Eliteprospects
Finland Jesperi Kotkaniemi
#82 Carolina Hurricanes / NHL - 25/26
1-time U18 WJC Gold Medal 1
1-time U18 WJC Silver Medal 1
Date of Birth
Jul 06, 2000
Position
C/LW
Age
25
Height
6'2" / 188 cm
Place of Birth
Pori, FIN
Weight
212 lbs / 96 kg
Nation
Finland
Shoots
L
Youth Team
Ässät
Contract
29/30
Cap Hit
$4,820,000 Powered by
NHL Rights
Carolina Hurricanes Carolina Hurricanes / Signed
Drafted
2018 round 1 #3 overall by Montréal Canadiens
Agency
PREMIUM

A smart forward with a dangerous shot, Kotkaniemi possesses a high hockey IQ and determination with the skills to back it up. Positions himself well and often seems to be a step ahead of plays. Stickhandling and creativity allow him to split professional defences as a teenager. Decent size and frame, yet a very capable skater. (Matias Strozyk, 2017)

Family relations
Father: Mikael Kotkaniemi
Brother: Kasperi Kotkaniemi

© Photo: Dan Hickling

Use/Embed statistics

Jesperi Kotkaniemi Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2014-15 Ässät U16 U16 SM-sarja Q 5* 1* 4* 5* 4* -* |
Ässät U16 U16 SM-sarja 30* 21* 12* 33* 30* -* |
2015-16 Ässät U16 U16 SM-sarja Q 3* 4* 6* 10* 0* -* |
Ässät U18 U18 Mestis Q 5* 5* 6* 11* 2* -* |
Ässät U18 U18 Mestis 6* 5* 12* 17* 0* -* |
Ässät U20 U20 SM-liiga 23* 5* 10* 15* 12* 15* |
Finland U16 (all) International-Jr 11* 6* 6* 12* 28* -* |
2016-17 Ässät U20 U20 SM-liiga 17* 9* 6* 15* 18* 6* | Playoffs 7 4 1 5 0 -2
Finland U18 WJC-18 7* 1* 5* 6* 0* 1* |
Finland U18 (all) International-Jr 17* 5* 10* 15* 4* -* |
2017-18 Ässät Liiga 57* 10* 19* 29* 20* -1* | Playoffs 7 0 1 1 6 -4
Finland U18 WJC-18 7* 3* 6* 9* 37* 9* |
Finland U18 (all) International-Jr 17* 8* 11* 19* 51* -* |
Finland U20 (all) International-Jr 3* 2* 1* 3* 2* -* |
2018-19 Montréal Canadiens NHL 79* 11* 23* 34* 26* 1* |
Finland U20 (all) International-Jr 4* 1* 1* 2* 8* -* |
2019-20 Montréal Canadiens NHL 36* 6* 2* 8* 23* -11* | Playoffs 10 4 0 4 23 4
Laval Rocket AHL 13* 1* 12* 13* 16* 0* |
2020-21 Ässät Liiga 10* 2* 6* 8* 8* -3* |
Montréal Canadiens NHL 56* 5* 15* 20* 12* -1* | Playoffs 19 5 3 8 14 -5
2021-22 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 66* 12* 17* 29* 37* 3* | Playoffs 14 0 2 2 2 -4
2022-23 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 82* 18* 25* 43* 50* 10* | Playoffs 15 3 4 7 8 -5
2023-24 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 79* 12* 15* 27* 36* -4* | Playoffs 11 0 1 1 4 -2
2024-25 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 78* 12* 21* 33* 50* 9* | Playoffs 14 0 4 4 14 1
2025-26   Carolina Hurricanes NHL 22* 2* 4* 6* 8* 2* |
  Projected NHL 66* 6* 12* 18* 24* 6* |
2023-24 NHL stats powered by NHL.com

Jesperi Kotkaniemi Tournament Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2015-16 Finland U16 “A” YOG 6* 3* 4* 7* 1* 0* |
2017-18 Finland U18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial 4* 2* 2* 4* 6* -* |

Jesperi Kotkaniemi Career Totals

League Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/- | Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/-
AHL 1 13* 1* 12* 13* 1.00* 16* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
Ivan Hlinka Memorial (Hlinka Gretzky Cup) 1 4* 2* 2* 4* 1.00* 6* -* | 0 * * * * * *
International-Jr 4 52* 22* 29* 51* 0.98* 93* -* | 0 * * * * * *
Liiga 2 67* 12* 25* 37* 0.55* 28* -4* | 1 7 0 * 1 * 1 * 0.14 * 6 * -4 *
NHL 8 498* 78* 122* 200* 0.40* 242* 9* | 6 83 12 * 14 * 26 * 0.31 * 65 * -11 *
U16 SM-sarja 1 30* 21* 12* 33* 1.10* 30* -* | 0 * * * * * *
U16 SM-sarja Q 2 8* 5* 10* 15* 1.88* 4* -* | 0 * * * * * *
U18 Mestis 1 6* 5* 12* 17* 2.83* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
U18 Mestis Q 1 5* 5* 6* 11* 2.20* 2* -* | 0 * * * * * *
U20 SM-liiga (U20 SM-sarja) 2 40* 14* 16* 30* 0.75* 30* 21* | 1 7 4 * 1 * 5 * 0.71 * 0 * -2 *
WJC-18 2 14* 4* 11* 15* 1.07* 37* 10* | 0 * * * * * *
YOG 1 6* 3* 4* 7* 1.17* 1* 0* | 0 * * * * * *

Jesperi Kotkaniemi Career Highlights

Season
Awards by season
Transactions
DATE STATUS FROM TO SOURCE
03/21/2022
03/21/2022 Extension Carolina Hurricanes Carolina Hurricanes
09/04/2021
09/04/2021 Confirmed Montréal Canadiens Carolina Hurricanes
10/16/2020
10/16/2020 Loan Montréal Canadiens Ässät
07/01/2018
07/01/2018 Confirmed Ässät Montréal Canadiens
06/08/2017
06/08/2017 Extension Ässät U20 Ässät
Player Biography and Trivia

2018 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #13 by FCHockey

2018 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #13 by McKeen's Hockey

2018 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #5 by TSN/McKenzie

2018 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #6 by NHL Central Scouting

Cult/Star player for Ässät