Jesperi Kotkaniemi brings the Stanley Cup back to Finland after Carolina’s title run

Jesperi Kotkaniemi spent time with the Stanley Cup in Finland this week, giving fans a rare, personal look at what the trophy’s offseason travels can mean to players who have moved on from the teams that last lifted it. The event also underscored how Carolina Hurricanes’ championship in June has continued to echo across the league, reaching players from multiple franchises.

Kotkaniemi’s connection to the Cup is more than symbolic. The forward was a member of the Montreal Canadiens during their earlier years of development and spotlight, including a long runway of expectations tied to his draft pedigree and role in the lineup. This summer’s Cup visit places him again in the spotlight, this time not as a competitor chasing the final, but as someone who can experience the trophy up close and on his own terms.

The timing of Kotkaniemi’s visit matters because it follows another Canadiens link to the Hurricanes’ title. Nicolas Deslauriers, another former Montreal player, previously got his day with the Stanley Cup roughly 10 days earlier, according to the report. Together, the two moments trace a through-line from Carolina’s championship celebration back to Montreal’s former players, even as both men’s careers have taken different paths since the Hurricanes won Lord Stanley’s mug.

For Kotkaniemi, the Finland setting adds an extra layer. The home-country backdrop turns an offseason photo opportunity into something closer to a cultural event, one that can resonate with younger players and hockey communities that view the Stanley Cup as the sport’s highest prize. In practice, these visits often serve as outreach, keeping the championship’s momentum alive well beyond playoff ice.

The story also highlights a quiet but important part of the NHL offseason. While teams reset for the next training camp, the Cup becomes a traveling centerpiece of the sport’s attention, with past teammates, former players, and family members all finding ways to take part. Those traditions do not change the standings or roster building directly, but they shape how championships are remembered and how players carry the experience forward.

What to watch next is how these Cup moments fit into each player’s immediate offseason plans. Kotkaniemi’s visit is a clear reminder that the 2025-26 postseason story is still being told, even while the league shifts its focus to preparation for the next season. For Hurricanes fans, it is a reminder that the title’s reach does not end with the final buzzer, and for Canadiens supporters, it is another look at how former players continue to intersect with championship history.