Controversial report emerges on Jesperi Kotkaniemi amidst scoring drought

The Hurricanes were hoping much more would come from forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi after his first season in Carolina. After the offer sheet from GM Don Waddell and the Hurricanes, the Finnish forward scored 12 goals and 29 points in just 66 games. The Canes have been patient, but Kotkaniemi keeps struggling, to register a point for a ninth consecutive game Wednesday against the Arizona Coyotes. He has just one goal and two assists in 20 games this season ahead of today's matchup against the Boston Bruins (he FINALLY scored on the power-play late in the first period on Friday). 

The latest report out of Montreal will only damper more this difficult season as BPM Sports’ Jean-Charles Lajoie revealed the saga that took place when the Canadiens received the offer sheet for Kotkaniemi. Lajoie explains that the Habs were ready to match the offer and were only waiting on Kotkaniemi’s agent to call them back, seeing that if they matched the offer, the Canadiens wanted a long-term contract agreement as well to keep the Finnish player in Montreal.

Kotkaniemi and his agent never returned the phone call. Without the agreement in place, the Canadiens could not match the offer and Kotkaniemi was finally sent to Carolina.

His co-host Tony Marinaro adds that Kotkaniemi was done with Montreal, having been humiliated when he was a healthy scratch during the postseason and was sent to the AHL throughout the regular calendar.

This turns out to be a good thing for the Canadiens that Kotkaniemi’s agent didn’t pick up the phone. Much more has been expected of the 22-year-old, who signed an eight-year, $38.5 million extension with the Canes back in March.

He continues to skate mainly on the team’s second line with Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis and will need to bring it now, amidst the controversial report, to prove to the Hurricanes they didn’t make a huge mistake by tending him that offer sheet!