Edmonton Oilers forward Kasperi Kapanen is among many former Toronto Maple Leafs performing strongly during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and ahead of the Stanley Cup Final, he was asked about his tenure in Toronto.
“Media presence is big there and not always necessarily the best thing, but it does prepare you for the future,” Kapanen told reporters, including TSN’s Mark Masters. “Coming to Edmonton, with it being in Canada, I was used to it. But I think you guys in Toronto, it’s still on another level.”
Kapanen’s tenure with the Maple Leafs was an interesting one. A key piece in a trade that saw the Leafs deal Phil Kessel to the Pittsburgh Penguins, expectations were high for the 22nd pick in the 2014 NHL Draft.
It wasn’t until the 2018-19 season that Kapanen broke out, scoring 20 goals and adding 24 assists in 78 games. Before that, however, he had already scored a significant playoff overtime goal against the Washington Capitals in 2017.
After 2018-19, however, Kapanen’s production with the Leafs not only began to wane, but he was also benched after sleeping in and being late for a practice. Kapanen was dealt back to Pittsburgh in 2020, a move that was partly due to his play but also a means of shedding salary.
After a few seasons with the Penguins, questions about his defensive ability began to permeate, putting his overall reliability into question. His struggles culminated in being placed on waivers in February 2023. Later that year, he was convicted of aggravated DUI in Finland and opened up about his struggles with alcohol.
Report: Kapanen suspected of aggravated drunk drivingST. LOUIS — With training camp less than two weeks away, the last thing the St. Louis Blues want to deal with is an off-ice issue.
The Blues re-signed Kapanen to a one-year, $1 million deal, but he again struggled with the same on-ice issues that have plagued his career. He was placed on waivers and claimed by the Edmonton Oilers. Although he sat out all of Round 1, Kapanen has since been a key contributor, including scoring the overtime Game 5 clinching goal against the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 2. In three games against the Dallas Stars, Kapanen maintained strong forechecking and penalty-kill contributions.
This was very much Kapanen’s last chance to show he belonged in the NHL. When it has mattered the most, he has shown that he can play the way teams need him to for sustained success.
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