With Auston Matthews.
In the 14 games that Kapanen didn’t have Matthews he scored 7 points.
No ifs needed. That is just the data. You seem confused by the concept, but the difference is that Kapanen already tested my hypothesis over a 14 game sample size. Whereas your hypothesis of “Babcock won’t give Kapanen PP time but if he got it he would probably be at least Bozak level” has no testing.
Canes don’t have a Matthews and don’t need another 40-50 point winger in exchange for their last major trade chip.
You are right, the data is clear.
Let's play your double-standards games where you pretend that Kappy isn't allowed to have good linemates, but Pesce is.
Kappy without Matthews: 15gms, 5gls, 8pts (82gms, 27gls, 44pts)
Compared to Canes forwards without PP time:
This Year:
Aho: 32gms, 10gls, 24pts (82gms, 26gls, 62pts)
Kappy: 15gms, 5gls, 8pts (82gms, 27gls, 44pts)
Teuvo: 32gms, 2gls, 17pts (82gms, 5gls, 44pts)
Last Year:
Aho: 78gms, 21gls, 49pts (82gms, 22gls, 51pts)
Kappy: 15gms, 5gls, 8pts (82gms, 27gls, 44pts)
Teuvo: 82gms, 18gls, 44pts (82gms, 18gls, 44pts)
Skinner: 82gms, 20gls, 40pts (82gms, 20gls, 40pts)
Williams: 82gms, 14gls, 39pts (82gms, 15gls, 39pts)
So Kappy, even if we pretend that we're only allowed to look at his production without Matthews, is the 2nd best producer on your team....and that's even ignoring the fact that he gets fewer minutes than those guys, and is younger than all of the guys below him there.
And of course, that's not actual reality - in reality, Kappy is producing at a 30gl/55pt pace, with no PP time.
Now getting back to your double-standard - if you think performance with Matthews has to be disqualified when considering how good Kappy is, why don't you also think we should disqualify anything Pesce has done while playing with Slavin?
Because as I've shown you - Kappy is still producing like a 1st liner WITHOUT matthews, but Pesce has been much worse than that without Slavin - he's performed like a bottom pair dman without Slavin.
This would all be a lot be a lot simpler if Toronto just sold their farm for Pietrangelo as Bob McKenzie suggested. That opens St Louis to needing a RHD and the Canes can happily move one of Pesce, Faulk, or Hamilton in a deal for Tarasenko, Schenn, or ROR. 3 much better players and much better fits for the Canes roster as Centers and a true sniper (what Dundon specifically asked for).
Absolutely. Using our chips to trade for a #1 Dman like Pietro is much smarter than using them to trade for struggling depth players.
But, just so you understand this - as a 22yr old in his first chance above the 4th line, Kappy is producing more at even strength this year than any of Tarasenko, Schenn, or ROR ever have in their careers.