2. Kasperi Kapanen – 23 years old – RW
Contract – $3.2M signed through the 2021-22 season (Stats from CapFriendly.com)
2019-20 stats – 69 GP – 13 G – 23 A – 36 PTS – CF% of 51.63% (Stats from NaturalStatTrick.com)
At my number two spot I have Kasperi Kapanen.
Now do I think Kasperi Kapanen could get traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs?
Yes and no for multiple reasons. For starters I have him on this list at number two on this list because I don’t think the Maple Leafs would want to part ways with a player of his capability but it defiantly still is possible they could trade him for a good return.
The fact is that, as good as Kapanen is, he is never going to play ahead of William Nylander or Mitch Marner on the right side of the Toronto Maple Leafs top two lines.
As a third line winger making over $3 million, he’s likely to be traded.
Kapanen brings a whole other element to his game unlike Johnsson, and Kerfoot. Yes Kapanen could easily fetch more in a trade rather than Johnsson and Kerfoot but if you lose a guy like Kapanen you lose his speed, his grit even though he isn’t the biggest guy on the ice, and you also lose his penalty kill specialty.
However I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets traded because the Toronto Maple Leafs have a ton of natural right wingers so losing one more wouldn’t hurt rather than losing one more left winger which they are short on.
Shipping out Kapanen could defiantly fill the need of a top 4 D the team desperately needs to play with Rielly on that top pair.