News Article: Kasperi Kapanen Discussion

[IPS]

Kapanen is a chicken with his head cut off. He just skates really fast in a straight line and has no real hockey sense. He needs to move off that Tavares line. Maybe Moore or Mihkeyev can take his spot until the real MVP comes back

Honestly he's like the winger version of Grabovski.

They'll always have stretches of decent offensive production but ultimately will be held back by their lack of hockey IQ.

 

[inthe6ix]

Keep Kapanen on the 2nd line. That line is too talented to not get it going.

3rd line is clicking right now so there is a good argument to keep Mikheyev on tue 3rd line.

But most importantly, need to keep Mikheyev on the bottom 6 for most the season so his stats dont get inflated. (We nee to sign him on a good deal this offseason)

just my opinion

PS: Nick Robertson looks like a surefire future top 6 forward

We should be icing the best possible team to win and if that means putting Mik on the top line, so be it. I don't care about inflating his stats if he is the best guy and starts generating the numbers to prove it - worry about the economics next off-season and make decisions to win now.

 

[IPS]

We should be icing the best possible team to win and if that means putting Mik on the top line, so be it. I don't care about inflating his stats if he is the best guy and starts generating the numbers to prove it - worry about the economics next off-season and make decisions to win now.

lmao you don't need to worry about "economics" giving those guys a chance in the top-6. Don't listen to those nitwits who don't understand how contract negotiations go down.

Jesus christ it was just last year we inflated Kapanen's numbers up well above what he got paid on his contract despite him being a major beneficiary of Matthews.

Negotiations are a lot more complicated than people think. Do you see Jake Guentzel getting paid as a 76-point, 40 goal scorer?? No, his negotiations led to him being paid as a high-end complimentary winger who has the privilege of playing with Crosby.

Artificially suppressing players production for a cheaper contract is a complete myth. Only leads to useless discussions by nitwits who don't understand. It's mostly used as a proxy defense for Babcock's horrific lineup decision.

 

[Fogelhund]

Kappy is a vulnerable player to the team, but that sky high sh% thatbhe rode last season really distorted some flks views of his abilities.

He and Kerfoot seem a match made in heaven - I look forward to seeing them together eventually

Did you mean valuable? Plus as others have mentioned, his shooting percentage was 11.5% last year. How is that sky high?

He doesn't look as good as a LW, keeps drifting to the right side anyway. Would he work better than Moore on the Kerfoot line? I don't know... at this point, Moore has kind of earned that spot, though over a longer stretch, he probably doesn't continue at a 0.75 ppg pace... but then, Kapanen probably doesn't continue at a 0 pt pace either.

I'm not sure I want to blame the start of the season on Kapanen anyway. You've got two $11 million plus guys on that line. They should be the ones carrying that line, with Kap being the secondary player. Marner has two assists at 5v5 and Tavares 1pt 5v5. Three guys earning $26 million per season on that line, with three points in four games, and the blame goes to Kapanen? Really, they should be strong enough to be carrying him... not depending on Hyman or some other player to get them going. If you go with that story, is Hyman the most valuable guy on that line?

 

[ACC1224]

We should be icing the best possible team to win and if that means putting Mik on the top line, so be it. I don't care about inflating his stats if he is the best guy and starts generating the numbers to prove it - worry about the economics next off-season and make decisions to win now.

He'll get there eventually, he's too good not to be eventually up the lineup.
At the moment though, the 3rd line is going pretty good and the Team is playing pretty well so not the best time for a change.
Future cap will always be in the back of the Teams mind as much as we hate that idea as fans.

 

[PromoterDave]

When Hyman is back I'd play Kapanen with Gauthier

 

[ShaneFalco]

When Hyman is back I'd play Kapanen with Gauthier

Thing he's he'd be a very expensive 4th liner

 

[Menzinger]

Did you mean valuable? Plus as others have mentioned, his shooting percentage was 11.5% last year. How is that sky high?

He doesn't look as good as a LW, keeps drifting to the right side anyway. Would he work better than Moore on the Kerfoot line? I don't know... at this point, Moore has kind of earned that spot, though over a longer stretch, he probably doesn't continue at a 0.75 ppg pace... but then, Kapanen probably doesn't continue at a 0 pt pace either.

