Editor In Leaf
Fansided

Toronto Maple Leafs: Kapanen Makes It; Gets Sent to AHL

By James Tanner

Apr 15, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Kasperi Kapanen (28) celebrates after scoring a goal on Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby (70) in the second period in game two of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 15, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Kasperi Kapanen (28) celebrates after scoring a goal on Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby (70) in the second period in game two of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Kasperi Kapanen finally seems to have become a permanent part of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he’s Back in the AHL!

When the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Kasperi Kapanen from the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of the Phil Kessel trade, no one was sure what to make of him.

I heard he was going to be a great defensive player.  Then I almost immediately heard that he was a kid who could flat out fly, but who’d have trouble without the puck.  Sometimes there’s too many cooks in the kitchen and you don’t know who to trust when you’ve never seen a player personally.

That was how it seemed with kapanen – for some, he became an A-level prospect as soon as the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired him (overrating prospects is, I’m sure, not a phenomenon unique to Leafs Nation) whiles others, seemingly overcompensating for the perceived enthusiasm for anyone the Leafs acquire  said not to expect much.

Even recently I tuned into the radio only to hear Craig Button and friends disparaging him.  They didn’t seem to care that he was a point-per-game player in the AHL, even though that is an excellent indication of a player who can star in the NHL.

More from Editor In Leaf

Then I got to see him in action when the Leafs called him up near the end of the regular season for a game against the Panthers. He’d played some last year, but by that time I was hardly paying attention to the lost season.

I was impressed.  Even though he he only has 1 goal in 17 career NHL games, you can’t judge by that since it’s almost entirely been spent on the fourth line.  This season, including the six playoff games he dressed for, he only ever skated more than 12 minutes once, and that was in a double-ovetime game.

Kasperi Kapanen is FAST

From what I’ve seen, he’s one of the fastest players on the team, and he can grind. He doesn’t look out of place on the fourth line from a checking perspective, and he appears to have no problem going to the net.  Since he skates like he does and seems to play an aggressive game, there is no doubt he’ll be a successful pro.

He probably isn’t going to score 50 goals, but he could score thirty while using his speed and defensive acumen to be a solid possession player. Basically this is a special player.

His playoff performance echos that: 2 goals and a 52.13 CF% rating from the fourth line.  That  is excellent.

Last night, in his return to the AHL (he’s still qualified to play for the Marlies despite playing for the Leafs last week) he picked up a pair of assists in the Toronto win.

This will surely be his last stint in the AHL.  He gives the Toronto Maple Leafs some options because they certainly can’t be wasting him on the fourth line next season.  One idea is to give Nylander his own line, trade Bozak and play Kapanen on Matthews’ wing.

We’ll see.

Home/Maple Leafs News