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• Hurricanes GM Don Waddell on going the offer sheet route for Jesperi Kotkaniemi: “It certainly was not revenge. We talked about this player, we know this player. We used the CBA, as other teams have in the past, to try to acquire a 21-year-old player. So to us, it was all about the player.” [Canes Country]
• “L’Affaire Kotkaniemi also served as a significant reminder of what a lousy job the Canadiens have done drafting and developing talent.” [Spector’s Hockey]
• Going to Carolina will allow Kotkaniemi get a fresh start. [Montreal Gazette]
• Back and hip surgeries are expected to keep Hurricanes defenseman Jake Gardiner out for the season. [Sportsnet]
• Would Minnesota be a good landing spot for Tomas Hertl? [Zone Coverage]
• Sharks assistant coach Rocky Thompson will not be behind the bench this season as medical reasons prohibit him from taking the COVID-19 vaccine. [NBC Sports Bay Area]
• Matt Bartowski and Brian Boyle will be going to Penguins camp on tryout deals. [Tribune-Review]
• Jaden Lindo, a 2014 Penguins draft pick, is going back to the franchise to oversee their Willie O’Ree Academy program. [NHL.com]
• Previewing the upcoming seasons for the Blackhawks, Coyotes, Lightning, and Maple Leafs. [NBC Sports Edge]
• Dominik Kahun leaves the Oilers to join Swiss side SC Bern on a three-year deal. [Swiss Hockey News]
More NHL news
Can Hurricanes get more out of Kotkaniemi than Habs did? NHL finalizes deal to send players to 2022 Olympics Projecting the 2022 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey roster
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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy
PHT Morning Skate: Waddell on Kotkaniemi offer sheet; Hertl’s future originally appeared on NBCSports.com