Value of: Kotkaniemi

[MrLunatik]

Less than 1% of the cap for the next 8 years if bought out.

Still think there is a team out there that would take him at his current contact with no retention.

A move like this would be smart for a rebuilding team that can gift him minutes. Low acquisition cost, and if he's shit, they can still buy him out at 33% next summer.

I'd love for the Flames to grab him personally. I think if our coaching staff can help Huberdeau become more of a two-way player and PKer, that they could with Kotkaniemi too, the vibes with the team are immaculate and it makes guys want to do more. I'd pair him with Backlund and Coleman to start the year, then as injuries happen, give him a chance to move up.... if he's trash, buy him out after this season and the penalty will be even lower than it would be now for the Canes.

 

[lanceuppercut75]

Would both teams be interested in Kotkaniemi for Sissons?

Hurricanes would have to add a 2C via free agency or trade, and Sissons is only $2m cheaper than Kotkaniemi. However, it's a 1 year contract only to commit to versus 5 years of Kotkaniemi, and Hurricanes would have probably the best 4th line in the league with Jankowski - Sissons - Blake. Nashville would have O'Reilly Kotkaniemi Svechkov down the middle, and then Nashville's 5th overall pick center (Hagens? Frondell? Desnoyers? McQueen? O'Brien?) would replace one of O'Reilly or Kotkianiemi in the next year or two. I have a feeling that Trotz might want to move on from Sissons, who is a pre-Trotz team member.

As mentioned above in other posts, if Kotkaniemi ends up being trash in Nashville this season coming up, they could buy him out for less than 1% of the salary cap for the next 8 years after that.

 

[wunderpanda]

sharks for kovalenko? sharks are 18m under the cap floor, only have a handful of contracts longer than 2 seasons (and a bunch of high picks still on cheap contracts). might benefit kotka to grow with them instead of trying to keep up with the canes group. by the time his contract would become a burden, toffoli, goodrow, wennberg, vlasic & couture will be ufa and all the buyouts/retentions off the books. only picked kovalenko because he was born in raliegh and might just go to europe anyway.

 

[Quatre Vingt Treize]

Yeah, it's a minimal cap hit.

View attachment 1043332

Going to costs your owner a lot of money that way

 

[Chrispy]

Going to costs your owner a lot of money that way

Dundon has been going to the cap already; it simply reduces the cap space by <1% while opening up $4M in cap space for the next 5 years.

I think many owners can justify paying $850K a year to gain $4M in cap space.

I think a lot of the trades suggested here would be things Carolina would do. If they can move Kotkaniemi without attaching picks or retaining I think they jump at that.

I've seen a lot of mention of Carolina just retaining the $850K. The problem there is if the acquiring team buys out Kotkaniemi, Carolina still ends up with the long-term buyout hit on the retained salary. Might as well just buy him out yourself given it's only $850K/yr if that's the case.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I really don't understand Kotkaniemi's career usage up to this point, I feel like his skillset is tailor made to be a defensive/2-way 3C but Carolina uses him like an offensive center. He doesn't kill penalties and gets primary offensive zone deployment, I really don't get why you wouldn't try to build him up as a defensive center. He'd offer far more to the table if they'd try to expand his skillset, but they've shown no interest in doing that.

 

[SlavinAway]

I really don't understand Kotkaniemi's career usage up to this point, I feel like his skillset is tailor made to be a defensive/2-way 3C but Carolina uses him like an offensive center. He doesn't kill penalties and gets primary offensive zone deployment, I really don't get why you wouldn't try to build him up as a defensive center. He'd offer far more to the table if they'd try to expand his skillset, but they've shown no interest in doing that.

Because we have Staal filling that role.

 

[Peter Griffin]

KK for Chytil?

 

[Empoleon8771]

Because we have Staal filling that role.

Having Staal to also fill that role doesn't mean you can't expand the responsibilities on Kotkaniemi.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

He's a good player. Carolina should keep him.

 

[Frank Drebin]

I really don't understand Kotkaniemi's career usage up to this point, I feel like his skillset is tailor made to be a defensive/2-way 3C but Carolina uses him like an offensive center. He doesn't kill penalties and gets primary offensive zone deployment, I really don't get why you wouldn't try to build him up as a defensive center. He'd offer far more to the table if they'd try to expand his skillset, but they've shown no interest in doing that.

The revenge offersheet was executed perfectly to steal the player but without much thought of how the player would fit in. At the time Carolina had pretty great center depth with a 24 year old Aho, a 28 year old Trochek and a 32 year old Jordan Staal. Trochek was a year or two away from UFA so I think they were hoping KK would step in to fill that offensive role. I'm not sure how he's been used since but its safe to say at this point he's not a 2C.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Devils will gladly take him, he's the exact type of guy needed to fill our 3C slot.

People are way too focused on raw point totals when evaluating role players.

Dude was 2nd on the team in 5v5 points this year lol.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Devils will gladly take him, he's the exact type of guy needed to fill our 3C slot.

People are way too focused on raw point totals when evaluating role players.

