The Carolina Hurricanes came closer than expected to landing a major upgrade earlier this season – and it came at the cost of a household name.
On a recent one episode of The DFO RundownFourth Period’s David Pagnotta revealed that the Los Angeles Kings and Hurricanes held trade talks involving Phillip Danault before he was ultimately dealt to the Montreal Canadiens. Carolina’s pitch reportedly included former third overall pick Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Pagnotta says he doesn’t know the full parameters of the deal, but that Kotkaniemi would have been the centerpiece of the transaction.
While Kotkaniemi’s $4.82 million cap hit wasn’t a dealbreaker for the Kings, the remaining years of his contract were. They didn’t feel comfortable making the trade with some uncertainty about how he would fit into their lineup. The Kings ultimately decided to acquire the draft pick from Montreal.
On the ice, the difference between the two centers is not dramatic. This would have been seen as more of a change in environmental trade. Neither has produced much offensively and Danault was ready to move on. He noted: “I felt like I had no purpose and that I couldn’t bring anything to the team with what I had. I felt helpless and not important. That’s how I felt in the end.”
Will the Hurricanes still try to trade Kotkaniemi?
The bigger upside is Carolina’s willingness to move Kotkaniemi and the fact that they may continue to test a deal that includes him. With Seth Jarvis sidelined week in and week out and the Hurricanes never shying away from going big, perhaps they could include him in a package deal for a bigger name.
If Kotkaniemi’s name is out there, they might want to do business once the roster freeze is lifted.
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