The Edmonton Oilers decided to give forward Kasperi Kapanen a fresh start when they claimed him off of waivers from the St. Louis Blues on November 19th, 2024. Since he joined the team, he has scored a goal and added an assist for three points through five games. His offensive production has been solid playing in a top-six role as his confidence rises, and he has continued to show why the Oilers made the right choice picking him up. While the fit with the Blues never really worked, he has found a new home where he can continue building confidence and thriving in an increased role. It also helps when his defensive play has been solid, giving the Oilers a reason to keep him around when everyone is healthy.
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One issue some fans had with claiming Kapanen was his analytics, which looked weak. He didn’t seem to be an attractive asset to bring in considering how they looked, and fans were concerned he wouldn’t be able to snap out of his recent slump with the Blues. While he has been able to snap out of the slump and has showcased his speed while playing well at both ends of the ice, it seems the Oilers have found a diamond in the rough addition.
Kasperi Kapanen, claimed by EDM, is a speedy depth winger with a bit of offensive skill. #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/2dRR5LY5rK
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) November 19, 2024
Kapanen, who is 28 years old, had one goal through 10 games with the Blues before being placed on waivers. He was drafted 22nd overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft after a solid game in the Liiga in Finland where he scored seven goals and added seven assists for 14 points through 47 games. He has played 119 games in the American Hockey League (AHL) where he scored 40 goals and added 54 assists for 94 points which comes out to a 0.79 points-per-game average. Through 474 NHL games, he has scored 86 goals and added 125 assists for 211 points which comes out to a 0.45 points-per-game average.
Kapanen Could Add Scoring Depth to Bottom-Six
The Oilers have been riddled with injuries recently, dealing with several big-name players going down. Zach Hyman and Viktor Arvidsson have missed several games, Darnell Nurse went down with a head injury after a hit from Ryan Reaves that landed him a five-game suspension, Evan Bouchard was dealing with an illness and wasn’t at 100%, and Evander Kane remains out as he continues to recover from several different injuries.
Bringing in Kapanen seemed smart because his cap hit was low and he was a player with NHL experience. If he didn’t work out, he would’ve been back on waivers when everyone was healthy and would’ve likely been sent down to the AHL. However, it seems he could be a legitimate offensive threat that bolsters the Oilers’ scoring depth.
When the Oilers get Hyman and Arvidsson back from injury, Kapanen likely falls down the depth chart. It would be easy to say he could play on the third line alongside Mattias Janmark and Adam Henrique, but with the way he’s been playing, head coach Kris Knoblauch may consider keeping him in the top six. Luckily, having a guy like Kapanen come in and be a difference-maker is exactly what the team needed heading toward Christmas break, and it’s a bonus that he can play anywhere in the lineup.
It’s tough to put any team ahead of the Oilers when they’re fully healthy, especially now with everything seemingly going their way. They had a rough start to the 2024-25 campaign which seemed to be a copy of last season, where they still got to the Stanley Cup Final, so fans weren’t as worried. Kapanen has been a welcomed addition who could be an X-Factor for the Oilers as the season moves along, and he could find a new full-time home in Edmonton if he continues playing at an elite level.
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