Hurricanes ink Kotkaniemi to 8-year deal with $4.82M AAV

The Carolina Hurricanes signed forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi to an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $4.82 million, the team announced Monday.

Kotkaniemi has 23 points in his first 59 games with the Hurricanes. His 11 goals this season match the career high he set in 79 games during the 2018-19 campaign.

"Jesperi has shown us just how high his ceiling can be through his skill and work ethic and that he is a great fit with our young core," Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said. "He is still just 21 years old, and we are confident his role in our organization will continue to expand in the years to come."

The Montreal Canadiens drafted Kotkaniemi third overall in 2018. Carolina tendered an offer sheet to acquire his services in the offseason, and the Canadiens failed to match it, so the Finnish product joined the Hurricanes on a one-year, $6.1 million contract.

Montreal received first- and third-round draft picks from Carolina as compensation.

The offer sheet also included a $20 signing bonus, making a sly reference to the Habs' 2019 offer sheet for Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho. Aho wears No. 20.

Kotkaniemi could've technically received a $6.1-million qualifying offer this offseason as a pending restricted free agent, but both sides have agreed his play hasn't reached that level and the offer sheet was just a way of acquiring the player, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.

The young center has 33 goals and 52 assists in 230 career NHL games.

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