The Hurricanes have added a promising young player to their roster, and joined some pretty rare company in doing so. Montreal announced Saturday it would not match the Hurricanes’ offer sheet within its seven-day window to do so, so the 21-year-old Finn will join Carolina. In signing Kotkaniemi, the Hurricanes have executed the second successful offer sheet of the NHL’s salary cap era, and first since Dustin Penner went from the Anaheim Ducks to Edmonton Oilers in 2007.
The deal will pay Kotkaniemi $6,100,035 for the 2021 season, with a $20 signing bonus. As compensation for the offer sheet, the Hurricanes will send their first and third-round picks in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft to Montreal.