Where is Jesperi Kotkaniemi? Why Hurricanes' center could soon be on new NHL team after Stanley Cup
· Yahoo Sports
Where is Jesperi Kotkaniemi? Why Hurricanes' center could soon be on new NHL team after Stanley Cup originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Visit solvita.blog for more information.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi is a talented young center, and the Carolina Hurricanes are a win away from hoisting the Stanley Cup.
On paper, it feels like he should be a part of that, right? Well, he actually isn't playing. He hasn't dressed in the entire postseason.
It sets up a future where Kotkaniemi simply ends up with a new team.
There's likely someone out there who still believes in his potential. Carolina hasn't felt like it can trust him in the playoffs, though, which isn't a great sign.
MORE: Dylan Larkin's trade request points out a major NHL flaw
Where is Jesperi Kotkaniemi?
Kotkaniemi is still healthy. He's just not playing.
Daily Faceoff's Matt Larkin wrote in a new article that a trade or buyout could be coming this offseason for Kotkaniemi.
"What’s more surprising: that Kotkaniemi is still just 25 or that he has four years left on his deal?" Larkin writes. "He was buried in bottom-six work all year and hasn’t dressed for a playoff game, so he’s a tough sell, but he’s young enough to have some perceived upside left in him."
Larkin points out that there are multiple methods that would be quite simple for Carolina to move on.
"The Canes are also a rare elite team that is also asset rich in picks and prospects, so they could attach a sweetener in a trade," Larkin writes. "But they may not even have to go that way given his deal is so unbelievably buyout friendly; the cap hit for every season of it would be south of $1 million. Carolina could explore that path or send a pick to a team willing to pay the buyout post-trade."
The Hurricanes won't worry about any of this quite yet, of course. They have a Stanley Cup to win.
After the series is over, they can consider what to do with their talented yet underwhelming center.