Kotkaniemi finishes the season with 27 points in 79 games.

[JKG33]

I'm not sure whats funnier, Habs fans for years trying to convince everyone he doesn't suck, or Canes fans trying to convince everyone this wasn't just some failed attempt at petty revenge and they actually did want the player

 

[Lolonegoal]

Damn KoKo lives rent free in Habs fans heads. Why do you still care? Also once again he will outscore the entire Habs team in the playoffs this year.

Some of you people in this board should really stop telling Canes fans how bad their moves are (KoKo, Kuzy, Andersen) because you are salty about how it went down. At least until the Canes stop being and elite top 5 team and your team isn't trash.

I don't know 2 years ago he put up an impressive 0 goals and 2 points in 14 playoffs games, I wouldn't be surprised after that regular season if he lays a goose egg and/or gets benched.

The funny thing is prior to the start of the playoffs this year in his 2 years with Carolina and previous 2 years with Montreal he played the same amount of playoffs games with both teams. Triple the goals with Montreal and only one of the two teams made the cup final. And I know, I know, your immediate reaction is going to be, "The Habs team was actually garbage/carried by Price/only made it because of the Covid divisions".

Well, the funny thing is by the end of the playoffs he was scratched on that garbage ass team that fluked their way to the finals. That was the entire reason he sought to get out of there. Your management thought they were using him to get back at Montreal for offer sheeting Aho, but really he was using your team to get revenge on the Habs for scratching him and get a nice fat pay cheque despite not knowing how to skate.

(mod)

 

[Jared Dunn]

I'm not sure whats funnier, Habs fans for years trying to convince everyone he doesn't suck, or Canes fans trying to convince everyone this wasn't just some failed attempt at petty revenge and they actually did want the player

It was definitely spiteful and a way to stir up some controversy but he showed enough in playoffs alone to make it a decent gamble for them

Really not sure why so many Habs fans are obsessed with him. It's not KK's fault he was drafted too high, mismanaged, and Carolina overpaid him out of spite. It might be his fault he sucks but all the more reasons he was right to take what will likely be the best payday of his career before he returns to Europe.

At the end of the day the Habs were right to let him go, but they still lost by wasting a draft pick on him and replacing him with Dvorak, who also sucks. Absolutely no reason to get cocky - since losing him, we've been one of the worst teams in the league and are only just turning it around now.

I don't like the Hurricanes but I have nothing against KK, who is just one of many bad Timmins/Bergevin draft picks. I will save my contempt for Marc Bergevin, who doesn't deserve a pass for cutting his loss on his own bad decisions. I hope KK improves (maybe on another team) as I still think he could be a solid third liner, but MB, I wish nothing but the worst for.

Tbh I don't even think it was strategic, they didn't have the cap space to match the one year offer at the time or I bet he would have

 

[Tabarouette]

Damn KoKo lives rent free in Habs fans heads. Why do you still care? Also once again he will outscore the entire Habs team in the playoffs this year.

Some of you people in this board should really stop telling Canes fans how bad their moves are (KoKo, Kuzy, Andersen) because you are salty about how it went down. At least until the Canes stop being and elite top 5 team and your team isn't trash.

I mean if you want the non-trolly answer it's because he's the second 3rd overall failure we've had in the same era and we're all a little salty about it, but then your GM delivered us from it by being really spiteful for the dumbest thing

You sound pretty mad when we criticize your elite team tho so I guess you're not feeling all that secure eh

 

[Derailed75]

The Habs literally beat Vegas a few years ago in one. I’m quite familiar. Winning a single game in the conference finals is something I can talk to you about in detail if you want to hear it.

Covid season other wise you don't even make the playoffs

 

[wgknestrick]

Hold up, if you’re going to play that game then you need to follow through with how they flipped that package for Christian Dvorak (an even worse player than Kotkaniemi) and a B prospect. It’s unlikely they end up with anything at all to show for this series of transactions.

