The Toronto Maple Leafs are sending Kasperi Kapanen back to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the organization that drafted him. As Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported a few weeks ago, the teams eliminated from postseason contention can already complete trades without waiting on the playoffs to finish. The Maple Leafs will send Kapanen, Jesper Lindgren and Pontus Aberg to Pittsburgh, while receiving the Penguins’ 2020 first-round pick (15th overall), Evan Rodrigues, Filip Hallander and David Warsofsky.
It wasn’t so long ago that Kapanen was a budding young first-round pick in the Penguins organization. Selected 22nd overall in 2014, he was actually Pittsburgh GM Jim Rutherford’s first draft pick with the organization after coming over from the Carolina Hurricanes. Rutherford knew the name well, given Kapanen’s father Sami played for both Hartford and Carolina under the executive. The younger Finn was traded just a year later when the Penguins acquired Phil Kessel from the Maple Leafs, where he has blossomed into a strong middle-six winger.
Kapanen’s best attribute is his speed, which he uses routinely on the penalty kill to create shorthanded chances for himself and his teammates. Over the last two seasons, he’s totaled 33 goals and 80 points in 157 games but hasn’t quite been able to develop into the top-line player that some imagined when he was dominating the minor leagues.
For the Maple Leafs, this deal is all about balancing their roster. The team has so much salary tied up in their forward group, they needed to move some of it out in order to address the defense. In the meantime though, they’ll restock their prospect capital with a first-round pick (remember, the Maple Leafs didn’t have one this year because of the Patrick Marleau trade) and Hallander, who was one of the Penguins’ top prospects. The 20-year old center has played the last two seasons in the SHL, recording 35 points in 72 games.
While the Maple Leafs say goodbye to Kapanen’s $3.2MM cap hit, the Penguins will gladly welcome it into the mix for the next few seasons. The 24-year old is under contract through the 2021-22 campaign and will still only be a restricted free agent at the expiry of his current deal. His speed and goal-scoring ability will give the team a dimension they have had success with in the past with players like Carl Hagelin, but also gives them some more youth to build around.
As for the rest of the deal, Aberg and Warsofsky both spent the year in the minor leagues and are unlikely to have huge impacts on their new teams. The former is a restricted free agent and coming off a $700K cap hit, while the latter is signed for that amount through 2020-21. Rodrigues perhaps brings the most intrigue, but appears destined to go unqualified this fall. His current cap hit of $2M means the Maple Leafs would have to extend him the same amount in a qualifying offer to retain his rights, something that doesn’t seem justified after he recorded just 6 goals and 10 points in 45 games this season.
wow
First best reply there was by “NHL News” w/”For Jack Johnson?”! Leafs fans better hope it will be for some cap relief & at least a decent prospect/young player. Johnson doesn’t have any NMC/NTC tag on CapFriendly, so maybe fingernail chewing could be in order in the GTA…
Leafs get analytics darling Johnson in return
Murray + maybe?
Rodrigues lol
Jim Rutherford wyd
Rutherford clearly nauseated at the idea of using/keeping a 1st round pick.
I don’t dislike the trade but I do find the timing odd, why now? This is the equivalent of a May 1st trade.
I was hoping that a Murray for Kapanen deal could be worked out, and use the pick on something else, but…guess not. Or a Murray, Rust, #15 for Nylander and Andersen deal, but…guess not.
Guentzel Crosby Rust
Zucker Malkin Kapanen
Those are solid lines that fit Sully’s style.
your trade proposals are bonkers dude
You should see my fantasy hockey offers…
I can’t believe this deal they were gifted a mid round pick in one of the deepest drafts in recent memory and they trade it for a good third liner?
What good does the draft pick do if he can’t play until Sid and Geno are eating oatmeal? Jimmy was always going to trade this pick.
Also, third liner playing behind Marner and Nylander. He put up good numbers playing with Matthews during the Nylander holdout when given a bigger role.
I would have offered Murray, Rust and #15 for Nylander, but…if that’s off the table, I like Kapanen. Adds a lot of what the Pens need.
Maybe thats the problem if “they were always” going to trade the pick. Reminds me of the Kings getting their first lottery pick in years and trading it for Lucic. Kap is better than Lucic but the upside is not as high as hitting on the Pens highest pick in years. Pittsburgh is going to fall off a cliff in 2-3 years.
Yes, we are. And then we’ll get a few years worth of top picks. Kind of our thing.
We don’t have our pick next year and Sid and Geno are still good. Going for it is the only move.
I’m sure JR never wanted to part with KK in the Kessel deal, so he got back his original 1st round pick. All about trying to win while Crosby and Malkin are around.
Rutherford is a horrible gm
Time for JR to hit the senior center
@steelshu – He’s liable to go in there, thoroughly masked, then trade all of the seniors for two bags of pucks & some dirt! “None of you can backcheck your butts out of a wet paper bag!” ;)
I dunno… an aging roster, no cap space, a horrible farm and getting swept two straight years in the first round of the playoffs. Sounds like the time to go all in!
Sh*t’s about to get real for them. For a pretty long time.
Does that wet paper bag come with holes in it , I have a feeling some players especially on Defense , on Toronto will be moving on a get some of that salary by taking a few contracts off the books , and Possibly signing Pietrangelo ?????? Stay safe if you are in any of the Gulf States , with Hurricane Laura coming in next 24 Hours ? Take Care , Stay Safe
The downfall of Crosby and Pittsburgh….ahhh….
That was an absolute steal for Pittsburgh. I’m stunned Toronto made this deal just for cap space.
Rutherford has a phobia of drafting in the 1st round.