Kasperi Kapanen

Kasperi Kapanen
Kapanen during the 2017 NHL playoffs
Born (1996-07-23) 23 July 1996
Kuopio, Finland
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shoots Right
NHL team
Former teams		 Toronto Maple Leafs
KalPa
National team  Finland
NHL Draft 22nd overall, 2014
Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career 2013–present

Kasperi Kapanen (born 23 July 1996) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He made his Liiga debut playing with KalPa during the 2012–13 SM-liiga season.[1] Kapanen was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

On 12 January 2013, Kapanen played alongside his father Sami Kapanen in a SM-liiga game.[2]

Playing career

Junior

Prior to the NHL lockout in 2004 Sami Kapanen was part of a group that purchased his original junior team KalPa. Having owned the team since,[3] it was no surprise when his son Kasperi made his Bantam debut with KalPa's Under-16, Jr. C SM-Sarja affiliate. The younger Kapanen led the team in goals and was second in points[4] though failed to help them win their playoff qualifier.[5] The following year, as a 15-year-old, Kasperi spent only 8 games on the U16 squad (scoring 16 points in the process) before graduating to KalPa U18 in the Jr. B SM-Sarja level. Kapanen continued his torrid scoring with 24 points in 25 games, finishing second in both goals (13) and points.[6] his third season in Finland's junior system saw more of the same as he swiftly advanced to KalPa U20 in the Jr. A SM-Liiga and posted 29 points in 36 games, again leading the team in goals (14) and finishing fourth in points. During the 2012–13 season he also spent 13 games with KalPa in SM-Liiga, Finland's top professional league, playing alongside his father. At the end of the year Kapanen was selected to play for the Finish National Team on their World Under-18 team in 2013. Kapanen led Finland in goals and was second in points[7] as he helped the team to a bronze medal finish.[8]

Entering his draft year as one of the top European prospects,[9] Kapanen spent most of the season with KalPa, playing against seasoned professionals and still managed to score 7 goals in 47 games for a team that finished dead-last in the league.[10] Kapanen was expected to be an impact player for Finland at the 2014 World Junior Championship but was injured in the last practice before the tournament began and was unable to play a single game.[11] The lost opportunity did not, however, affect Kapanen's draft stock as he finished atop both the midseason and final Central Scouting rankings.[12] With KalPa and its Under-20 affiliate both out of the playoffs, Kapanen was sent to KalPa U18 for the end of their season and aided the Jr. B SM-Sarja team in its 3rd-place finish. Kapanen tied for the team lead in playoff goals (6) despite playing in only 4 games.[13] Kapanen found himself on Finland's Under-18 team for a second consecutive year, but the results weren't as encouraging as he managed only 2 points in 5 games as Finland was drubbed out of the quarterfinal round following a 10–0 loss to arch-rival Sweden.[14]

Despite being ranked as the 10th, 13th, and 18th-best overall prospect by several organizations[15] Kapanen had to wait until the 22nd overall selection before hearing his name called, making him the second consecutive Finn taken in the first round by Pittsburgh. Jim Rutherford, the Penguins's general manager, had also drafted Kasperi's father when he was GM of the Hartford Whalers in 1995. On 11 July 2014, Kapanen was signed to a three-year entry-level contract with the Penguins.[16]

On 1 July 2015, Kapanen was traded by the Penguins to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a blockbuster, multi-player deal for Phil Kessel.[17]

At the 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, Kapanen scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Russia to win the gold medal.

Professional

Kapanen began the 2015–16 season with the Maple Leafs AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. As the youngest player in the league, Kapenen played well in his role on a deep Marlies team that would finish first in league standings. He made his NHL debut on 29 February 2016, against the Tampa Bay Lightning as part of a night where four players would make their debut, including William Nylander.[18] Kapanen would play nine games for the struggling Maple Leafs, recording no points before being returned to the Marlies for a playoff run. Despite finishing as the top seed and being considered one of the best AHL teams to ever take the ice, the Marlies were eliminated in the Conference Finals by the Hershey Bears.

2016–17

Kapanen (top-left) during a face-off against the Washington Capitals in the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Kapanen returned to the Marlies the following season and quickly became one of their best players. Despite periods of injury, he scored at a pace of a point-a-game before an injury to Maple Leafs forward Nikita Soshnikov resulted in Kapanen being recalled to the Maple Leafs late in the season. Kapanen took a role on the fourth line alongside Brian Boyle and Matt Martin, playing well in limited minutes. He scored his first NHL goal on 8 April 2017 against the Pittsburgh Penguins - the team that initially drafted him.[19] The goal was a vital one in a game that saw the team clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2013, a remarkable feat considering the Maple Leafs finished last in the entire league the previous season. A week later he scored with 8:07 left in double overtime in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals as his Leafs beat the Washington Capitals 4-3 to tie the series at one game all.[20] The Leafs ended up losing the series in 6 games.

2017–18

Kapanen was sent down to the Marlies to begin the 2017–18 season but was recalled on 28 October 2017, after playing 6 games for the Marlies.[21] He was sent back down to the Marlies on 7 November 2017, only to be recalled again on December 12.[22] Kapanen had been selected for the 2018 AHL All-Star Game but was replaced by Andreas Johnsson.[23] Kapanen recorded his first and only goal of the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs in Game 7 against the Boston Bruins,[24] becoming the youngest player in NHL history to score a shorthanded goal in Game 7.[25] The Leafs ended up losing the series 3–4.[26] Following the Leafs defeat, Kapanen joined Team Finland at the 2018 IIHF World Championship.[27]

Personal life

Despite being born in and playing for Kuopio, Kapanen considers himself a Philadelphia native, having spent much of his formative years in the city while his father was playing for the Flyers.[28] Kapanen also lived in Farmington, Connecticut near Hartford and the Research Triangle region of North Carolina, prior to his father's trade from the Whalers/Hurricanes franchise.

