Kotkaniemi out a couple weeks after late hit from Eller
Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour announced forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi will miss at least a couple of weeks due to a lower-body injury suffered against the Washington Capitals on Monday, according to team reporter Walt Ruff.
Kotkaniemi took a big hit from Lars Eller in the final seconds of Monday's blowout 6-1 victory.
Here was the hit from Lars Eller at the end of the game on Jesperi Kotkaniemi #LetsGoCanes pic.twitter.com/Y1xLCktGEW
— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) March 29, 2022
Brind'Amour said postgame that Kotkaniemi was "not doing great" and that he would definitely miss some time. Hurricanes forward Martin Necas called out Eller for the useless play, for which he received a two-minute charging minor.
"For me, that's just so stupid. ... It's a 6-1 game, one second left, and he tries to be a hero or whatever," Necas said, according to Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press. "I don't know. I have no words for that. It's just ridiculous."
Kotkaniemi has 11 goals and 15 assists in 63 games this season.