Penguins A to Z: Kasperi Kapanen found what he's been looking for

With the Penguins in the midst of their offseason, the Tribune-Review is looking at all 48 players currently under NHL contracts to the organization in alphabetical order, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to top-six winger Jason Zucker.

Kasperi Kapanen

Position: Right winger

Shoots: Right

Age: 24

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 194 pounds

2020-21 NHL statistics: 40 games, 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists)

Contract: Second year of a three-year contract with a salary cap hit of $3.2 million. Pending restricted free agent in 2022.

(Note: According to Cap Friendly, Kapanen is eligible for arbitration.)

Acquired: Trade, Aug. 25, 2020

2020-21 season: If the Penguins needed to be shown how much the pandemic would impact the 2020-21 campaign, they got a pretty blunt example in Kasperi Kapanen.

A former first-round pick (No. 22 overall) of the Penguins in 2014 who spent the first five seasons of his NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Kapanen returned to Pittsburgh via trade in hopes of serving as a top-six winger.

In other words, he was easily the Penguins’ most prominent offseason addition.

And they had to wait until he could actually play for them.

Due to a snafu at the federal level, the Finnish-born Kapanen was not able to secure a work visa to enter the U.S. until Jan. 9, well after the start of training camp. And due to the NHL’s covid-19 protocols, Kapanen was forced to quarantine for a week upon his arrival and was not able to play in the Penguins’ first three games.

The Penguins eased Kapanen into the lineup, starting him in a role among their bottom-six forwards to allow him an opportunity to build up his conditioning. In his first game, a 5-4 home win against the Washington Capitals, Kapanen set up the Penguins’ first goal with a zone entry and a shot on net that led to a rebound score by forward Colton Sceviour.

By his third game, he graduated to the team’s second line with Evgeni Malkin and Jason Zucker. And by his fourth game, he scored his first career goal with the Penguins in a 3-2 overtime road loss to the Boston Bruins.

Kapanen eventually was promoted to the top line with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel but that assignment was short-lived, particularly after Kapanen ran afoul of coach Mike Sullivan’s demands and was benched for most of the third period in a 3-2 home win against the New York Islanders on Feb. 20.

After a discussion with Sullivan, Kapanen seemed to have things squared away and responded immediately by scoring the winning goal and recording an assist in a 3-2 road overtime win against the Capitals on Feb. 23.

Kapanen’s season was disrupted again March 24 when he suffered a left foot injury that sidelined him for 13 games. Once healthy, he appeared in the Penguins’ final 10 games of the season and was one of their most productive players during that stretch, helping them claim the East Division title by contributing nine points (four goals, five assists).

In the postseason, Kapanen was limited to three points (one goal, two assists) during six games as the Penguins fell to the Islanders in the first round.

The future: Considering his contract status, his age and other factors, Kapanen appears to have a pretty secure status with the Penguins.

That’s to say he he isn’t likely to be shopped as a trade chip or exposed in next month’s expansion draft this offseason.

The Penguins still have contract control over him for a few more years and he still has a ways to go before he reaches his ceiling. Additionally, he seems to have established quite a bit of chemistry with Malkin. Arguably, Malkin’s best stretch of 2020-21 — when he put together a season-best eight-game scoring streak between March 2 and 15 — was sparked by having Kapanen on his line.

One of the fastest skaters on a franchise branded on speed as much as it’s built on that attribute, Kapanen might be the Penguins’ best player in terms of zone entries. Additionally, he’s blessed with a really sharp release on his wrister. And while he’s far from being a physically imposing presence, he’s not afraid to mix it up on the forecheck and will even drop the gloves from time to time.

Inconsistency appears to be an issue, as evidenced by his mid-season benching and his limited production in the postseason. But that shortcoming isn’t exclusive to Kapanen.

Having failed to establish any kind of prolonged direction during his five seasons with the Maple Leafs, Kapanen was very emotional when speaking about his experience in his first season with the Penguins at the NHL level — as disjointed as it was — during his season-ending media availability last month. He repeatedly referred to his surroundings as “home.”

Seven years after being a first-round pick, Kapanen and the Penguins appear to have each found what they’ve been looking for.

Follow the Penguins all season long.