Confirmed Signing with Link: [CAR] Jesperi Kotkaniemi signs offersheet with the Hurricanes (1 year, $6.100035M) [Part IV]

[didimentionlarseller]

Nothing anymore to do with liking the player — KK holds all the cards now and he can force a QO close to $6M year over year — which if he remains a Hab, he will avail himself of. As a Hab, he’d be a toxic asset.

As a young player who had a 20 point season - he was seething about how the Habs treated him?

He sounds like such a prima donna behind the scenes better to just take the picks

 

[Tripledeke333]

You're looking at it from the teams perspective not JKs.....and there are quotes he was seething and played his last game for Habs.

There is no reason for KK to be mad at the Habs. They were going to make him the clear 2C behind Suzuki. They gave him sheltered minutes and PP time. Danault got the defensive matchups and Suzuki deserved the 1C. The only player KK was better than in the POs was Staal (it is not like he clearly was a top player. Caufield, Lehk and Evans has great POs and also spent time on the bench).

 

[bsu]

He will end up a Kadri like player.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Just curious, outside Habs and Canes, which team would give an unprotected 1st and a 3rd for one year of KK at 6.1M?

None. Canes offer sheet has put both the Habs and Canes at risk with whoever has KK and what kind of leverage he has after next season. If the Habs don't match, it could back fire on the Habs or Canes IMO. KK could bust out and/or the Habs can hit with that unprotected 1st.

It basically forced the team who own's his rights to shit of get off the pot after this next season. If the Habs match, we could be forced to let him walk and that could happen to the Canes if we don't match. It's a major guessing game and the Canes caused this and make no mistake, they are not off the hook on this if the Habs don't match

KK is worth more than a mid to late 1st and 3rd rounder but not when he has a $6.1M salary at age 21 and is struggling. Young controllable assets who have potential vs young assets with potential and accelerated salary structure are two different things

 

[Doublerum1975]

He will end up a Kadri like player.

What?

 

[Not The One]

You're looking at it from the teams perspective not JKs.....and there are quotes he was seething and played his last game for Habs.

Reports from where? If it's true it's absolutely unacceptable entitlement from a 21 year old player. The Habs drafted him at 3rd overall when most people had him lower. The Habs game him a full-time place in the NHL at 18 despite some saying that it was too early and he did fine. Now he's pouting because he was sat for two games in the cup finals at an age where few, if any, other players get to play that far.

How often does a 21 year-old get to even play a game in a cup finals? It was the first final for his veteran teammates Price and Weber but the 21 year-old is pouting?

IF it's true then as a Habs fan I don't want him around my team. Goodbye sweet prince.

 

[Habs Halifax]

He will end up a Kadri like player.

Bet you it's more like Jason Arnott

 

[Deam78]

He will end up a Kadri like player.

Easy now, accepting an offer sheet shouldn't warrant to be suspended every playoffs

 

[Habs Halifax]

Nobody's saying there isn't a risk for Carolina, we're just saying the risk is low. Carolina will not be reliant on KK to put up big numbers or live up to being the #3 pick, and our season will not live or die on his production.

If the Habs don't match, the risks to the Canes are not low. They could end up with a prolonged struggling young asset who has accelerated salary structure and end up with a contract they might have to buy out. And if the Habs hit with the unprotected 1st, it becomes worse.

I've seen some Canes fans say the 1st and 3rd rounder a meh. Come on man. Nobody is buying that if that's the narrative you want to spin back. Nobody throws around picks like that.

 

[Mario le Magnifique]

The more I think about this, the more I think the Habs take the picks and run. Good luck 'Canes fans watching this young man scoring 20 points with a -15 ratio and being paid like a regular top6 scorer.

 

[japhi]

Begevin cares about his job not the teams long term.

His team is plagued with injuries after a sc run. If they tank this year Molson will send him to the guillotine.

He's going to do whatever he can to save his job....I don't know Montreal cap well enough to know what that means over next few weeks before season.

You clearly don’t follow Montreal. MB has been stocking the shelves knowing it could cost him his job. He is on record saying he may not even want to extend.

Love him or hate him he has always acted in what he thinks is best long term for the club. And it he leaves he will be back in a GM or Team President spot in no time

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Begevin cares about his job not the teams long term.

His team is plagued with injuries after a sc run. If they tank this year Molson will send him to the guillotine.

He's going to do whatever he can to save his job....I don't know Montreal cap well enough to know what that means over next few weeks before season.

You could have just said: 'I have no idea what I'm talking about' before posting this. Good lord.

Every sign points to Bergevin having no real desire to continue in Montreal beyond this year and that's with an alleged extension currently on the table.

 

[Aurinko]

The more I think about this, the more I think the Habs take the picks and run. Good luck 'Canes fans watching this young man scoring 20 points with a -15 ratio and being paid like a regular top6 scorer.

Any reference to the -15 ratio?

To me it looks like Kotkaniemi did ok:

He is no defensive god, but -1 is not too bad. If you look at actual advanced stats , his GF vs. GA ratio is actually above 1. This is a winning player (or at least his lines have done more damage than harm).

 

[Frank Drebin]

Rod breaks all youngsters in on the wing. JK would be no different. I heard he was bad there in Mtl....but Carolina brass believes it will be different here. With how Aho and Necas are turning out, with much lower draft pedigree, I'm excited to see what happens.

I'll buy that. You'll have to forgive me as I've been shell shocked from the Habs board and Alex galchenyuk being played as a winger Top start his career, thus ruining him. ( in the words of Habs fans)

Every time Kotkaniemi was moved to the wing, even temporarily, certain fans went nuts.

