Raleigh
Jesperi Kotkaniemi played his 400th career game Tuesday, and what a 400 games it has been in the NHL.
The Finnish center was the third pick of the 2018 NHL draft by Montreal, just behind Andrei Svechnikov of the Carolina Hurricanes, and made his NHL debut at 18. He has played for a Stanley Cup. He was the source of a contentious offer sheet that caused a war of words — in English and French — between the Hurricanes and Canadiens.
Since coming to the Hurricanes in 2021, Kotkaniemi has been enigmatic in the sense that he appears to have all the tools with his size and skill to be a top-six forward in the NHL. He has that look to him, but hasn’t fully proven it on the ice, where it counts.
Kotkaniemi is 24, still a young guy. Monday, after Canes practice, he and defenseman Brent Burns were tussling on the ice like a kid brother going after his big brother, as the two smiled and grappled.
But fun aside, Kotkaniemi’s seventh season in the NHL could be the most important. The Hurricanes are depending on him. Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour wants to have faith in him, depend on him, have him be an impactful player for this team this season.
Kotkaniemi, who has prototypical size for a center at 6-3 and 203 pounds, needs to do more than look the part. He needs to be the part, and Brind’Amour again is giving him that chance as the Canes’ second-line center.
“I tried to have a good summer and work hard,” Kotkaniemi said of his preparation. “I tried to reset, mostly. Last year was a tough year and I wanted to get back at it and get a little stronger and hopefully get a little more speed in my skating.
“I wanted to start with a clean (slate) this year. I wanted to get off to a good start and hopefully keep that going.”
The Hurricanes’ first game was not what anyone wanted. On opening night, the Canes were beaten 4-1 by the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Lenovo Center, their spotty play causing Brind’Amour to say, “I honestly didn’t know what I was watching.”
Kotkaniemi said the Canes were “too cute” much of the opener Friday and did not play their style of game. Nothing much worked for Carolina as the Lightning’s special teams excelled.
“We didn’t get much grind time in their end,” Kotkaniemi said. “We were just whacking the puck in the neutral zone.”
Things were a lot better Tuesday. The Canes came to play against the New Jersey Devils, Kotkaniemi getting in an early hit on the Devils’ Brenden Dillon along the boards. He was engaged, helped get the crowd engaged.
With the score tied 1-1 in the second period, Kotkaniemi fought for the puck in the corner in the Devils’ zone with Ondrej Palat and Jonas Siegenthaler, and got it to Martin Necas. Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, open at the top of the slot, took a pass from Necas and buried a shot for the lead.
The Canes continued to grind, and won their first game of the season as rookie forward Jackson Blake notched his first NHL goal and Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis each scored. Kotkaniemi’s assist was his first point of the season.
In a way, the past six seasons have flown by for Kotkaniemi, known as “KK” on the team. He was on the Habs team that reached the Cup Final in 2021 before being beaten by the Lightning. He then agreed to the Hurricanes’ offer sheet, two years after the Habs tried that same bold approach with Aho.
The Canes kept Aho, matching his offer sheet. The Canadiens let Kotkaniemi walk, the Canes gleefully trolling the Habs in French on social media. Kotkaniemi later signed an eight-year, $38.56 million contact extension with Carolina, and had 18 goals and 43 points in his second season with the Canes.
But last year was a step back for him (27 points). He had one point, an assist, in 11 playoff games and has been underwhelming with three goals and 10 points in 40 playoff games with the Canes.
“Everything didn’t fall into place for me last year,” he said. “You get those once in a while. I’m trying to forget that and just focus on this year.”
Canes captain Jordan Staal is among those who believe a more seasoned Kotkaniemi will have a solid season, saying, “He’s starting to find his way. I think this is going to be a big year for him, to see what he can do.”
The Canes’ schedule has them on the road for six games, starting Friday in Pittsburgh, and they will not play again in Raleigh until Oct. 31. Kotkaniemi’s approach is that it’s good to get the road trip West over early.
“You’re still fresh and travel doesn’t bother you that much, so I don’t mind knocking it out,” he said.
Kotkaniemi said he would take his iPad along and watch some shows — he recently finished “The Menendez Brothers” on Netflix and said he plans to see the NBA series “Starting 5” on the trip.
“I really didn’t know much about the Menendez brothers before that show,” he said.
Kotkaniemi said he has not seen but has interest in “Faceoff: Inside the NHL” being shown on Prime.
After 400 games in the NHL, he knows something about that.
