Canadiens issue qualifying offer to six players including Jesperi Kotkaniemi

On Monday, the Montreal Canadiens announced that they've issued qualifying offers to the following six restricted free agents: Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Artturi Lehkonen, Ryan Poehling, Michael Pezzetta, Otto Leskinen, and Michael McNiven. Additionally, the Habs did not issue qualifying offers to Jake Lucchini and Joseph Blandisi.

For those who aren't familiar with the term "qualifying offer" this is what the NHL definition is: "A qualifying offer is needed to retain negotiating rights to that player if they are given an offer sheet from a rival club. If a team does not send a qualifying offer to their RFA they become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 28th."

Two players listed above already have contracts in place for the 2021-22 season. Otto Leskinen has signed a contract with Jokerit in the KHL, while Jake Lucchini, who wasn't qualified, signed a standard AHL contract with the Laval Rocket a couple weeks ago.

Of the six players receiving a qualifying offer, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Artturi Lehkonen are the main priorities to get signed to multi-year contracts. The pair of Finns both played key roles in getting Montreal back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1993.

The Canadiens have submitted qualifying offers to six players, including Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Artturi Lehkonen and Ryan Poehling.

📄 https://t.co/wDs3Tt9L5P— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 26, 2021

Source: Montreal Canadiens

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