Carolina Hurricanes won’t buy out Jesperi Kotkaniemi — here’s why

Carolina Hurricanes will not buy out forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi this summer, sources confirm, despite cap constraints and roster churn elsewhere in the league.

What happened?

The Hurricanes are keeping Kotkaniemi for at least one more season after deciding against a buyout that would have freed up cap space. The 24-year-old center remains under contract for 2026-27 at $4.5 million, a figure that complicates long-term flexibility but doesn’t outweigh his value on the third line.

Why it matters for Carolina Hurricanes

Kotkaniemi slots between Andrei Svechnikov and Martin Necas on the depth chart, giving Rod Brind’Amour a reliable two-way pivot who can kill penalties. The Hurricanes sit 1st in the Eastern Conference with a 53-22 record on a W1 streak, so every roster spot counts as they eye a Stanley Cup repeat.

Cap tight but not desperate

General manager Don Waddell has shown patience before, like when he absorbed Brent Burns’ deal in 2022. Kotkaniemi’s cap hit isn’t crippling—it’s 4.8% of Carolina’s projected ceiling—but every dollar matters when young players like Seth Jarvis and Jalen Neumann need raises. Still, the forward’s playoff experience and penalty-kill prowess make him a luxury the Hurricanes can afford.

What comes next?

Carolina’s offseason focus shifts to re-signing restricted free agents and locking up core defensemen like Jaccob Slavin. Kotkaniemi, meanwhile, will battle for minutes in camp, likely centering the third line again unless a surprise trade shakes up the lineup. The Hurricanes’ next move could come before training camp opens in late September.