I'm not sure I want to blame the start of the season on Kapanen anyway. You've got two $11 million plus guys on that line. They should be the ones carrying that line, with Kap being the secondary player. Marner has two assists at 5v5 and Tavares 1pt 5v5. Three guys earning $26 million per season on that line, with three points in four games, and the blame goes to Kapanen? Really, they should be strong enough to be carrying him... not depending on Hyman or some other player to get them going. If you go with that story, is Hyman the most valuable guy on that line?

A typo on my part.

And I was referring to his first 25-30ish games where he was shooting at like 20-25%. His scoring plummeted during the second half of the season which is why his overall sh% normalized by seasons end.

Personally I think it's a bit amusing that some of the same folks who were claiming he was better than Nylander last year are suddenly wanting him to ship out of town.

If the Leafs can dumb Ceci I can see them maybe using Kapanen as bait to ring in a D man but I've got no issue with him sticking around either. I like the guy

 

[Jmo89]

Honestly he's like the winger version of Grabovski.

They'll always have stretches of decent offensive production but ultimately will be held back by their lack of hockey IQ.

Agreed. I've been a Kapanen fan since we traded for him, but he's being miscast in his role. He would probably excel on the 3rd line playing RW. He's a decent contributer at probably 15-20 goals and is usually a pretty good playoff performer. He had a little chemistry with Matthews and seems to have none with JT and Marner.

That's not an excuse for his linemstes though. The 22M$ men have been underwhelming thus far and need to wake up.

 

[hobarth]

I felt that the Kappy contract and the Johnsson contract were like the Zaitsev contract, awarded due to a single season accomplishment. One season doesn't make a career not should it be the basis to give out such rich/termed contracts.

 

[ImpartialNHLfan]

Kap is fine. He's best suited on the 3rd line but he's able to play up and down the lineup depending on the situation. He's good on the PK, fast as hell, can throw a hit once and a while, and he's clutch in the playoffs. I think people should lay off the guy, he's a versatile player that every winning team needs.

 

[Dreakmur]

Kap is fine. He's best suited on the 3rd line but he's able to play up and down the lineup depending on the situation. He's good on the PK, fast as hell, can throw a hit once and a while, and he's clutch in the playoffs. I think people should lay off the guy, he's a versatile player that every winning team needs.

He's an excellent 3rd liner as a counter-attacker. He's terrible on the PK, despite his speed. He simply doesn't see the game well enough to play structured defense.

 

[ottomaddox]

Take off that blue and white uniform you *.*.*.!!

 

[Stephen]

I felt that the Kappy contract and the Johnsson contract were like the Zaitsev contract, awarded due to a single season accomplishment. One season doesn't make a career not should it be the basis to give out such rich/termed contracts.

They were trying to lock them into cheap deals and hope they keep growing. That’s the calculation anyway.

 

[CreeksideStrangler]

Honestly he's like the winger version of Grabovski.

They'll always have stretches of decent offensive production but ultimately will be held back by their lack of hockey IQ.

Grabi could cycle. kappy cannot

 

[hobarth]

They were trying to lock them into cheap deals and hope they keep growing. That’s the calculation anyway.

Brown managed 20 goals in his first year and was subsequently signed for 2.1 mil. per based off of his first year production. He was traded this summer because even at that low salary he was too expensive, so too might the Kappy and Johnsson deals end up being too much. There is nothing cheap about their contracts and if they end up 3rd liners they are getting too much.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Brown managed 20 goals in his first year and was subsequently signed for 2.1 mil. per based off of his first year production. He was traded this summer because even at that low salary he was too expensive, so too might the Kappy and Johnsson deals end up being too much. There is nothing cheap about their contracts and if they end up 3rd liners they are getting too much.

How much do you think 3rd liners cost?

Yeah, ideally we can cycle Moores and Timashovs through the bottom-6, but if we have to dip into FA to fill a hole we'll be spending the same money on a worse player.

