Oilers Re-Signing Mid-Season Addition
The Edmonton Oilers continue to add to their forward group as they are bringing back another member of this year’s team. First reported by PuckPedia, the Oilers are re-signing Kasperi Kapanen to a one-year deal at $1.3 million AAV.
With Max Jones in the AHL, this sees the Oilers have $12 million in projected cap space to extend Evan Bouchard and add around the edges. Viktor Arvidsson is also expected to be traded to free up another $4 million.
Kapanen was picked up on waivers this season by Edmonton and got into 57 games, scoring five goals and recording 13 points. He averaged 12 minutes of ice time per game, spent some time on the penalty kill, and recorded 73 hits as well. Later in the season he was a regular linemate for Leon Draisaitl in the top-6 and formed some good chemistry with the German superstar.
It has been a tough task to find the right wingers for Draisaitl, but three options have emerged as the best for next season - Vasily Podkolzin, Matthew Savoie, and Kapanen, so it is a great move to keep the speedy and skilled winger around at a cheap price.
While the 28-year-old Kapanen hasn’t exactly lit up the scoresheet over the past number of years due to his role, he has the capability of scoring. He was a productive middle-6 player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, and even the St. Louis Blues from 2018 to 2023.
Kapanen’s career highs in a season are 20 goals and 44 points and the winger has 90 goals and 22 points in 527 career games. For the Oilers in the playoffs, he stepped his game up in a major way, logging 1:30 more ice time per game, scoring three goals and six points in 12 games, and making 43 hits. He is a good depth piece to have that the Oilers can move up and down the lineup.
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