Jesperi Kotkaniemi — Stats & Advanced Analytics

Jesperi Kotkaniemi is an NHL center for the Carolina Hurricanes. In the 2025-26 season Jesperi Kotkaniemi has 2 goals, 7 assists and 9 points in 42 games, worth 0.4 Goals Above Replacement.

Player Overview

Jesperi Kotkaniemi, a former high draft pick, has played eight NHL seasons as a center, appearing in 518 career games. While he has accumulated 78 goals and 125 assists, his peak GAR of 7.4 occurred in his rookie season, indicating a strong start that hasn't been consistently matched.

His current season has seen him record 2 goals and 7 assists in 42 games, with a GAR of -1.0. Contributions on the power play have been minimal.

Player Profile

PositionCenter
TeamCarolina Hurricanes
Shoots / CatchesL
Height6'3"
Weight212 lb
Draft2018 — Round 1, Pick 3 — MTL

2025-26 Season Stats

GPGAP+/-PIMShotsS%TOI/GPCF%xGGame ScoreGARWAR
42279+38424.8%11:2156.4%4.50.20.40.07

GAR Component Breakdown

Even-Strength OffenseEven-Strength DefensePower-Play OffenseShorthanded Defense
+0.5+0.0-0.1-0.0

League percentile rank: points 17th, GAR 28th, WAR 28th (100th = league leader).

Career by Season (Regular Season)

SeasonGPGAPGAR
2025-26422790.4
2024-25781221333.7
2023-24791215274.7
2022-23821825434.8
2021-22661217296.6
2020-2156515203.2
2019-20366282.1
2018-19791123349.1

Analysis

In the 2025-26 season Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been worth 0.4 Goals Above Replacement, which ranks in the 28th percentile leaguewide.

His value is driven primarily by even-strength offense (+0.5 GAR), while his power-play offense grades below replacement (-0.1).

Across 8 tracked seasons his GAR peaked at 9.1 in 2018-19.

All figures are model outputs from Hockey Alchemy. Learn how the value metrics are built on the methodology page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Jesperi Kotkaniemi's GAR this season?

Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been worth 0.4 Goals Above Replacement (GAR) in the 2025-26 season, in the 28th percentile of NHL players.

What is Jesperi Kotkaniemi's WAR this season?

Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been worth about 0.1 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in the 2025-26 season, in the 28th percentile of NHL players. WAR converts GAR to wins at roughly 5.57 goals per win.

How many points does Jesperi Kotkaniemi have this season?

Jesperi Kotkaniemi has 2 goals and 7 assists for 9 points in 42 games this season.

Is Jesperi Kotkaniemi a good center?

Jesperi Kotkaniemi ranks in the 28th percentile among NHL skaters by GAR (0.4) in the 2025-26 season.

What is Jesperi Kotkaniemi's career GAR?

Across 8 NHL seasons tracked by Hockey Alchemy, Jesperi Kotkaniemi has accumulated 34.6 career GAR and 203 points.

When was Jesperi Kotkaniemi drafted?

Jesperi Kotkaniemi was drafted in 2018 — Round 1, Pick 3 — MTL.