 

[Maple Leaf]

We just need some goons that can skate

 

[Wafflewhipper]

I am biting my tongue as much as possible because it is so many new players and team play is nowhere near what we are used to seeing. Not sure how long i can mute myself cutting loose on multiple players and the coach.

kappy has been struggling hard. Its early sure but juggling the lines and dropping Johnsson and Kappy to the third line with Kerfoot likely is a great idea that would be a top third line league wide.

Mikheyev and Moore can play the left sides on the first two lines while they are still hot and confident. It would force teams to focus on the first two lines predominantly.

I will gripe Babcock right now. He Fu()(ing blows.

If Dubas knows whats good for him he better fire this clown wanna be right away. I think the players can’t stand him and he’s lost the team. Maybe thats just wishful thinking on my part because I can’t stand him.

same old same old that is bland and shows no savvy to in game counter moves. He getting owned by other coaches with lesser teams.

 

[Stephen]

Brown managed 20 goals in his first year and was subsequently signed for 2.1 mil. per based off of his first year production. He was traded this summer because even at that low salary he was too expensive, so too might the Kappy and Johnsson deals end up being too much. There is nothing cheap about their contracts and if they end up 3rd liners they are getting too much.

I don't have any super attachment to Kapanen or Johnsson, so they could very well be cap casualties and I wouldn't blink an eye. But my point is if one of those guys plateaued as a 25-30 goal scorer, $3 million is a nice salary.

 

[hobarth]

I don't have any super attachment to Kapanen or Johnsson, so they could very well be cap casualties and I wouldn't blink an eye. But my point is if one of those guys plateaued as a 25-30 goal scorer, $3 million is a nice salary.

I agree with that but TO is already paying them as if they are 25-30 goal scores at least once in their careers.

Generally I don't have issues with Dubie but the contracts he's handing out are far too high and will/already is, a huge obstacle to TO's ability to compete on a level playing field.

 

[Hustlr]

I agree with that but TO is already paying them as if they are 25-30 goal scores at least once in their careers.

Generally I don't have issues with Dubie but the contracts he's handing out are far too high and will/already is, a huge obstacle to TO's ability to compete on a level playing field.

Disagree. 25-30G scorers get much better than the deals these kids got. We have an abundance of talent and not enough cap, we don’t have a ****load of horrible contracts.

 

[Stephen]

I agree with that but TO is already paying them as if they are 25-30 goal scores at least once in their careers.

Generally I don't have issues with Dubie but the contracts he's handing out are far too high and will/already is, a huge obstacle to TO's ability to compete on a level playing field.

$3 million used to buy you a top six player, but not now. It's basically a 3rd liner's salary or a "show me" contract for a young player.

Our cap structure issues have little to do with these players and more so squarely a Mitch Marner problem. I just can't see how he can live up to an $11 million deal, no matter what he does.

 

[Hustlr]

$3 million used to buy you a top six player, but not now. It's basically a 3rd liner's salary or a "show me" contract for a young player.

Our cap structure issues have little to do with these players and more so squarely a Mitch Marner problem. I just can't see how he can live up to an $11 million deal, no matter what he does.

His overpay is exactly the cap flexibility we could use right now. You know it’s an overpay because no one will @ME

 

[hobarth]

Disagree. 25-30G scorers get much better than the deals these kids got. We have an abundance of talent and not enough cap, we don’t have a ****load of horrible contracts.

In the game we watched last night, Kucherov gets 9.5 mil per, Stamkos makes 8.5 mil. and Point makes 6.75 mil., if they were Leafs with Dubie negotiating they'd be 11 mil. each. Compare our top 3 forwards against theirs as far as compensation, TO pays it's top 3 forwards about 8 mil. more, that 8 mil. used in other places in the lineup might make TO even more competitive or even a true Stanley Cup favourite. TB even has 2.5 mil. left under the Cap ceiling, they even trade decent players proactively to afford their ever increasing payroll and receive 1st round draft choices as compensation, Dubie simply lets TO's players walk.

Consistent 25-30 goal scorers receive better deals. They both should have been signed to prove it contracts in the range of what Brown was earning.