The Edmonton Oilers made a significant roster move yesterday by claiming Kasperi Kapanen on waivers, a former first round draft pick who will immediately enter the NHL lineup.
Kapanen could play his first game on the Oilers on any line because the team is so affected by injuries, but long term, Kapanen would be a great fit for the third line.
The Oilers are currently missing Victor Arvidsson with a prolonged undisclosed injury, and just last night, the team lost Zach Hyman to an injury as well.
Kapanen will be joining the Oilers for his debut this Thursday in Edmonton against the Minnesota Wild.
Assuming both Arvidsson and Hyman are unavailable next game, it makes sense that Kapanen could be deployed in the top six alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, at least to start.
The Oilers were desperate for a win in Ottawa, and Coach Knoblauch turned to reuniting McDavid and Draisaitl. Even if that continues, Kapanen would likely play the second line.
When Arvidsson and Hyman return, Kapanen could add some much needed speed and potentially offence to the Oilers third or fourth line. Last year, Janmark and Brown combined for just 8 goals all year.
If Kapanen plays up to his highest potential of the 20 goal scorer he was with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he should be awarded the extra ice time of third line minutes over the long term.
However, there's a reason Kapanen was on waivers. A Finnish news source perfectly explained that Kapanen has lost his spark over his career, and could be in his last NHL stint if he doesn't impress in Edmonton.
Kapanen hasn't scored more than 13 goals since the 2019-20 season now, and last year, he was barely noticeable with 6 goals and 22 points in 73 games.
The Oilers bottom six is looking a bit strange right now with Jeff Skinner on the fourth line, seemingly in the doghouse with Coach Knoblauch. Hopefully that changes soon, because his sorely needed offensive talent is being wasted on the fourth line.
The St. Louis Blues gave up on Kapanen after only 10 games this season where he scored only 1 point. We'll see how long he has in Edmonton before they decide if he's still an NHL level talent.
