Jesperi Kotkaniemi
C · #82
· Carolina Hurricanes
· 6'3" · 212 lb
· L-handed
· 25 yrs
· Draft: 2018 Rd 1 (#3 overall)
Compare with
Season
42
Games
2–7–9
G–A–P
42
Shots · 4.8%
61 / 22
Hits / Blocks
Contract
Cap hit
$4,820,000
Term2022-23 → 2029-30 (8 yrs)
ExpiryUFA 2030
Clauses2025-26: M-NTC; 2026-27: M-NTC; 2027-28: M-NTC; 2028-29: M-NTC; 2029-30: M-NTC
Signed at age22
Signing GMDon Waddell
AgentMarkus Lehto
Advanced · 2025-26
Corsi %
54.9%88th
xGF% (5v5)
50.8%62nd
Points/60 (5v5)
1.1320th
Goals Above Expected
-1.718th
Shooting %
4.8%
Ice Time / Game
11:21
Offensive-zone starts
62%
Takeaways / Giveaways
3 / 32
Archetype — how these are computed →
Grinder
A physical, energy depth forward — presence and puck battles over production.
Why he earned it — his rank vs the league
Hits per 60
8.3
77th
Blocks per 60
2.4
53th
Points per 60
1.13
89th
All fit scores
Fit scores run 0–100: how strongly this player matches each mold, blended from his league
percentiles in that archetype's key stats (the bars above show those percentiles — e.g.
"98th" = better than 98% of the league). A player only earns a tag when the score clears
that archetype's minimum floor — full formulas in
the archetypes guide.
Shots On Goal
By zone · shooting % vs his average · 2025-26Slot
1 G on 16 shots
6%Shooting
Shooting %
Below his avg
Around
Above his avg
+3 shots (0 goals) from beyond the mapped zones
42
Total Shots On Goal
Goals
2
Shooting %
4.8%
Shots / GP
1.0
xG
3.3
Shot Danger Mix
High danger7%
Medium danger45%
Low danger48%
Top Scoring Zones
01
6%
Slot
1 G on 16 shots
02
33%
Left Circle
1 G on 3 shots
Career
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | Playoff GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | NHL | Hurricanes | 42 | 2 | 7 | 9 | — |
| 2024-25 | NHL | Hurricanes | 78 | 12 | 21 | 33 | 14 |
| 2023-24 | NHL | Hurricanes | 79 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 11 |
| 2022-23 | NHL | Hurricanes | 82 | 18 | 25 | 43 | 15 |
| 2021-22 | NHL | Hurricanes | 66 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 14 |
| 2020-21 | Liiga | Ässät | 10 | 2 | 6 | 8 | — |
| 2020-21 | NHL | Canadiens | 56 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 19 |
| 2019-20 | AHL | Laval Rocket | 13 | 1 | 12 | 13 | — |
| 2019-20 | NHL | Canadiens | 36 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 10 |
| 2018-19 | NHL | Canadiens | 79 | 11 | 23 | 34 | — |
| 2017-18 | WJC-18 | Finland U18 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 9 | — |
| 2017-18 | Ivan Hlinka Memorial | Finland U18 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | — |
| 2017-18 | Liiga | Ässät | 57 | 10 | 19 | 29 | 7 |
| 2016-17 | WJC-18 | Finland U18 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | — |
| 2016-17 | U20 SM-liiga | Ässät U20 | 17 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 7 |
| 2015-16 | YOG | Finland U16 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | — |
| 2015-16 | U18 Mestis | Ässät U18 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 17 | — |
| 2015-16 | U20 SM-liiga | Ässät U20 | 23 | 5 | 10 | 15 | — |
| 2014-15 | Jr. C SM-sarja | Ässät U16 | 30 | 21 | 12 | 33 | — |