wanted to sign a deal and get it over with, so he took the route that would have the whole thing finished in a week's time so he could enjoy his summer and get ready for training camp. $8.4M or $9.1M, either way he ended up secure for life.

It looks like Kotkaniemi is doing something very similar. He's going to make close to $40M on a deal like this. He may very well just not give a shit about another million one way or the other, given that he will have a bottomless bank account for the rest of his life.
The entire reason he was unhappy in Montréal was supposedly because he didn't get the ice time. Now this year he was going to get all the time he could handle but instead he left for objectively more money than he was worth.

The thinking was that he was doing it to get a better spot to prove himself but instead he's playing less than he ever did on the Habs, often as a winger. Now apparently he'd be happy to sign an 8 year deal for 3rd line C type of money?

You would think a 21 year old third overall pick would want either a bigger role or the possibility of a bigger contract. He's taking the money and if he was on my team I'd question his competitiveness.
 

tarheelhockey

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You could have just replied no

Of course I've heard of Pippen, are you kidding? People who weren't even alive when he played know who he is, let alone those of us old enough to have watched that Bulls dynasty develop in real time.

Pippen's whole thing with going to Houston was that he was going to get paid superstar money like he had deserved all those years. And it turned out, he was absolutely miserable. Chasing the big contract kicked off a journeyman phase of his career where he looked like he was having absolutely zero fun in spite of everything. Again, when you've already got tens of millions in the bank, there are much bigger factors to your happiness than clawing out another million.


The entire reason he was unhappy in Montréal was supposedly because he didn't get the ice time. Now this year he was going to get all the time he could handle but instead he left for objectively more money than he was worth.

The thinking was that he was doing it to get a better spot to prove himself but instead he's playing less than he ever did on the Habs, often as a winger. Now apparently he'd be happy to sign an 8 year deal for 3rd line C type of money?

You would think a 21 year old third overall pick would want either a bigger role or the possibility of a bigger contract. He's taking the money and if he was on my team I'd question his competitiveness.

It would be more accurate to say that the thinking was that he would be in a better spot to develop, not necessarily to have higher ice time right away. He knew he was joining a team that was already set at its top 3 C positions, and which had little room for a top-6 winger. Remember, the whole mantra was "why pay so much for a bottom-6 winger?".

By all appearances, the plan was to take this year and let him develop in a limited role. His actual play has been fine, and he has shown himself fully capable of playing farther up in the lineup when asked. He is simply not being asked to do that yet. In the next year or two we will likely see at least one of Trocheck or Niederreiter move on for contract reasons, and that will be Kotkaniemi's opening to move into the top-6. Eventually Staal will also move on, which opens the 3C slot as a fallback scenario. Presumably this is what Kotkaniemi was signing up for when he took the offer sheet, and what he would be committing to with an 8-year deal. Middle-6 center, possibly a winger. It makes total sense given the price range.
 

Frank Drebin

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In the 12 games where he has gotten at least 14 minutes of ice time, he has 6 goals and 11 points... He seems to thrive when elevated in the lineup...
It's amazing that after almost 4 full seasons in the league nhl coaches haven't caught on to this.

Do you have any insight why they don't play him more so he can score more points?
 

GIN ANTONIC

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It's amazing that after almost 4 full seasons in the league nhl coaches haven't caught on to this.

Do you have any insight why they don't play him more so he can score more points?

It's also because our C depth is mega good with Aho - Tro - Staal. JK plays well in higher roles with elevated minutes... but really he needs to be a C. We have a huge need for an upgrade at 2LW but JK just isn't nearly as effective on the wing. So he'll get his bigger role and more minutes at C next year. Trochek is 99.9% gone in the offseason as someone is gonna give him a Kevin Hayes contract and that ain't us.
 

Not The One

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There’s no question that Bergevin was toxic to certain players and Kotkaniemi was one of them. Can’t blame Kotkaniemi for doing what he did. Bergevin brought the whole mess upon himself added to other incompetence and got canned for it.

Great deal for the Canes. They’ve bought all the upside with minimal downside in the event Kotkaniemi were to settle as a 3rd liner. There is a chance that there more under the hood. I agree with those who posited that he should have held out for a shorter deal.

Bergevin is gone but that's absolutely laughable.

How the hell was Bergevin TOXIC to Kotkaniemi? By having enough faith in him to reach and draft him third overall? By giving him a spot on the team as an 18 year old?

KK is playing less now than he was in three years on the Habs. But at least MB isn't being toxic to him now...
 

Moosetache

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Hes been given this year to settle in to the canes systems and possibly have a year to properly work on the development. Seems he has gotten the Svech rookie year development ice time plan. Will it pay off, who knows. Certainly they see something they like. They (Tulsky) hasn't been wrong a lot lately, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on stuff like this. Its worth a shot to hit a lottery ticket in years 3-6 at that AAV. Imagine having a player at 4.8 mil at 26 years old putting up 60 points a year. any team would kill for that. if it craters terribly you buy him out for 1/3 bc of his age.
 
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