Former Penguin Finding Success With New Team
A lot of the time, a change of scenery is needed for a player unable to reach his full potential. Sometimes, a change of scenery works, but sometimes, it doesn't. Luckily, a change of scenery is just what the doctor ordered for this former Penguin.
Kapanen Finally Hitting His Stride
A little over seven months after signing a two year, $6.4M extension with the Penguins, Kasperi Kapanen was placed on waivers and claimed by the St. Louis Blues on February 25.
Just five days after being claimed off waivers, Kapanen scored his first goal with the St. Louis Blues in a 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on March 2. Since being claimed from Pittsburgh, Kapanen has scored 7 goals and registered 5 assists. The 2014 first round pick already had 7 goals and 13 assists with Pittsburgh this season.
This, however, isn't the first time the right winger found himself leaving Pittsburgh.
From Pittsburgh to Toronto
Kapanen was traded, along with Scott Harrington, Nick Spaling, and Pittsburgh's 2016 3rd round pick, to the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 11, 2015, in a blockbuster deal that would send current Vegas Golden Knights player Phil Kessel to Pittsburgh. In addition to Kessel, Tyler Biggs and Tim Erixon were also included in Toronto's return.
The move came less than a year after the Penguins signed Kapanen to a three year, entry level contract.
Over the course of the 5 seasons he would spend with the Maple Leafs, Kapanen would register 41 goals and 49 assists in 202 regular season games, as well as 4 goals and 3 assists in 25 playoff games.
Return to Pittsburgh
Just a year into his 3 year, $9.6M contract extension with Toronto, Kapanen was traded back to Pittsburgh in August 2020. The trade also sent Jesper Lindgren and Pontus Aberg to the Penguins, in exchange for David Warsofsky, Filip Hallander and Pittsburgh's first round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
In his second stint with Pittsburgh, Kapanen would tally 29 goals and 53 assists in 162 regular season games, as well as 1 goal and 5 assists in 13 playoff games.
As Read on NHL - Kapanen Claimed by Blues Off Waivers From Penguins
| POLL | ||
Will Kapanen's success with the Blues continue or is he just having a streak of good luck? | ||
| Continued success | 37 | 41.6 % |
| Streak of good luck | 52 | 58.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
