The Winnipeg Jets announced they have signed forward Rasmus Kupari to a one-year deal paying him $1 million per season. Kupari posted a career high 15 points in 66 games with the Los Angeles Kings last season, and did so in a minor role, only averaging an ice time of 10:06 per game.
It is expected that Kupari will be battling with fellow youngster David Gustafsson for the fourth-line center spot, though he could prove himself worthy of a bigger role, and has a great opportunity to do so in Winnipeg.
Kupari is a defense-first center, which is something the Jets need a balance of on their team. He was acquired in the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade that brought Alex Iafallo and Gabe Vilardi along with him. These are all strong defensive players, and with Kupari being the only center brought back, he could challenge for any spot in the bottom three lines of the roster.
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At just 23 years old, Kupari still has room to break into the NHL in a more prominent role. He has had solid production in the American Hockey League, but that has yet to translate to the NHL. Kupari scored a 1.35 points per 60 minutes on the Kings, which would place him at a similar pace as Morgan Barron, who finished the season with 1.36 points per 60. Having Kupari as an option for strong defensive depth is an important factor in acquiring the player, but there is still offensive upside if he is put in a position to succeed. The Jets have a very strong group of wingers, and if Kupari can play with two good players on his line and get more ice time, he could be poised for a breakout year and post 30-plus points.
Kupari Can Challenge for Bigger Role
The Jets’ forward group is built on the wings right now. Behind their number one center Mark Scheifele, they have very poor center depth. Adam Lowry is a solid third-line center on any team, though some may prefer him on the fourth line, and as of now, Vladislav Namestnikov is slotted in on the second line. There is no reason to think that Kupari can’t have a strong training camp and preseason and challenge Namestnikov for that slot. There are plenty of young, talented centermen in the Jets’ prospect pool, so Kupari needs have a good year or his job could be in jeopardy once the prospects develop more.
Kupari has a chance to slide up the lineup and play with two of Iafallo, Vilardi, Nikolaj Ehlers or Kyle Connor. If he can work his way into that position, he is destined for a great year, and he is a player a coach like Rick Bowness likes.
In a more likely scenario, Kupari will play on the fourth line, possibly with Morgan Barron and Mason Appleton. That is a good line, especially for a fourth line. The Jets’ fourth line was averaging 10-12 minutes per game last season, which is where Kupari is most comfortable. It would be more than likely to see him replicate last season on the Jets, and still end up with a few more points than the year prior. Either way, no matter where he ends up in the Jets’ lineup, he is a positive asset.
