Carolina on Saturday submitted an offer sheet to restricted free agent Jesperi Kotkaniemi as the ongoing story between hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens continued.
Two years after Carolina star striker Sebastian Aho received a five-year, $ 42 million bid as a restricted free agent from the Canadians, a deal the Hurricanes matched, Montreal changed the situation.
Kotkaniemi, a sharp shooter who was sometimes left out of training when Montreal last race in the Stanley Cup finals, agreed to a one-year contract with Carolina that will pay him $ 6.1 million. The hurricanes noted in their press release that they also gave Kotkaniemi a measured $ 20 bonus to sign, which added even more to the jokes across the league on social media.
In fact, the hurricanes, by posting the statement on Twitter, added “LOL” at the top of the message and then sent another highlighting the total of $ 20.
People don’t forget that pic.twitter.com/n6ujojWVwk
– Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) August 28, 2021
The contract price, however, is no joke, as a 21-year-old who finished with just 20 points last season doesn’t usually command such a high salary in the NHL. But the decision now rests with the Canadians, who will have seven days to match the offer or receive a 2022 first-round selection and a third-round pick as compensation.
“Jesperi Kotkaniemi accepted our offer. He wants to come to Carolina,” Hurricane General Manager Don Waddell said. “You see the core we have built here and you want to be a part of it. We are proud, but there is still a waiting period. When you make an offer like that, we saw a vulnerable position. The offer, with the compensation and the core that we have, we realized it was the best opportunity we had to get the player. “
The Hurricanes, who lost in the second round last season to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the same team they lost to Montreal, have a salary cap this low season due to some off-the-list departures this year. past, especially defender Dougie Hamilton, signed with the New Jersey Devils.
But the core – especially on offense – that led the Hurricanes to a division title last season remains largely the same, including 24-year-old Aho, who led the team with 57 points. Last week, Carolina also struck a new deal to overtake 21-year-old Andrei Svechnikov, who secured him for eight years and $ 62 million.
Kotkaniemi, a native of Pori, Finland, who was the No. 3 pick in the overall standings in 2018, could fit well into this youth offensive mix. In 19 postseason games for the Canadians, he finished with five goals and eight points.
Montreal has a margin below the salary cap to maneuver before the training camp, especially with injured captain Shea Weber for the season and included on the NHL’s long-term injury reserve list. Still, the $ 6.1 million figure would exceed their limit, forcing them to make a move or two to keep Kotkaniemi with the Canadians for at least one more season.
Regardless of where it ends, expect Kotkaniemi’s story to continue for at least the first month of the season, as Canadians and hurricanes will gather in Montreal on October 21st.