With the off-season continuing, the Edmonton Oilers' player evaluations keep coming.The last report cardranked John Klingberg, and now we focus on another European athlete,Kasperi Kapanen. Kapanen was selected through waivers from the St. Louis Blues on November 19, bringing much-needed speed to the team's roster. He was initially expected to serve as a backup player, but occasionally made it into the top line, often skating with Leon Draisaitl, his primary teammate.
The Finnish forward scored five goals and accumulated 13 points over 57 games after joining the Oilers. He also netted one goal in 10 games with the Blues prior to being selected. Nevertheless, he finished with a minus-16 rating, which was his lowest plus/minus mark in his career, and had a combined minus-22 across both St. Louis and Edmonton. The 28-year-old added three more goals and six points in 12 playoff games. While he wasn't expected to make a significant impact as a waiver claim, he exceeded expectations and delivered a solid season, particularly in the playoffs. As a result, he signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract extension with the Oilers.
Kapanen’s Overall Grade
Kapanen faced issues with inconsistency during the regular season. He made a significant impact in certain games, yet remained unstoppable for long stretches and was barely involved in many others. The only forward who scored fewer goals while playing at least 50 games wasMattias Janmark. Although he is quick, he doesn't utilize his speed sufficiently to get into optimal positions and create scoring opportunities. The 6-foot-1, 194-pound player recorded 24 high-danger chances with the Oilers and had just 49 shots at 5-on-5.according to Natural Stat Trick. He spent excessive time near the edge. He performed average during the regular season, sohe gets a D+rank. The 2014 first-round selection required more output, particularly when playing alongside Draisaitl in the top six. He's a lower-line player, yet he performed beyond his capabilities.
However, he had a much stronger performance in the playoffs, even with limited ice time. He wasn't part of the starting lineup for the playoffs and didn't make his playoff debut until Game 4 of Round 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights. He made an immediate impact and netted the overtime winner in Game 5, securing their spot in the Western Conference Final. The right wing also found the back of the net twice in Games 4 and 5 against the Dallas Stars, helping Edmonton reach the Stanley Cup Final once again. He averaged 0.5 points per game, which is quite impressive for amid-November waiver claimwith a $1 million salary charge.
In addition to his key moments,he also had a strong physical presence. He recorded 43 hits across his 12 games, averaging 3.5 per game, and brought enthusiasm. Therefore,he gets a B- Regarding his playoff performance, he made a significant impact by scoring a crucial overtime goal, which improved his rating. It was indeed a story of two distinct seasons for the Finnish forward.
Overall, he gets a C+for his contributions. Although he didn't perform exceptionally well during the regular season, he compensated with his performance in the playoffs. He generated unforgettable moments and brought energy to the supporters. It is hoped that he can offer similar results this season, or even better, while playing in a bottom-six position. Nevertheless, he needs to achieve greater consistency during the regular season if he aims to be a permanent member of the team; otherwise, he may be replaced.
Do you concur with this evaluation? What mark would you give Kapanen for his play during the previous season? Continue to watch.The Hockey Writersas we keep reviewing the Oilers' player performance evaluations during the off-season.
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