(mod)

I'm a CAR fan, but this signing was bad (for them) regardless of the time it was made. KK has never had the analytics to take a risk on. I'd even suggest his current stats are inflated due to the quality of team + linemates he plays with.

It would be interesting if CAR ever considered MTL calling their bluff on that offer sheet or not. The contract is so bad, that MTL couldn't even stomach it (and they'll eat anything).

 

[Chan790]

I mean, he could have a solid playoffs and to a couple posters points he don’t have a ton of ice time (may have been warranted). The thing that stands out to me is the lack of physicality in his game compared to past seasons. I think they deal him this summer to a team with a weak forward corps along with a sweetener for a bad deal with far less term. Chicago, Sharks, Utah, Anaheim.

The entire point of trading rather than a buyout is to get him off the cap scot-free.

It makes no sense for Carolina if they take back another bad contract or retain any money. (Retention is a non-starter...we can't retain, then have someone else buy him out and tie up a retention slot for 8 years.)

It's KK for FCs. Possibly with a small +. Otherwise it's a buyout. I'm going to be pissed if we lose or missout on worthwhile players to keep this clown.

 

[Lolonegoal]

Covid season other wise you don't even make the playoffs

Ahahaha I even predicted this exact response from you.

Anyway, like I said in my comment that you didn't read. He was a healthy scratch on that team that didn't deserve to make the playoffs, yet you guys as a consistently competitive team thought it was a great idea to give him a fat 6 mil and than an additional long-term deal at the price of multiple 1st rounders.

Try to stop acting like you won this one. We ALL lost. Our draft pick sucked. You paid him too much money for too long, and draft up draft picks for him. We used those draft picks in trade for Dvorak. Literally everything both our teams have done in the entire situation has been complete and utter asssss. Let's stop acting like what one of us did was less shitty than the other. No one else in the league is impressed. They're laughing at both of us; two fat pigs rolling around in a pile of shit trying to determine who's king pig.

And yes, I'm aware your team is in the playoffs. I'm very proud of you. And we're not. Yes, we're rebuilding. I don't really see the point of smack talking a team about losing when they're intentional tanking, but you can keep going if it makes you happier. But like I said, we're just rolling around in shit, right now.

 

[ijuka]

Is it safe to say the Canes made a mistake? 4.8M for a 4C. Do you think they will buy him out or trade him (cap dump)?

It was safe to say that they made a mistake when the contract was signed, already.

They wanted some petty payback on Habs and instead of admitting their mistake after one year, they doubled down and extended him.

Kotkaniemi must be the luckiest player in the league when we look at how much he's earned vs how much of it was deserved.

 

[GettingYourMoms]

Zadina would be 40 goal scorer playing with Canes, unlike that bust KK.

 

[wgknestrick]

Kotkaniemi must be the luckiest player in the league when we look at how much he's earned vs how much of it was deserved.

Why does no one remember me? Sobs. "I still get paid until 2029. Doesn't that account for anything?"

 

[tarheelhockey]

I'm a CAR fan, but this signing was bad (for them) regardless of the time it was made. KK has never had the analytics to take a risk on.

How much of a risk is it, though? He’s basically a run of the mill 3C at this point. $4.8M is a slight overpay for what he is right now, but it’s unremarkable middle 6 money in this NHL. By the end of the contract it will be firmly bottom 6 money. It’s a lot like the Jordan Staal contract in that way.

I'd even suggest his current stats are inflated due to the quality of team + linemates he plays with.

I would agree if he were feasting on top-6 linemates and PP time, but he has been skating bottom-6 minutes since the new year. That has a depressant effect on stats, no matter how good the team is. Like how Granlund is blowing up on the Sharks after years of posting mid numbers as a depth player for better teams.

As we saw last night, and early in the season, Kotkaniemi will chip in points when he gets ice time. But he is not a line-driver and is not going to create much in a conservative role with lower-end linemates. Again he is a Jordan Staal Lite in this respect. Kotkaniemi will never be as good as Staal, but he’s also not being paid that way either. Most likely he’s their long term play at 3C and nothing more.

