Plot twist regarding Jesperi Kotkaniemi: the former Canadiens forward could be traded again

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David St-Jean
July 30, 2023 (5:00 PM)

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According to numerous sources, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Pittsburgh Penguins are actively trying to acquire star defenseman Erik Karlsson. Both teams are currently considered the favorites to acquire him, especially after Karlsson made it clear that he would not return to the Sharks next season.

However, Don Waddell must find a way to free up salary cap space if he wants to absorb the lucrative contract of the Swedish defenseman. As reported by Félix Forget from DansLesCoulisses, Jesperi Kotkaniemi could be part of such a trade, as he is earning an annual salary of $4.82 million.

Although Kotkaniemi showed promising progress during the last season, he still struggled to produce offensively on a consistent basis. For the first time since his rookie year, he surpassed the 30-point mark, tallying 18 goals and 25 assists in 82 games.

Considering he plays with extremely talented players like Andrei Svechnikov, Martin Necas, Teuvo Teravainen, and Seth Jarvis on the Hurricanes' top two lines, this production is clearly not enough, and better statistics are expected from a third overall draft pick.

However, the Finnish player just celebrated his 23rd birthday, and his development is far from over. As the San Jose Sharks begin their rebuilding process, the idea of acquiring a young center with untapped potential could be appealing.

Here are the current rumors surrounding a potential trade involving Erik Karlsson and the Hurricanes:

TO CAROLINA:

Erik Karlsson (salary retained)

TO SAN JOSE:

Brett Pesce
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Draft pick or prospect

This will be a closely watched situation leading up to the start of the next season, and the possibility of Jesperi Kotkaniemi changing teams again is becoming increasingly plausible. At only 23 years old, the former Canadiens player would already be on his third team in the NHL.

Source: Habs & LNH