Jesperi Kotkaniemi Looking to Build on Breakout Season: “I want to take a step up from last year"

A lot of team success in the NHL can be attributed down the middle of the ice.

Center depth is crucial in hockey and for the Carolina Hurricanes to be successful again this year, they're going to need their centers firing on all cylinders.

While many know what they can expect from Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal, Jesperi Kotkaniemi is still a bit up in the air, although he's definitely been trending in the right direction.

Kotkaniemi, who was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens through an offer sheet and then extended eight years with a $4.82 million AAV, had a breakout season for the Canes last year setting career highs in games played (82), goals (18), points (43) and faceoff percentage (51.4%).

After a slow start to the year where he had just two goals and five points in the first two months of games, the Finnish center went on a tear in the second half of the season, scoring 11 goals and 29 points in the final 41 games. 

While Kotkaniemi didn't appear on the stat sheet early on, he was still doing the little things to help his linemates pop off.

Martin Necas (11 goals, 25 points) and Andrei Svechnikov (14 goals, 24 points) were Carolina's best offensive players those first two months of the season and Kotkaniemi's ability to create space and time and facilitate the puck to his linemates was a big reason for that.

“They’ve got a high pace to their game," Kotkaniemi said on his wingers. "They’re high-skilled guys. My job is just to try and get the puck to them and let them do their magic.”

“Last year he got to play with the best players," said Carolina head coach Rod Brind'Amour. "That’s a big deal. He played a lot more than he did the year before so just naturally, that’s going to boost numbers and that’s generally what everybody looks at. Doesn’t necessarily mean you’re playing better or not better. He could be playing really good, he just wasn’t getting points. You have to be careful about just judging it based on that, but you could tell, the second half of the year especially that he was a better player and the numbers backed that up."

Kotkaniemi's growth last year wasn't just in being a booster for his teammates. There was a noticeable improvement to his overall game in almost every area.

“I grew into my body, got stronger," Kotkaniemi said. "I’ve gotten better at skating, and I'm winning more battles. That’s going to be my strength in the future.”

“I think he understands the game a little better," Brind'Amour said. "Matured physically a little more too. Still a young kid. We’ve talked about this before, there’s still room for growth in all areas, but I think he’s trending in the right direction.”

The improved results are partly thanks to getting older, but also partly thanks to an increased role.

“Here, for sure, I got a little bigger role than back [in Montreal]," Kotkaniemi said. "It’s been nice to see that Roddy gave me a little trust there and I'm just trying to fill the extra expectations.” 

"Opportunity has a lot to do with anybody, wherever you’re playing," Brind'Amour said. "He definitely had that opportunity last year and he will again this year.”

But perhaps the most important aspect of Kotkaniemi's game has been the growth of his defensive dominance because while his offense doesn't always pop off the page, his defense certainly does.

There's no doubt that his defensive impacts are some of the best in the league, and his coach thinks he still has room to grow in that regard.

“That’s an area where he’s not afraid to do it," Brind'Amour said. "He knows that he has to be solid in that area.

"Defensively, that’s the area I think he can be even more dominant in. I think that's the area he needs to hang his hat on.”

In many ways, Kotkaniemi could be the Jordan Staal heir-apparent once he decides to hang the skates up. As he grows more and more into his large frame (6-foot-2, 201lbs), he'll be able to force his will upon opponents much like his captain.

So even if Kotkaniemi isn't racking up the points, odds are that he's going to be making an impact on the ice for the Hurricanes and allowing his elite wingers to do their jobs better.

However, Kotkaniemi still wants to be impactful on both sides of the ice.

“I want to take a step up from last year," Kotkaniemi said. "Hopefully get a little better start point-wise and just try to be a better version than last year.”

And while Kotkaniemi's aim for this season is to improve on his breakout year, in terms of personal goals, he only has one.

“Just win the cup.”