The Carolina Hurricanes will be signing forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi to an eight-year contract extension as soon as March 21, PuckPedia reported Saturday.
News of the deal was first broke by Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, who on March 4 reported the two sides had been recently meeting. He reported the Canes were hoping to get Kotkaniemi signed to an eight-year deal.
According to PuckPedia, the extension will pay him an AAV of $4.82 million — a homage to sweater No. 82 he wears.
However, this time Montreal was unable to match the significant one-year, $6.1 million offer sheet. In return, the Habs got back a first- and third-round pick.
Kotkaniemi has appeared in 54 games this year for the Hurricanes scoring 11 goals and 23 points — a point total already surpassing his 2020-21 production with Montreal.
He’s fit in well in Carolina’s bottom six, and with him on the ice at five-on-five, the Canes have controlled 57.35 percent of the shot attempts, 53.19 percent of the goals scored and 53.62 percent of the expected goal share.
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