Photo: NHL.com

The Carolina Hurricanes announced on Saturday afternoon that they have signed Montreal Canadiens restricted free agent center Jesperi Kotkaniemi to a one-year, $6.1 million contract two years after the Canadiens signed Hurricanes star center Sebastian Aho to a five-year offersheet that carried an $8.46025 million cap hit. The Hurricanes matched the Canadiens’ offersheet six days later.

The Canadiens now have seven days to match the offer.

“Jesperi Kotkaniemi accepted our offer. He wants to come to Carolina,” said Hurricanes GM Don Waddell. “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. The offer, with the compensation and the core we have, we realized that it was the best chance we had to get the player.”

Context and a 🖕 to MTL. This is the SAME quote Bergevin issued when MTL signed Aho to an OS:
“Sebastian Aho accepted our offer. He wants to come to MTL. He sees our youngsters coming up in the org & he wants to be a part of that. We’re proud, but there’s still a waiting period.” https://t.co/r1xhJCyIq3

— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) August 28, 2021

Kotkaniemi, 21, earned five goals and 20 points in 56 regular-season games last season before recording five goals and eight points in 19 Stanley Cup Playoff games on the Canadiens’ run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, where they fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.

The Canes also made minor adjustments to their Twitter page on Saturday, adding extra spice to their move today.

In 171 career NHL games, all with the Canadiens, Kotkaniemi (the third overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft) has earned 22 goals and 62 points, half of those goals and more than half of those points (34) coming in his rookie year in 2018-19.

I’ve seen some great, quality GFY revenge moves before, but this one by Tom Dundon and the Hurricanes is next level.

— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) August 28, 2021

If the Canadiens do not match the offersheet to Kotkaniemi, who can become a restricted free agent again after this season, the Hurricanes will send them first- and third-round draft picks.

The Hurricanes also released their statement in French on Saturday.

Les Hurricanes ont annoncé aujourd’hui avoir déposé une offre hostile au joueur autonome avec restriction Jesperi Kotkaniemi des Canadiens de la Montreal. L’entente proposée est d’une durée de un ans et d’une valeur annuelle moyenne de 6,1 millions $.

— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) August 28, 2021

The official contract is $6,000,015 with a bonus of $20. Kotkaniemi’s number and aho’s number.

By Harrison Brown