Jesperi Kotkaniemi was another standout performer in the Carolina Hurricanes’ recent 5-3 victory over the New York Islanders on Thursday, November 5.
Kotkaniemi found the back of the net once again, and his statistics continue to look increasingly impressive.
Following the game, ESPN’s Adam Gold discussed the center’s situation during the postgame edition of the “Canes Corner” podcast, making a blunt claim.
Gold argued that despite rumors of a potential trade involving Kotkaniemi, the Hurricanes could have traded him if they wanted to.
However, keeping him on the roster is now paying off, with the results becoming increasingly evident.
Adam Gold: Hurricanes Could Have Traded Jesperi Kotkaniemi Last Year
He said, “He’s got five goals and eight points. And he didn’t play a ton tonight. I thought he… here’s the thing. This is how you know he played well tonight. I noticed him a lot.”
“And I didn’t say, ‘Oh, what are you doing that for?’ It just seemed like he was always around the play when he was on the ice. He played under nine minutes, but I thought he was good.”
“He was the only guy in the faceoff circle that at least broke even. Three wins, three losses. Carolina was a disaster in the circle tonight. But he had four shot attempts and two hits in eight minutes and fifty-three seconds.”
“I saw a report; I don’t really know who to attribute it to. It might have been Elliott Friedman, about how now the Hurricanes, there’s a market for Kotkaniemi.”
“Believe what you want. But I am certain that the Hurricanes could have unloaded Kotkaniemi last year if they wanted to. But he was the only center they had in reserve. It’s pretty simple.”
“And he just happens to be Carolina’s fifth-best center at this point. So they did trade him. They really don’t; they’re not going to buy any player out. They’re certainly not going to buy him out. Not with as much cap room as there is.”
“It would save you money, but that’s not the kind of money (owner) Tom Dundon wants to save. Like he’ll never buy a player out. And I do think that (general manager) Eric Tulsky and (head coach) Rod Brind’Amour probably said, ‘Look, you can move him, but we got to get a center back.’ And they weren’t just dumping him for draft picks.”
“And maybe that’s the reason why there wasn’t a market for him. But if they just wanted to offload his contract, they could do that.”
“He’s been very good this year. You can easily overstate how good he’s been.”
Hurricanes Get Blunt Jesperi Kotkaniemi Claim Amid Trade Market Talk