Since the start of the playoffs, it has to be said that the 16 NHL teams are putting on quite a show. While the Habs are out this year after a rather mediocre season, this is not the case for many of the team's former players who are currently participating in the playoffs.
Kotkaniemi, on the other hand, has been on a tear with the Carolina Hurricanes. The former third overall pick in the 2018 draft, has no points in six games and his coach, Rod Brind'Amour, is only using him an average of 12:37 minutes per game. Let's just say that's a far cry from the player who had five goals and eight points in 19 games last year with the Habs.
And bad news for him, he was in a rotation this morning on the Hurricanes' fourth line, which means he could potentially be left out for the most important game of the season.