Last summer, the Carolina Hurricanes became the first team to successfully acquire a player through an offer sheet since the Edmonton Oilers snatched Dustin Penner in 2007. They forfeited two picks–including a first-round selection in 2022–to the Montreal Canadiens as compensation for Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who signed just a one-year deal with the Hurricanes.
Kotkaniemi, 21, has 20 points in 42 games so far in Carolina but is playing just over 12 minutes a night. While that certainly isn’t what you want from someone carrying a $6.1MM cap hit, the team was always going to have to pay a premium in order for the offer sheet to work in the first place.
Right from the moment it was signed, speculation began about what the Hurricanes could do for Kotkaniemi’s next contract. He’ll be a restricted free agent after the season ends and is eligible for arbitration. To even get that far though the Hurricanes also owe him a qualifying offer that matches his $6.1MM cap hit, something that was the cause of much consternation in the summer.
Before they even get to the issue of a qualifying offer though, the Hurricanes are working to avoid that problem altogether. In Pierre LeBrun’s latest for The Athletic, he spoke to general manager Don Waddell, who admitted that he’s already had preliminary contract talks with Kotkaniemi’s camp. The team is hoping to sign a long-term deal and spoke to agent Markus Lehto last week.
A long-term extension could potentially fix any overpayment relative to Kotkaniemi’s production. Sure, he has leverage right now with that qualifying offer and arbitration in his pocket, but that extra money could be spread out to get a lower cap hit, one that gives the young forward time to develop and become a core piece of what they’re doing in Carolina. It’s unlikely to provide a ton of surplus value given the Hurricanes’ position, but it also will bring that number down to a more reasonable amount. As Waddell put it, the team will “find a solution to make everyone happy.”
not .5 PPG on that team…this contact will age wonderfully.
Which contract? It’s one yr and I wouldn’t doubt they have some kind of agreement in place for next year at a lot lower, as was widely reported when he signed it.
All this for who? Don really struggling in that spot.
The team can elect arbitration *before* the qualifying offer. He would be guaranteed 85% of the 6.1mil, but they could still reduce it that way if they wanted to keep him and couldnt work out a longer term deal.
If there is NO way for the Canes to keep Trocheck, then signing Kotkaniemi is a smart forward thinking move.
If signing Kotkaniemi is what will stop them from keeping Trocheck, then it was one of the dumbest moves in recent times.
The more I look it seems this is a Cup or bust year for the Canes. Trocheck is a UFA and the only reason they were able to replace Hamilton was because DeAngelo had his bags packed for Avangard Omsk until they offered him couch cushion money. This is the year to strike for them.