If you asked any Carolina Hurricanes fan who they thought would be leading the team in points after 12 games might have given you different answers. Some might say Sebastian Aho, who got an eight-year huge contract extension in the offseason. Some might even say Andrei Svechnikov or Martin Necas, who led the team in points last season. Although, there might be one or two people who might have gotten this player right because he is their favorite Hurricane. That player? It is none other than Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
Kotkanimei is Otherworldly for Hurricanes
What else is there to say about Kotkaniemi other than he is playing lights-out hockey for the Hurricanes right now? After 12 games into the 2023-24 season, he currently leads the team in points with 12 and is also tied for first in assists with seven. The next best point-getter for the Hurricanes is Seth Jarvis and Necas who both have 10 on the season. In terms of assists, he is tied with Brady Skeji with the aforementioned seven. Necas, Aho, and Stefan Noesen are tied for second on the team with six.
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Kotkaniemi finished the month of October with 10 points in 10 games and is already starting the month of November on a hot start. Despite not scoring points in the Nov. 2 game versus the New York Rangers, he made up for it by having a multi-point game on Nov. 4 against the New York Islanders. He got the primary assist on the Dmitry Orlov goal to cut the Islanders’ lead to 3-2 before getting the tying goal himself to force overtime. The team ended up winning the game 4-3 in overtime. Kotkaniemi has been absolutely clutch for the Hurricanes this season and it shows with the run he’s been on to start the season.
In his second year with the Hurricanes, the 2022-23 season saw a career year for him. While playing in all 82 games he set career highs in goals (18), assists (25), and points (43). He managed to do that in his first full year as the second-line center for the Hurricanes after spending his first season with the team as a fourth-line guy. What has been helping is that his ice time has been going up each season that he’s been with the Hurricanes.
During the 2021-22 season, he averaged 12:01 of ice time per game. That only went up to where he was averaging 14:44 of time-on-ice (TOI) during the 2022-23 season. So far this season, his TOI is now averaging 15:08 per game. It is clear that head coach Rod Brind’Amour is trusting the 23-year-old Finnish forward more and more each season. He is getting plenty of ice time while being on the team’s power play outside of his normal 5v5 time on the ice. Furthermore, he is even getting time with the penalty kill units where he has gained some points there as well.
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Out of the 12 points that Kotkaniemi has tallied so far this season, he has three points on the Hurricanes’ special teams. He has accumulated one power-play goal while assisting on a man-advantage goal and a shorthanded goal as well. Kotkaniemi is managing to be effective in all facets of the game for Carolina; with nine even strength points while also producing on special teams and just playing a phenomenal two-way game that Brind’Amour wants to see in his centers.
His 200-foot game is making Kotkaniemi a really dynamic player and one that the Hurricanes can lean on no matter the situation. So far this season, his faceoff percentage is at 46.3% (63 faceoff wins vs 73 faceoff losses), however, his Corsi For percentage is at 61.4% which makes it easier for the Hurricanes to manage the puck more on possessions when he is on the ice. He has gotten better defensively each season and is starting to become possibly the Jordan Staal 2.0 in a guy who can play solid defense in a two-way shutdown game for Carolina.
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However, he does have more of a scoring touch to him as fans and the team saw last season when he scored 18 goals in 82 games. Kotkaniemi has already matched his goal total from the 2020-21 season where he had five goals in 56 games during his last season in Montreal. In his first season with the Hurricanes, he had 12 goals in 66 games and he was their fourth-line center all season. There is a great chance he could match or pass that total by the end of November. Furthermore, there might be a discussion to be had about him possibly matching his career-high total of 18 before the All-Star Break. Just by that idea alone, it makes his current eight-year contract look like a steal for the Hurricanes with his production right now.
Kotkaneimi is off to a great start that could potentially see him have another career year for the Hurricanes. It is already clear that Carolina can trust him as his ice time has gone up to over 15 minutes a game and his production is showing it after 12 games. As mentioned earlier, he leads the team in points and is tied for the team lead in assists. He is only three goals behind the team leader Teuvo Teravainen who has eight on the season. There is a good chance of him leading in all scoring categories if he keeps this pace up.
Enjoying the Early Ride of Kotkaniemi’s Fast Start
Is there a chance of it happening? Possibly by the way he is playing. Could he just lead the team in points at season’s end? That is a good possibility as well. No one in the organization and/or the fanbase will complain about how Kotkaniemi is playing right now. He finished the back half of the 2022-23 season on a high note and it seems like he has not slowed down to start the 2023-24 season.
Only time will tell how his fourth season will go for the Finnish forward but one thing is for certain, it’s been one heckuva ride so far seeing the start he has been on. The 23-year-old is playing phenomenal hockey right now and one has to hope that he can keep this run of form going as the season progresses.
If the scoring totals get better as the month of November rolls along, there might need to be discussions of a possible All-Star Game appearance, breakout candidate of the year, and so much more for Kotkaniemi. As of right now, there is no stopping him as he is putting the league on notice to start the season and the month of November. Welcome to the Kotkaniemi Show. Enjoy the ride.
