Sources: Jesperi Kotkaniemi offered in exchange for high-paid NHL forward
Jesperi Kotkaniemi is believed to have played his last game in the jersey of the Carolina Hurricanes, who are currently celebrating the Stanley Cup championship.
The Porvoo center, who played only 42 games last season, was completely dropped from the team’s active roster during the playoffs, and the organization is expected to do everything this summer to resolve the situation of the 27-year-old Finn, who has gone off track.
New information has emerged regarding Kotkaniemi, who enjoys a hefty annual salary of $4.8 million. NHL reporter Jeff Marek and David Pagnotta report that the Hurricanes have offered Kotkaniemi to the Vancouver Canucks.
Heading the other way would be another overpaid center in relation to his performance, Elias Pettersson. The Swedish player, who only collected 51 points last season, earns $11.6 million per year from his current contract, so this trade would involve two clearly overpaid centers switching teams.
At first glance, the trade sounds quite reasonable from both teams’ perspectives, as both players could very well blossom in a new environment.
Pettersson would take on a less responsible role in the strong center hierarchy of the Hurricanes, while Kotkaniemi would have the opportunity to get his NHL career back on track in the Canucks, who are in the midst of a rebuild, where playing time would certainly be more available than what has been seen now.
The reigning champion team Carolina has $11.9 million in free space under the salary cap. Almost the entire championship-winning roster is also signed for next season.
Currently, only goaltender Frederik Andersen, defenseman Aleksandr Nikishin, and forward Nicolas Deslauriers are without contracts.
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