Montreal makes its decision on the offer sheet for Jesperi Kotkaniemi
After waiting until the last minute to even acknowledge the Carolina Hurricanes offer sheet to restricted free agent forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi, the Montreal Canadiens have announced they will not be matching the offer and letting him go.
"Carolina has used a tool available to them in the collective bargaining agreement and we accept that decision," said Habs GM Marc Bergevin.
As compensation, the Canadiens receive a first and third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft from the Hurricanes.
UPDATE: CANADIENS ACQUIRE CHRISTIAN DVORAK FROM ARIZONA
The offer sheet means Kotkaniemi will be paid $6.1 million for the 2021-22 season. Carolina can either sign him to a longer term deal at a lower price before he's due for a qualifying offer, or wait and offer him at least $6.1 million per season on his next deal as well.
Kotkaniemi has played 171 games in the NHL so far, recording 22 goals and 62 points. He did very well in the Canadiens' Stanley Cup final run, netting nine goals and three assists in 29 game.
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Dylan Guenther | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jake Debrusk | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jack McBain | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Alex Newhook | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jayden Struble | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Cole Caufield | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Logan Cooley | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Christian Dvorak | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Conor Garland | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Quinn Hughes | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Clayton Keller | - | 1 | 1 | |
| David Savard | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nick Schmaltz | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Arber Xhekaj | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Josh Anderson | - | - | - | |
| Joel Armia | - | - | - | |
| Arshdeep Bains | - | - | - | |
| Justin Barron | - | - | - | |
| John Beecher | - | - | - | |
| Nick Bjugstad | - | - | - | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 22 | 18 | 4 | - | 36 | |
Devils | 24 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 32 | |
Hurricanes | 21 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 31 | |
Wild | 21 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 30 | |
Golden Knights | 22 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 30 | |
Capitals | 21 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 29 | |
Maple Leafs | 21 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 28 | |
Flames | 22 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 27 | |
Stars | 20 | 13 | 7 | - | 26 | |
Rangers | 20 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 25 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||