Can Hurricanes' Jesperi Kotkaniemi eliminate 'fancy stuff' and claim second-line role?

RALEIGH, N.C.

Hes a good filler, Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod BrindAmour said of Jack Drury following Thursdays practice.

I dont mean that in a negative way; thats a real positive thing.

Now the Hurricanes need to find a way to fill everything Drury does.

Drury underwent hand surgery on Thursday, two days after he blocked a slap shot by San Jose Sharks forward Nico Sturm in the first period of Carolinas 3-2 win over San Jose.

Advertisement While losing Drury who has been centering the second line and playing on both special-teams units is a blow for the Hurricanes, it also presents an opportunity for others to step up.

Particularly Jesperi Kotkaniemi .

Kotkaniemi has been on and off Carolinas second line during the past three seasons, at times thriving and other times struggling.

Its been much of the same this season.

Kotkaniemi was centering Martin Necas and Eric Robinson at practice Thursday, reuniting a line that, according to NaturalStatTrick, has 15 of Carolinas 45 five-on-five goals this season but has played together sparingly the last eight games until Drurys injury.

Obviously, it helps how well Nechy is playing this year and how hot he was at that time, Robinson said of the lines play earlier in the season.

I think we all just have our roles and know what each other are hoping to do and where were going to be.

The longer you play together, the more you learn that and the more chemistry you build.

Necas was the NHL s player of the month for November and entered Fridays home game against the Senators with 43 points, just three behind league-leading Nathan MacKinnon .

Much of Necas success half of his team-leading seven goals and 19 of his points has come on the power play, and his five-on-five production has been modest, except when hes been grouped with Kotkaniemi and Robinson.

I love playing with these two guys, Necas said.

I feel like we created a bit of chemistry there, and we all know how we all are on the line, which is always important just trying to work hard and play in the O-zone a lot, which always makes it easier.

Were back together and just have to keep building on what we started with.

Im excited.

Coming to Carolina has been a box-score windfall for Robinson as well.

Advertisement The 29-year-old is well on his way to a career season.

His eight goals through 28 games have him on pace to nearly double his career high of 12 goals, and his 17 points already are approaching the 27 he had in 2021-22 with Columbus .

Robinson has thrived in BrindAmours system by sticking to his strengths regardless of his linemates.

I dont think I can change anything from my game, Robinson said.

I think I just go play my game, which is straight-line, speed, north speed.

Im on the forecheck trying to disrupt pucks.

Necas and Robinson are both well on their way to career years, but Kotkaniemi has seemingly still not earned BrindAmours full trust.

Hes had a lot of opportunity, BrindAmour said of Kotkaniemi, who went from playing nearly 15 minutes per game in October to just under 12 minutes in four games this month.

You keep throwing him out there, and then at some point, we move things around.

...

But this is a new opportunity, and hes going to have to its not like we have another option do it.

Hes got to be the guy to elevate his game and help the team win.

After he jumped up the lineup following Drurys injury in the comeback against the Sharks, Kotkaniemi was particularly effective in the third period, drawing a penalty by taking punishment at the front of the net and winning three of four faceoffs as the Hurricanes erased San Joses lead.

Its the type of play BrindAmour wants to see from Kotkaniemi.

Hes a big body that needs to play big, too, BrindAmour said.

I think sometimes he tries to do a little too much of the fancy stuff, and its not really his game.

Hes a real good player when hes more direct and lets the other guys do that.

...

Like he did the other night: get to the net, drawing a penalty, just being hard to play against.

I think that thatll help him out.

Advertisement Kotkaniemi is hopeful the reunion with Necas and Robinson will get him back to playing his most effective game.

Sometimes when you play a little less, maybe its confidence a little bit, Kotkaniemi said.

Sometimes it takes a little bit to get that back, and I think I started to get that a little bit back at the end of last game, and Ill just try to build on that again.

If confidence starts with belief, it seems Kotkaniemi is already on the right path, knowing hell be back with Robinson and Necas.

I think just once in a while you get something that clicks really well, he said.

It was kind of easy to know what everyones doing on the line.

Everyone knew their role pretty much, so it was just kind of easy every night to play with those guys, and hopefully we can get back on that.

He and Robinson know the quickest path to success.

Me and Robby tried to work the puck to Nechy, Kotkaniemi said of the key to the lines early-season success.

When someones that hot, you try to feed him and stay out of his way.

Robinson added, Any time hes open and you can get him the puck, you know theres a good chance something positive is going to happen.

Filling the holes made by Drurys injury, however, goes beyond the second line.

He plays all situations, BrindAmour said, He might not be on the first power-play unit, might not be the first guy I throw over on the penalty kill, but hes in all that, and thats really important.

Drury has won 56.4 percent of his faceoffs, best among Carolinas centers, and played 1:39 per game on the leagues third-ranked penalty kill.

Kotkaniemi will need to up his faceoff game (49.6 percent), and Robinson will probably get more short-handed ice time in Drurys absence.

I think penalty killing is something that Ive tried to take on as something I take pride in and implement it in my game, said Robinson, who is averaging 61 seconds of PK time per game.

So any chance I have to jump over the boards on the kill, Ive got to make sure Im dialed in, know my role and make sure we get the kill.

Advertisement Drury has also played 1:11 per game on the teams second power-play unit, and Tyson Jost who was recalled from AHL Chicago and will center the fourth line Friday against Ottawa took his spot at Thursdays practice.

Jost had one goal in seven games with Carolina earlier in the season and has nine points in 14 games with the Wolves.

Some fans were clamoring for hard-luck 2019 first-round pick Ryan Suzuki who leads Chicago with 16 points in 20 games despite having just one goal to get the call-up with Drury out, but BrindAmour said the choice was clear.

He can play all the positions up front, and he can kill and be on the power play, BrindAmour said of Jost, himself the No.

10 overall pick in 2016.

Hes kind of done a little bit of everything.

So especially when a guy Jack goes down, its an easier kind of, OK, theres an NHL guy that can skate and play any of the positions we ask.

Its an easy fit.

BrindAmour said Jost would be with the team full time if they were carrying 13 forwards and has outplayed the other forwards in Chicago to earn the recall.

Ive watched all the games, BrindAmour said.

Hes clearly, when you watch, hes the guy that looks like an NHLer, and these other guys youre not sure of.

The Hurricanes have also sometimes used two defensemen on the second power-play unit, moving Burns from the point to the front of the net and putting Sean Walker up top.

Dont be surprised if that wrinkle gets used on Friday.

Most eyes, however, will be on Kotkaniemi and if he can take advantage of his latest opportunity.

He needs to be impactful, BrindAmour said.

(Photo of Jesperi Kotkaniemi: James Guillory / Imagn Images).

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