Former Canadien Jesperi Kotkaniemi opens up about his future

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David St-Jean
May 20, 2024 (3:11 PM)

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This morning, we discussed how much the Canadiens missed the mark by selecting Jesperi Kotkaniemi 3rd overall in 2018 when Brady Tkachuk was still available.

It's a truly unanimous assessment. No one, absolutely no one, would pick KK over Brady today, and it should never have happened in 2018 either.

The Finnish player has disappointed many fans in Montreal, as well as in Carolina. Since he moved there, he has shown flashes of brilliance, but nothing consistently convincing overall.

We can officially say he is very disappointing, and he is the first to acknowledge it. Although he would like to continue in Carolina, he knows he needs to give more.

"In general, it was crappy. The year was very tough for me. [...] I could have done a lot better. I'll try to forget about it and focus on the next one. It'll be the same as usual, trying to work hard to come back stronger and be ready next year."

- Jesperi Kotkaniemi

We have heard some comments from the Canadiens' camp suggesting that KK was not the hardest worker during the offseason. His training regimen was not up to par in Montreal, and it might still be the case.

This means that if he plans to "do as usual," it won't be enough. We know that the Hurricanes' owner has a short fuse when it comes to money. Paying a player nearly $5 million while he plays on the 4th line certainly bothers him.

Let's hope Kotkaniemi can bounce back because his contract will be very long for the Canes, as he is signed until 2030. The possibility of a buyout should not be ruled out either.