Follow me on Twitter: @BenShelley_20 Follow HockeyBuzz Hurricanes on Twitter: @HB_Canes In a surprising move, the Carolina Hurricanes tendered an offer sheet to restricted free agent forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi yesterday. The contract is for one year and is worth $6.1 million. Kotkaniemi was selected by the Montreal Canadiens with the third-overall pick in 2018. He’s now 21 years old and this past season, he scored five goals and 20 points in 56 games. The move is being viewed as retaliation for the Canadiens tendering an offer sheet to Sebastian Aho two years ago, based on some not-so-subtle jabs taken at the Canadiens as part of the move. For starters, Kotkaniemi’s deal includes a $20 signing bonus, which just so happens to be Aho’s number with the Hurricanes. You can also take a look at the statements below, which were for Montreal’s offer sheet for Aho in 2019 and Carolina’s offer sheet for Kotkaniemi.
''Sebastian Aho accepted our offer. He wants to come to Montreal. He sees our youngsters coming up in the organization and he wants to be a part of that. We're proud, but there's still a waiting period.'' - Marc Bergevin #GoHabsGo
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 1, 2019
Canes GM Waddell: "Jesperi Kotkaniemi accepted our offer. He wants to come to Carolina. He sees the core we’ve built here and he wants to be a part of that. We’re proud, but there’s still a waiting period. When you make an offer like that, we saw a vulnerable position.… (1/2)
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) August 28, 2021