 

[PhysicalGraffiti]

Hopefully this means he won't play in the series against the Islanders so I don't have to hear his name a thousand times.

 

[Derailed75]

Ahahaha I even predicted this exact response from you.

Anyway, like I said in my comment that you didn't read. He was a healthy scratch on that team that didn't deserve to make the playoffs, yet you guys as a consistently competitive team thought it was a great idea to give him a fat 6 mil and than an additional long-term deal at the price of multiple 1st rounders.

Try to stop acting like you won this one. We ALL lost. Our draft pick sucked. You paid him too much money for too long, and draft up draft picks for him. We used those draft picks in trade for Dvorak. Literally everything both our teams have done in the entire situation has been complete and utter asssss. Let's stop acting like what one of us did was less shitty than the other. No one else in the league is impressed. They're laughing at both of us; two fat pigs rolling around in a pile of shit trying to determine who's king pig.

And yes, I'm aware your team is in the playoffs. I'm very proud of you. And we're not. Yes, we're rebuilding. I don't really see the point of smack talking a team about losing when they're intentional tanking, but you can keep going if it makes you happier. But like I said, we're just rolling around in shit, right now.

First I did read your comment. Second it wasn't a Canes fan thtmat started this thread. Why are guys so obsessed with mid to bottom 6 player on another team. KK's contract doesn't keep the Canes from icing one of the best teams in the league, and BTW i dont pay it and don't really care what he makes.

Zero question he is underperforming but he doesn't suck and he's not awful, he is a pretty defensively responsible forward and contrary to another post in this thread he does in fact play pretty physically. Yes they are paying him more than he is worth but he is young and the buy out if necessary is not an issue.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Covid season other wise you don't even make the playoffs

That's not how mathematics work.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

LOL this lives RENT FREE in Montreal fans heads.

Can’t wait for this phrase to die

 

[_habsfan9]

I really hope he turns it around. Like the kid.

 

[Derailed75]

That's not how mathematics work.

This has nothing to do with math. They don't get enough points to qualify for the playoffs in a standard play every team format.

 

[Frank Drebin]

This has nothing to do with math. They don't get enough points to qualify for the playoffs in a standard play every team format.

Unless we somehow skirted the rules for that season you don't have a point

If we still had a 21 team league the 6th worst team in the NHL likely makes the playoffs

 

[who_me?]

Remember when Habs fans loved the pick over Brady Tkachuk. Good times

They thought they had their new Saku Koivu.

It's like how they proclaim every Habs goalie as the next Patrick Roy.

 

[Nucker101]

I like the Canes, but yeah no point in trying to cope, this was a bad signing. At least with the cap projected to rise over the next few year it'll be easier to swallow but they should explore what it would cost to trade dump him or buy him out.

Canes pride themselves on efficient contracts, Kotka's contract sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

[Frank Drebin]

They thought they had their new Saku Koivu.

It's like how they proclaim every Habs goalie as the next Patrick Roy.

Canes brass must have thought the same thing. They *really* wanted the player. Even tried trading for him.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Damn KoKo lives rent free in Habs fans heads. Why do you still care? Also once again he will outscore the entire Habs team in the playoffs this year.

Some of you people in this board should really stop telling Canes fans how bad their moves are (KoKo, Kuzy, Andersen) because you are salty about how it went down. At least until the Canes stop being and elite top 5 team and your team isn't trash.

Hahahahahahahhahaha thanks for this posts like this make my day

 

[le_sean]

Covid season other wise you don't even make the playoffs

lol keep telling yourself that to forget about yet another choked season by your team.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

What a f***ing dogshit pick that was.

But hey, we're forever grateful, because it lead to the Hayton pick, which lead to Zadina, which lead to arguably the single greatest player we've ever drafted.