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Kotkaniemi has no beef with Habs as he prepares to play in Montreal |
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Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi plans to needle Montreal center Nick Suzuki a bit for taking five days to respond to a text he sent him.
That’s about as close as Kotkaniemi gets to having any beef with the Canadiens as he prepares to return to Montreal for his first game there since signing an offer sheet with the Hurricanes in the offseason. The 2-0 Hurricanes play the 0-3 Canadiens on Thursday.
When asked Tuesday whether he had any hard feelings about his three seasons in Montreal, he opted for diplomacy.
“Not really,” Kotkaniemi said. “I had really good memories from there. I feel grateful they drafted me and gave me a chance. It was a great spot to play for a few years. Everyone knows they have unbelievable fans. Great teammates. I could not have wished for any better way to start my career.”
All of that may be true, but Kotkaniemi was ready to leave Montreal last summer. The $6.1 million one-year contract was a deal he couldn’t turn down. At this point, Kotkaniemi hasn’t played to the level that salary demands. But regardless of the money, Kotkaniemi was happy to get a fresh start after having his playing time reduced in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final and being scratched for Game 4.
It just never seemed like the Canadiens had a plan for Kotkaniemi’s development, although you can fairly argue that Kotkaniemi never gave the Canadiens reason to expand his opportunities.
When asked about how it had worked out for him in Montreal, he said simply: “I think it worked out pretty well. We went to the Stanley Cup Final.”
Kotkaniemi clearly wants to look ahead, not behind. He hasn’t generated any points in Carolina’s first two wins, but is excited to play on a line with two fellow Finns. Sebastian Aho is his center and Teuvo Teravainen is at right wing.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour isn’t timid about shuffling his lines. In Carolina’s second game, Kotkaniemi, mid-game, was moved to a line with Derek Stepan.
“(The Hurricanes) are a great team,” Kotkaniemi said. “ We don’t really have a one, two, three, fourth line. We just have four lines. Even If you are just in the lineup, it’s a really good thing. It’s really hard competition over here. You need to do your best every day and try to fit in.”
Kotkaniemi may hear some boos at the Bell Centre because it was his choice to leave the Canadiens
“I really don’t know (what to expect),” Kotkaniemi said. “I just think it will be fun to see old teammates and some fans in the stands.”
He says he isn’t paying much attention to how Montreal fans reacted to his departure.
“I think everyone has their own opinion on that,” Kotkaniemi said. “I just did what was best at me at the moment. Everyone can feel whatever they want. Let’s just go with that.”
Kotkaniemi stick-handled slickly in this press conference. He says he has adjusted well to life in a warmer climate.
“ The sun is out every day,” he said “I’ve had a blast here.”
He insists that when he was trying to figure what to do this summer, he looked at the situation as “having two good options.”
Eventually, Kotkaniemi would like to move back to center. But he said now is not the time to discuss that with Rod Brind’Amour. He’s content for now to play the wing.
Kotkaniemi clearly believes he made the right decision. Asked whether he would be willing to re-up with Hurricanes.
“I definitely would not mind that,” he said.
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