Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Jesperi Kotkaniemi was born in Pori, South-Western Finland Regional State Administrative Agency, Finland on July 6th, 2000 and is the Hockey Player. At the age of 23, Jesperi Kotkaniemi biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 23 years old, Jesperi Kotkaniemi has this physical status:
Jesperi Jasperi Joonatan Kotkaniemi (Finnish pronunciation: [jesperi kotkniemi]; born 6 July 2000) is a Finnish professional ice hockey center who plays for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). In the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Nicknamed "KK," "Poin Pastori" and "Jepu" were drafted third overall by the Montreal Canadiens. When he appeared on the Canadiens' opening night roster in October 2018, he became the first player born in the 2000s to play in one of the world's top professional sports leagues.
Personal life
Kotkaniemi was born in Pori, the son of Mikael and Kati Kotkaniemi. Mikael, a former professional hockey player and current coach and a resident of Helsinki, settled in Pori after meeting Kati, a Pori area resident, while playing for ssat. Kotkaniemi has one brother, Kasperiemi, who is sixteen months old and plays as a goaltender. Jesperi would participate with players in Kasperi's age group (1999-born) because the two brothers were so close in age. Mikael served as an assistant coach in the men's team in 2006 (eventually serving as the head coach of the team's men's team), giving Jesperi and Kasperi unlimited access to the club's facilities.
Kotkaniemi began learning French after being drafted by the Canadiens.
Playing career
Kotkaniemi began his youth with Porin ssät, a hometown club, in 2014. As a 14-year-old at the under-16 level in 2014, he began playing with him. Kotkaniemi made his Liiga debut with ssät on September 9, 2017 — his first professional goal after progressing through the junior ranks and displaying offensive potential. Kotkaniemi, a 17-year-old rookie, had a strong offensive record, scoring ten goals and 29 points in 57 games.
Kotkaniemi was drafted third overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens on June 22, 2018, having been named among the top players by the NHL Central Scouting Service. He was signed to a three-year, entry-level deal after attending the club's development camp on July 2nd, 2018.
Kotkaniemi made his NHL debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 3rd; he received one assist in the loss. He became the first individual born in the year 2000 to play in one of North America's Big Four professional sports leagues. Kotkaniemi scored his first and second NHL goals against the Washington Capitals on November 1, 2018. Mario Tremblay, the second youngest goal scorer in Canadiens history, scored his first goal against the New York Rangers on September 16, 1974. Kotkaniemi scored a second goal in the third period of the same game, tied the score at 4–4 and becoming the youngest player in NHL history not born in North America to score at least twice in one NHL game. In a 5–4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 19, he defeated fellow Finn Patrik Laine, who died at 18 years, 183 days, on a hat trick for the Winnipeg Jets. Kotkaniemi became the third Canadiens player to score 20 points before the age of 19. Kotkaniemi set a new Canadiens record by becoming the first player to score goals in three straight games before the age of 19. In his first season, he had scored 34 points in 79 games.
Kotkaniemi underwent knee surgery to fix a persistent minor injury that had existed during the season. In Montreal's season opener, he scored his first goal of the 2019-2020 season, a 4–3 shootout loss against the Carolina Hurricanes. However, he sustained a concussion in a game against the Colorado Avalanche on December 5, resulting in eight games lost. On February 1, 2020, Kotkaniemi was reassigned to the Laval Rocket, the Canadiens' AHL affiliate.
Kotkaniemi was loaned to ssy until the start of NHL training camp, with the 2020-21 season postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kotkaniemi signed a one-year, $6.1 million contract sheet with the Carolina Hurricanes on August 28, 2021. The Canadiens decided not to match the offer sheet, sending Kotkaniemi to Carolina as compensation, with Montreal receiving their first and third-round picks in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft as compensation. Kotkaniemi was the first NHL player to be able to be acquired via offer sheet after Dustin Penner in 2007. The Kotkaniemi case was similar to an offer sheet that the Canadiens sold Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho two years ago. After offering sheeting Aho, Kotkaniemi's contract with the Hurricanes included a $20 signing bonus, a nodh reference to Aho's number, and Hurricanes management's remark mocked the Canadiens by yelling out statements made against the Canadiens.
The Hurricanes and Kotkaniemi announced an eight-year, $38.5 million dollar increase on March 21, 2022, worth $4.82 million per year. Since the initial contract was signed, Kotkaniemi and Carolina were reported to be inking a long contract worth less than his offer sheet agreement.