Kasperi spent parts of the 2012–13 and 2013–14 seasons playing with his father for KalPa Kuopio in the SM-Liiga.[29][30]

Career statistics

Regular season and Playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2010–11 KalPa Jr. C 261482210 —————
2011–12 KalPa Jr. C 211210 447110
2011–12 KalPa Jr. B 251311246 20000
2012–13 KalPa Jr. B 33360 —————
2012–13 KalPa Jr. A 3614152916 —————
2012–13 KalPa SM-l 134042 40112
2013–14 KalPa Jr. B 25160 46172
2013–14 KalPa Liiga 47771410 —————
2014–15 KalPa Liiga 4111102114 60332
2014–15 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 41120 73250
2015–16 Toronto Marlies AHL 44916258 143582
2015–16 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 9 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
2016–17 Toronto Marlies AHL 43 18 25 43 16 9 2 6 8 8
2016–17 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 8 1 0 1 0 6 2 0 2 0
2017–18 Toronto Marlies AHL 28 12 12 24 12 — — — — —
2017–18 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 38 7 2 9 4 7 1 0 1 0
Liiga totals 108 22 17 39 26 10 0 4 4 4
NHL totals 55 8 2 10 6 13 3 0 3 0
Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing  Finland
World U18 Championship
2013 Sochi
World U20 Championship
2016 Helsinki

International

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2013 Finland WHC17 7th 5 3 6 9 4
2013 Finland WJC18 3rd, bronze medalist(s) 75384
2014 Finland WJC18 6th 51120
2015 Finland WJC 7th 51010
2016 Finland WJC 1st, gold medalist(s) 72352
2018 Finland WC 5th 8 3 0 3 0
Junior totals 29 12 13 25 10
Senior totals 8 3 0 3 0

References

  1. ↑ "2012–13 KalPa player statistics". Eliteprospects.com. 2013-04-15. Retrieved 2013-04-15.
  2. ↑ Sami Kapanen’s new teammate is his 16-year-old son, making us all feel ancient | Puck Daddy – Yahoo Sports
  3. ↑ "Sami Kapanen". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  4. ↑ "KalPa U16 2010–11". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  5. ↑ "Jr. C SM-Sarja 2010–11". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  6. ↑ "KalPa U18 2011–12". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  7. ↑ "Finland U18 2013". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  8. ↑ "2012–13 IIHF World Under-18 Championship". IIHF. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  9. ↑ "Kasperi Kapanen Draft Profile". NHL.com. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  10. ↑ "SM-Liiga 2013–14". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  11. ↑ "Top prospect Kapanen out of WJC with injury". NHL.com. 2013-12-21. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  12. ↑ "2014 Draft Prospects – European Skaters". NHL.com. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  13. ↑ "KalPa U18 2013–14". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  14. ↑ "2013–14 IIHF World Under-18 Statistics". IIHF. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  15. ↑ "Meet Pittsburgh's 2014 NHL Draft Class". Pittsburgh Penguins. 2014-06-28. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  16. ↑ "Pittsburgh Penguins sign forward Kasperi Kapanen to entry-level deal". Pittsburgh Penguins. 2014-07-11. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
  17. ↑ "Leafs trade Phil Kessel to Penguins in multi-player deal". NESN. 2015-07-01. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
  18. ↑ Brophy, Mike (29 February 2016). "Johnson leads Lightning to seventh straight win". NHL.com. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  19. ↑ Proteau, Adam (8 April 2017). "Five Takeaways - Leafs vs. Penguins - 04/08/17". NHL.com. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  20. ↑ "Kapanen seals double OT win for Maple Leafs over Capitals". sportsnet.ca. 15 April 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  21. ↑ The Canadian Press (28 October 2017). "Maple Leafs recall Kasperi Kapanen from Marlies". CBC.ca. CBC News. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  22. ↑ "Maple Leafs Recall Kasperi Kapanen". NHL.com. Toronto Maple Leafs. 12 December 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  23. ↑ "Andreas Johnsson Named to the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic". marlies.ca. 27 January 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  24. ↑ Schuller, Rudi (April 25, 2018). "NHL playoffs 2018: Leafs' Kapanen outhustles Marchand to score must-see Game 7 goal". sportingnews.com. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  25. ↑ @PR_NHL (25 April 2018). "Kasperi Kapanen (21 years, 276 days) of the @MapleLeafs is the youngest player in NHL history to score a shorthanded goal in a #Game7, eclipsing the mark set by Kris Draper (22 years, 341 days) in the 1994 Conference Quarterfinals vs. SJS (w/ DET). #NHLStats #TORvsBOS #StanleyCup" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  26. ↑ Clipperton, Joshua (April 26, 2018). "Bruins end Leafs' season with wild Game 7 win". cbc.ca. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  27. ↑ Sachdeva, Sonny (27 April 2018). "Leafs' Kapanen to play at worlds, Dermott and Johnsson to Marlies". sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  28. ↑ "Pens Get Their Guy in Skilled Winger Kapanen". Pittsburgh Penguins. 2014-06-27. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  29. ↑ "KalPa 2012–13 Statistics". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
  30. ↑ "KalPa 2013–14 Statistics". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Olli Määttä		 Pittsburgh Penguins first round draft pick
2014		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
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