Maybe he turns out to be a better winger who knows

 

[Runner77]

I think you are speculating too much on the context you see. This is just the Habs playing hard ball on his bridge and the Canes offering him something he can't refuse. Is KK not happy with Ducharme? Maybe but he understand that he is young and we had vets we were riding. I don't think it's at the level you are presenting but it could be. It's all speculation one way or another.

What about this speculation? Drouin played his last game as a Habs and Bergevin wants out after his last year in term? Cause he said... "I have one year left and will honor it". I'm guessing you translate that to Bergevin not wanting to come back? I've seen others think that as well but I believe it's just Bergevin not revealing too much to the media when he is negotiating a contract extension and they decided to delay it

Not speculating, going with what has been reported.

Anyway, I won’t answer any further posts of yours as we never agree on anything. Have a good one.

 

[Habs Halifax]

The more I think about this, the more I think the Habs take the picks and run. Good luck 'Canes fans watching this young man scoring 20 points with a -15 ratio and being paid like a regular top6 scorer.

Prior to this offer sheet, we would have been totally fine with being more patient with him but as a controlled young asset with lower manageable salary. After this offer sheet, it might have given us an out and now we can take the picks, give oppertunity to Poehling, and use KK's cap space on raises to our other kids that need new contracts in the next two years.

If the Habs match, what's stopping the Canes from trying this with Suzuki or Romanov next off season? That would be a horrible situation for the Habs cap structure and would have to make some serious trades where we take $0.5/$1 in value.

I say take the picks and give opportunity to Poehling. Our faith this next season is still 10-20 range. Then maybe we can offer sheet Necas after the Canes extend KK for more than what he is worth and get themselves into cap issues. Would not be my plan but same type of narrative that was said when we offer sheeted Aho so something to think about Canes .

Good luck with KK, I actually hope he does well cause I'm a fan but I believe it's going to be a modest growth path and painful.

 

[Mario le Magnifique]

Any reference to the -15 ratio?

To me it looks like Kotkaniemi did ok:
View attachment 463299

He is no defensive god, but -1 is not too bad. If you look at actual advanced stats , his GA vs. GF ratio is actually positive. This is a winning player.

He was sheltered big time. I assume you didn't watch him much. I predict -15 as soon as he starts getting more responsibilities. That's a hard gamble for me because if your coach uses him in your D zone, 40% faceoff wins won't cut it. So, maybe -15 won't happen, but then you get a passenger at 6.1M. For a 1st / 3rd and a 6.1M cap hit, you'd at least want someone who's hard to play against. Don't hold your breath on that with KK.

I'm not a advanced stats guy and browsing those of KK made me raise an eyebrow a lil bit, those numbers are fairly good. To me a Habs fan watching every games, I saw him fall down, lose posession and he was 0.5s late all the time, not nearly against strong competition whatsoever. Maybe he didn't have chemistry with anyone on the Habs bottom lines, and at times he was a great crash and banger with Anderson / Armia and perhaps a great shot option that didn't materialise on the PP, but let's say the eye judgement ain't what those advanced stats are suggesting.

 

[Runner77]

As a young player who had a 20 point season - he was seething about how the Habs treated him?

He sounds like such a prima donna behind the scenes better to just take the picks

KK was obviously rushed. Is that on the player or the org.? Regardless, he looks as good as gone. Habs are very likely to take the picks.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Not speculating, going with what has been reported.

Anyway, I won’t answer any further posts of yours as we never agree on anything. Have a good one.

Reporting is speculation more off than not. You are just believing it but it could be true. Who knows. Can't remember what you thought but many thought Drouin played his last game with the Habs and that was reported too

 

[bukwas]

So what is the general feeling here?
Personally I think the Habs match and hope he somehow earns all that money. Seems like too much potential to wave goodbye to.

 

[didimentionlarseller]

Reporting is speculation more off than not. You are just believing it but it could be true. Who knows. Can't remember what you thought but many thought Drouin played his last game with the Habs and that was reported too

In this case I think you can believe the reporting as it’s 90% likely to be Kotkas agent as the source either directly or indirectly airing their dirty laundry

 

[JRichard]

So what is the general feeling here?
Personally I think the Habs match and hope he somehow earns all that money. Seems like too much potential to wave goodbye to.

72% say no match.
Using Dvorak, weird stats, Disney references and 4 of his fingers to back it up.
This place will be way funnier if they match.

 

[japhi]

This thread us great. All the Habs fans coming out to tell us how he was drafted too high, his failures, his parents bullying the team into putting him into the NHL too quickly. So brave now that he has a Canes logo next to his name on capfriendly.

Where did all the Habs posters go who insisted he is going to be a great 1C, he is only 21, he's a 3rd overall pick for God's sake! Are they hiding with all the Habs fans who insisted Domi is a 70 point player until he put that BJ jersey on?

Oh I know, it was just a loud minority of crazy Hab fans saying that. It wasn't you. But you didn't say anything at the time but now he signed that offer here comes the big balls.

Habs fans are brutal on their own players, 24/7. You want to see Habs fans down on KK, there is a Habs board on this very forum that will allow you to read bad takes on our players non stop. Bashing KK (and Drouin, and Price, and Danault, and Weber) is BAU.

 

[CauZuki]

Some of these comments almost a complete 180 in sentiment since his playoff heroics (OT winner and most playoff goals before the age of 21)....

 

[70Stang]

No way Habs match. Take the picks and play the kids. Its a good draft year, keeping building it. I wish KK the best and he knew exactly what he was getting into. Its a business and you have to protect your assets the best you can. Problem is players find ways to leave if they are not happy. Keeping him in Mtl now is a no win formula. If they match he won't be here longer than a year. I have a sneaky suspicion there is more to this than we are being told.