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Toronto Maple Leafs Roundtable: Full of Surprises

By Mike Stephens

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 20: Frederik Gauthier #33 of the Toronto Maple Leafs warms up before facing the St. Louis Blues at the Scotiabank Arena on October 20, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 20: Frederik Gauthier #33 of the Toronto Maple Leafs warms up before facing the St. Louis Blues at the Scotiabank Arena on October 20, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 26: Toronto Maple Leafs Right Wing Kasperi Kapanen (24) skates with the puck during the third period of the NHL regular season game between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 26, 2018, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 26: Toronto Maple Leafs Right Wing Kasperi Kapanen (24) skates with the puck during the third period of the NHL regular season game between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 26, 2018, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Michael Mazzei

When it comes to the biggest surprises, the strong play of Kasperi Kapanen has to be at the top of my list.

During the offseason, a lot of insiders and experts felt that Kapanen had a legitimate shot at making the opening night roster due to his rising stock. I felt the same way and was even anticipating a serviceable campaign from the Finnish forward on the 4th line.

Due to circumstances beyond his control, Kapanen’s stock has risen considerably. Obviously, the William Nylander holdout has played a factor, but so too was the slow start from Tyler Ennis on the top line.

Then there’s the stuff that Kapanen had control over, including his instant chemistry with Auston Matthews that terrorized the league for weeks until the latter got injured. As a result, Kapanen has become one of the Leafs top scorers and all-around strong performers. At the time of writing, he sits 4th on the Leafs in goals (9), 7th in assists (7), and 4th in points (16).

The two-way play, defensive instinct, a flair for the dramatics, and his speed were always there for Kapanen. Now, he is quickly developing his skill, offensive instinct, and play on the special teams, quickly making him a core piece in the Leafs lineup. Kapanen being on the Leafs roster this late into the season is no surprise because it was expected.

What is a pleasant surprise is just how successful he has been in taking full advantage of the opportunity given to him.

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