NHL rumors: Hurricanes shopping ex-1st round pick Jesperi Kotkaniemi

The Carolina Hurricanes are atop the Metropolitan Division into January after a win on Thursday night. They beat the Anaheim Ducks to clinch their third consecutive victory, but are still looking to make a trade. The Hurricanes have forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi on the trade block, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

“According to several sources, Carolina is considering offers as you read this,” Friedman reported. “The Hurricanes are contending for a Stanley Cup, so they want either something that can help them now or something they can use to help them now. Either path is necessary to get something done.”

Kotkaniemi was drafted third overall by the Montreal Canadiens back in 2018, but has never lived up to that billing. Carolina gave up a first-round pick and a third-round pick in 2022 to sign him to an offer sheet. Kotkaniemi has just six points in 24 games this season and was left off Team Finland for the upcoming Olympics.

Any team that trades for Kotkaniemi will have to take on his contract, which pays him $4.82 million per year for four seasons after this one. Without much offensive output to rely on, that is a high salary for teams to pay. The Hurricanes have tried to include him in bigger trades, like for Quinn Hughes and Philip Danault, but they did not come to fruition, per Friedman.

A young team looking to build for the immediate future is the correct fit for Kotkaniemi. Not a Stanley Cup contender like the Hurricanes, but a team like the Sharks looking to add depth scoring. The Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins would also be solid fits within Carolina’s division.

The Hurricanes continue their season on Saturday night against the red-hot Seattle Kraken. They have never been to the Stanley Cup Final under Rod Brind’Amour, something they need to correct this season. Does trading Kotkaniemi help them get there?

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