Dude was 2nd on the team in 5v5 points this year lol.

Draft position, offersheet, and subsequent 8 year contract give the perception of a low/no value player. In reality if he was a UFA this summer he'd likely get a 5 year 20m deal which would be considered fair.

 

[PenderB]

KK for Chytil?

Haha. That’s kind of what I was thinking too if Carolina is thinking about buying him out then. Chytils buyout is better but just has to be done now. And Vancouver gets a year to decide.
But both are 3rd line caliber players and if not buying them out then maybe it could work too for the different styles they play

 

[Peter Griffin]

Haha. That’s kind of what I was thinking too if Carolina is thinking about buying him out then. Chytils buyout is better but just has to be done now. And Vancouver gets a year to decide.
But both are 3rd line caliber players and if not buying them out then maybe it could work too for the different styles they play

Allvin and JR have also at least shown some interest in KK in the past, but whether or not they’d be given the go ahead to take on his contract is another question. They too may just look at buying out Chytil.

 

[Canovin]

I agree with others, there's probably some teams that will take him. If not, the buyout at 800k, 2 x at 400k doesn't hurt.

With a buyout, that opens up cap space to sign Marner and also trade the 1st and picks for a 2C.

 

[Chrispy]

I agree with others, there's probably some teams that will take him. If not, the buyout at 800k, 2 x at 400k doesn't hurt.

With a buyout, that opens up cap space to sign Marner and also trade the 1st and picks for a 2C.

Carolina has $31M in cap available as is with only 3 roster spots to fill at the moment (4 and $35M if Kotkaniemi is bought out.) That's enough to get Marner (or more likely an Ehlers/Boeser) and a 2C and a top 4 D whether they move on from Kotkaniemi or not.

 

[Canovin]

Carolina has $31M in cap available as is with only 3 roster spots to fill at the moment (4 if Kotkaniemi is moved out.) That's enough to get Marner and a 2C and a top 4 D whether they move on from Kotkaniemi or not.

Why not aim for Ehlers as well?

Sign Marner, Ehlers, Gavrikov or someone of the same caliber and trade for Larkin. The KK buyout will open up 3M+

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Draft position, offersheet, and subsequent 8 year contract give the perception of a low/no value player. In reality if he was a UFA this summer he'd likely get a 5 year 20m deal which would be considered fair.

At least. Since he joined the Canes, he's 58th among the ~160 true centers in 5v5 p/60 (>200 gp) with a 59% CF% and nearly 52% in the dot. He's a 24 y/o big bodied low end 2C / high end 3C. That's easily worth 5M/yr.

 

[Chrispy]

At least. Since he joined the Canes, he's 58th among the ~160 true centers in 5v5 p/60 (>200 gp) with a 59% CF% and nearly 52% in the dot. He's a 24 y/o big bodied low end 2C / high end 3C. That's easily worth 5M/yr.

If Carolina does keep Kotkaniemi, they have to get him off the power play. As you said, 31 ES points wasn't a bad season, but he's a non-producer on the PP (1 point in 106 PP minutes??)

Brind'Amour has to know better by now; they need to improve the roster so PP2 actually has a chance at converting.

 

[Kojo]

I really don't understand Kotkaniemi's career usage up to this point, I feel like his skillset is tailor made to be a defensive/2-way 3C but Carolina uses him like an offensive center. He doesn't kill penalties and gets primary offensive zone deployment, I really don't get why you wouldn't try to build him up as a defensive center. He'd offer far more to the table if they'd try to expand his skillset, but they've shown no interest in doing that.

He's just a terrible player. His skillset? What skillset? He's not good at anything.

 

[Kojo]

At least. Since he joined the Canes, he's 58th among the ~160 true centers in 5v5 p/60 (>200 gp) with a 59% CF% and nearly 52% in the dot. He's a 24 y/o big bodied low end 2C / high end 3C. That's easily worth 5M/yr.

Big bodied? Bro are you out of your mind? We're talking about Kotkaniemi right?

He's a subpar 3C who disappear in the playoffs. He doesn't add any value. He's soft, lack hockey IQ and has no above average skill.

 

[wej20]

He’s a buyout for the next 8 years at 841k a year, that’s the worst case scenario in the off chance they can’t move him for a late pick or even future considerations. Anyone who thinks Carolina needs to take a bad contract back or attach a valuable asset to ship him off are out to lunch.

Not necessarily having to take a bad contract back but maybe some money back on a shorter term deal and a smaller cap hit. Not that the Pens would acquire him but sending someone like Acciari (2 million for 1 more year) or Heinen (2.25 million for 1 more year.)

Ideal candidate would be a 4th liner making less than 2 million on a 2 year deal.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Big bodied? Bro are you out of your mind? We're talking about Kotkaniemi right?

Height: 6′3″
Weight: 203 lb

He's a subpar 3C

His 5v5 production over the last 4 years suggests otherwise.

 

[Kojo]

Height: 6′3″
Weight: 203 lb

His 5v5 production over the last 4 years suggests otherwise.

He's soft af for his size.