Two Canadian teams linked to former third overall pick now with the Carolina Hurricanes
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Daniel Lucente
Jan 9, 2026 (1:02 PM)
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Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
The Hurricanes recently revealed that a change of scenery would do some good for Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and the Jets and Canucks have been linked as interested.
It appears that the Carolina Hurricanes feel that Jesperi Kotkaniemi may benefit from a fresh start. Having missed the Olympics with Finland, they now realize that a change of venue may be what he needs.
There is buzz around the league that Carolina is listening to trades. Being a team that is vying for the Stanley Cup, they will demand something in return that will immediately impact their team, or something that will allow them to strengthen their lineup soon enough.
Some of the trade offers that Jesperi Kotkaniemi was involved in
Kotkaniemi has been linked to trade negotiations in a few situations, including a possible trade with the Los Angeles Kings for Philip Danault and another trade with the Vancouver Canucks involving Quinn Hughes.
The Winnipeg Jets have also been speculated to be interested in Kotkaniemi.
"One of the teams that makes a lot of sense to me, I just don't know what the trade would be... if WPG liked the player and they need a centre to play behind Scheifele, he's signed for 4 more years, that's the kind of player the Jets would look at."
- Elliotte Friedman
- Elliotte Friedman
Salary and term are part of the equation. Alexander Wennberg, 31, recently signed a three-year, $18 million deal, and Christian Dvorak, nearly 30, agreed to five years at $25.75 million.
Why Jesperi Kotkaniemi's salary won't scare teams away
Kotkaniemi, 26 in July, has four years left at $4.82 million per season, a more manageable number for teams looking for a middle-six center. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman thinks there is "real" trade interest in Kotkaniemi.
It doesn't matter if the Hurricanes trade him now or hold out for a trade that they are interested in; there is no question that Kotkaniemi will be going to a different NHL franchise for a "fresh start" at some point in the coming weeks or months.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 9 | 227 ANSWERS Two Canadian teams linked to former third overall pick now with the Carolina Hurricanes Where will Jesperi Kotkaniemi finish this season? | ||
| Carolina | 26 | 11.5 % |
| Winnipeg | 72 | 31.7 % |
| Vancouver | 55 | 24.2 % |
| Elsewhere | 74 | 32.6 % |
| List of polls | ||