Confirmed with Link: Bruins sign F Joonas Kemppainen from Finland

SoldiersOfFilth

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Dec 28, 2013
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http://bruins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=768508

Boston, MA – Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney announced today, May 21, that the club has signed forward Joonas Kemppainen to a one-year, two-way contract worth a cap figure of $700,000 at the NHL level.

The 27-year-old played 59 games for Oulun Kärpät in the Finnish Elite League during the 2014-15 season and recorded 11 goals, 21 assists and a plus-15 rating. In 19 playoff games for Kärpät this year, the forward potted 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points with a plus-14 rating.

Kemppainen also competed in this year’s IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship where he ranked third on the Finnish team in goals (three), second in assists (six) and second in points (nine) in eight games played.

The 6’2’’, 213-pound Kajaani, Finland native has played in the Finnish Elite League from 2006-2015 with Oulun Kärpät, HPK Hameenlinna and Assat Pori. During his nine seasons in Finland, Kemppainen totaled 62 goals and 99 assists for 161 points in 464 regular season games with a combined plus-41 rating. In 65 postseason appearances in the Finnish Elite League, he has accrued 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points with a plus-19 rating.
 

SoldiersOfFilth

Hamildone with Neely
Dec 28, 2013
992
573
Near Olympia
Tuukka has a friend now :laugh:

In all likeliness though, it probably means that Soderberg is gone.

I'm thinking either they make him play wing, or he's 4th line C (since his offensive production isn't super huge, .25 ppg or so).

I'm starting to think our forward depth could actually be pretty good this year

Eriksson (or new wing)-Krejci-Connolly
Marchand-Bergeron-Eriksson (or Smith)
Lucic-Spooner-Pastrnak
(any combination of:) Florek-Ferlin-Kemppainen-Talbot
 

GloryDaze4877

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Jun 27, 2006
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Interesting signing.

I like him better than Talbot already :laugh:

As the blurb says, he was good in the WC's...and led all scorers in the Liiga playoffs. Has size and some scoring ability, gives the B's options.

Unfortunately, it probably does mean Carl is gone. Good thing I didn't buy a jersey :cry:
 

BB88

Registered User
Jan 19, 2015
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Yes, new player and a finn yippii :laugh:

Soda is gone, he'll be a great bottom 6 C for us, yes.

Didn't see this coming but he was a big player for us in the world championships, a great signing. This was a big year for him.

Balanced 4 lines and more youth/skating in our lineup.

Julien has no vets left soon :D
 

Noma

Registered User
Kemppainen is a very good all-around player. He is elite when it comes to defending and also has decent offensive abilities. For a big guy his skating is good and he's not afraid of going to tight spots.

I'm quite sure he'll challenge hard for a roster spot next year and earn it in some point of the season. Point expectations should be set somewhere around 20-30 though with no power-play time expected.
 

DitClapper

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May 15, 2014
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Intrigued to see what happens with Chris Kelly now. Pretty confident this means Carl is done in Boston.
 

ashnathan

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Apr 22, 2014
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Dont want to be a downer and i dont know anything about him but...Euro's aren't really known for their aggressive physical play? Kind of opposite to what Sweeney hinted at yesterday? Or this guy is a hitting fighting machine haha
 

Breezer12

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Jan 4, 2015
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I followed him a bit this season and he was amazing in a line with Donskoi who just signed a deal with San Jose and Julius Junttila. Kemppainen actually tied the record in Liiga for most points in playoffs in one season, he had 24 points. From what I've seen, he's very good defensively. He doesn't have the best hands or the best shot but he's a steady two-way forward who can create chances in the offensive end too.
 

DitClapper

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May 15, 2014
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21976197-kemppainen-joonas.png.600x750_q85_box-98,42,746,852.png
 

ashnathan

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Apr 22, 2014
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Boston has their very own turtle kneck :laugh:

I really hope the NHL never allow sponsors on the team gear...it looks horrible, so do that massive stickers plastered on the helmets
 

7bostonhockey*

Guest
2 way contract
will likely fight for a spot on team or ahl
ho hum
 

urho

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Sep 12, 2008
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Dont want to be a downer and i dont know anything about him but...Euro's aren't really known for their aggressive physical play? Kind of opposite to what Sweeney hinted at yesterday? Or this guy is a hitting fighting machine haha

Finns kinda are. Anyway, Kemppainen sure is a physical player. Not the most active hitter but he throws his body around fairly often and is a beast in board battles. Like I said in another thread, the defensive side of the game is not going to be a problem. He's a late bloomer so don't pay too much attention to his career stats, he does have some offense in his game. Interesting to see if he can make it.
 

Three Dog

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Apr 12, 2015
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Boston has their very own turtle kneck :laugh:

I really hope the NHL never allow sponsors on the team gear...it looks horrible, so do that massive stickers plastered on the helmets

lol. Agreed on both counts.
----------------------------------------

Well, at least this provides some options depth wise. I don't know enough about him to know if hes a legit contender for a roster spot.


Sounds like a few of us were/are anticipating Soderberg being back next year (myself not included). .....(this signing aside) cant see how or why that would happen. ....not a shot at him, it just doesnt make sense to me.

...but that being said, if this guy is coming in on a 2 way contract, and based on the stats listed there, doesnt carry the offensive upside that was reported with soderberg, why do you guys think this means soderberg specifically is gone as a result of this?
 

DoubleAAAA

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Jun 5, 2009
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Dont want to be a downer and i dont know anything about him but...Euro's aren't really known for their aggressive physical play? Kind of opposite to what Sweeney hinted at yesterday? Or this guy is a hitting fighting machine haha

Not for nothing, but NHL history is littered with Finnish players who play with a tremendous amount of edge.
 

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