Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi agreed to an interview, but first wanted to see teammate Jackson Blake do a TV spot.
Kotkaniemi leaned in, close enough to hear each answer.
“Good content,” he said in a low tone, smiling at Blake.
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That came after a Canes practice last week at Invisalign Arena. It came as Kotkaniemi’s name continues to be linked — both on social media and by traditional media sources — to possible trades. The chatter is of his value to the Canes, his contract, his season, his relationship with Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour.
Kotkaniemi, who is in his fifth season with the Canes, took time in his own interview to explain his season, how he has tried to handle this season.
Carolina’s Jesperi Kotkaniemi (82) keeps his eye on the puck during the first period of the Carolina Hurricanes’ game against the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
(Ethan Hyman/ehyman@newsobserver.com)
“Ah, it’s been tough, for sure,” he said. “But, you know, it’s not about me, really. The team’s playing well.
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“We’re all here for the same reason, trying to win. You put the best lineup out there and so far it’s been working, So, it’s hard to complain at this point.”
But it has been, in many ways, the most challenging of his eight NHL seasons, Kotkaniemi agreed.
“Yeah, I’d probably say so,” he said. “I think overall it has not been my best year, but the hope is to have a good end.”
‘Inconsistency to his play’
Kotkaniemi, 25, went into this season again intent on being among the Hurricanes’ top-six forwards, of handling the second-line center spot. That hasn’t happened. Logan Stankoven was moved from wing to center and took over that role. Kotkaniemi has been used at fourth-line center, and as a fourth-line wing.
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Or he’s had to sit. Kotkaniemi has been out of the lineup in 23 games. He has seven points — two goals, five assists — in the 29 games he has played, averaging a little more than 11 minutes in ice time per game.
“There’s been a little inconsistency to his play, for sure,” Brind’Amour recently said. “There’s obviously no production. We’re not really looking for that. We need some other things to jump off the page (and) we’ll see how it goes moving forward.” Kotkaniemi, in turn, said he has gotten little feedback from the head coach.
“Not much,” he said. “We both know what’s going on. And the team’s winning. So not much talk.”
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Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (82) checks Washington Capitals right wing Brandon Duhaime (22) in the first period during Game 4 of their series on Monday, May 12, 2025 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C.
(Robert Willett/rwillett@newsobserver.com)Outside noise
There has been a lot of outside noise. Elliotte Freidman of Sportsnet and others in the NHL media have reported Canes general manager Eric Tulsky was looking for potential trade partners for Kotkaniemi, who has four years remaining on a contract that pays $4.82 million a year.
Kotkaniemi said he does spend some free time checking social media, what’s being said, all the scuttlebutt. Maybe a little too much time.
“I think I scroll that too much when I try to go to bed and try to get a good sleep,” he said, smiling and chuckling. “I don’t really look at messages. There’s a lot of stuff going on in there. I try to stay out of that.”
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Kotkaniemi was in the lineup for the four games prior to Carolina’s Monday game against Buffalo, with forwards William Carrier and Noah Philp, a waiver-wire pickup, sidelined with injuries. He had an assist Friday in the Canes’ 9-1 blasting of the Florida Panthers, and followed with a solid-enough outing Saturday in the 4-1 road win against New Jersey.
He was back in the press box Monday, with Carrier back in uniform.
Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (82) reacts after a goal by teammate Shaye Gostisbehere (04) in the first period, to take a 1-0 lead against the Washington Capitals during Game 4 of their series on Monday, May 12, 2025 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C.
(Robert Willett/rwillett@newsobserver.com)‘You’ve got to decide to be better’
Asked what he believes has held him back this season, Kotkaniemi shook his head.
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“I don’t know,” he said. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out right now. I’m just trying to work hard and bring a good spirit every day and hope that will lift me out of this one.”
Kotkaniemi had a lot of family members from Finland, including his parents, join him during the Christmas break. That lifted his spirits. Everyone had a good time, he said, including his good friend and teammate, Seth Jarvis.
“Oh, Jarvy came over like he always does. He’s part of the pack,” he said. “It was a full house.”
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Then it was back to business. Kotkaniemi was in the lineup for the first five games after Christmas, then was a scratch in the next four. It has been like that all season, it seems. In, out.
“You’ve got to decide to be better,” Kotkaniemi said. “That’s the only way to come out of it. You can’t be mad and sad all the time. That isn’t going to help, Just focus on the main goal and that’s our team. You always keep that in the back of your mind when you come here every day.”
Put another way, Kotkaniemi said his goal simply would be: “Try to be good for my teammates and try to help myself, as well.”