Kotkaniemi goes to Hurricanes after Canadiens pass on match
MONTREAL (AP) — Jesperi Kotkaniemi is now a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said Saturday the club won’t match Carolina’s one-year, $6.1 million offer for the 21-year-old restricted free agent forward. Montreal will receive first- and third-round picks in the 2022 draft from the Hurricanes. Later, the Canadiens acquired center Christian Dvorak from the Arizona Coyotes for a 2022 first-round draft choice and a 2024 second-round pick. The six-foot-two, 201-pound Kotkaniemi, taken third overall by Montreal in the 2018 draft, had five goals and 15 assists in 56 regular-season games last season.