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The Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes are circling Jesperi Kotkaniemi in trade chatter, and Chicago’s cap space makes it plausible.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Friday that Carolina is considering offers on Kotkaniemi. The Hurricanes want help now, or something they can flip into help now.”According to several sources, Carolina is considering offers as you read this. The Hurricanes are contending for a Stanley Cup, so they want either something that can help them now or something they can use to help them now. Either path is necessary to get something done.”
– Elliotte Friedman
That urgency makes sense because Carolina is sitting atop the East at 27-14-3; a contender can’t carry many quiet roster spots for long.
Kotkaniemi is 25, a 2018 third overall pick by the Montreal Canadiens, and he landed in Raleigh via offer sheet in 2021. His totals have slid from 43 points in 2022-23 to 33 points in 78 games last season.
Chicago Blackhawks weigh Jesperi Kotkaniemi trade fit
The deal is the hold-up: four years remaining at a $4.82 million AAV, and that’s pricey for today’s results. He has two goals and six points in 25 games this season.
Chicago can actually absorb that kind of bet with nearly $30M in free cap space. With the cap going up to $95.5 million this season, space is an asset if you treat it like one.
That’s where the «compensation» angle comes in, because Carolina would be buying flexibility, and Chicago should charge for it. If Kyle Davidson is taking the full hit, a pick or a young piece has to ride along.
Hockey-wise, I’d start him as a sheltered third-line center who can keep shifts alive on the forecheck and work the middle lane. Give him clean exits, simpler entries, and wingers who get pucks back fast.
He also wouldn’t have to be a savior in Chicago with Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar carrying the high-end creation.
A fresh role and steadier minutes can do wonders for a player who looks tight.
There’s real risk here, because a bad-value contract can clutter a rebuild if the player stalls again. But if Chicago is going to weaponize cap space, this is exactly the sort of swing.
March 6 is the league trade deadline, so that’s the next milestone where this chatter either turns into a move or fades out.
Previously on Chicago Hockey Insider