Confirmed with Link: Kapanen re-signs for 2 years at $3.2 million AAV

[Kristopher Letang]

I guess it can’t be worse than last year.

f*** it he’s a Penguin, I’m gonna root for him for at least the first 10 games

 

[Shady Machine]

Yes, but they still didn't break it first. Letang, Malkin, Rakell, and even Archibald/Caggiula/Tokarski were all broken by the Penguins directly. No insiders or leaks.

Kapanen is the exception here. Very curious.....

Lol you’re trying too hard. Go back to DOC is life posts

Feel like it's pretty unlikely we feel like it's a meh deal come the end tho. Either last season was a blip and Hextall just locked up a legit top 6 type guy on the cheap for a couple of years, or he can't recover from that bad season and it's a mistake just giving him a roster place. Some average in between sounds unexpected.

Yeah probably true.

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

Dude I REALLY want to call out the flex on his stick. He cannot control the puck because of it. I think he can keep the shorter stick but using a wet noodle isn't working. I'd love for him to at least test a stiffer flex.

And this is massively common in stuff like tennis/golf. I'm blown away how players are stubborn on certain flexes. He loses the puck so much w/ a noodle 45 flex.

Interesting analogy, even though I've never played hockey. I've beaten tennis players who should have easily handled me but insisted on using racquets with too much flex for their game. They were enamored with the perceived extra power but seemingly oblivious to increased unforced errors and decreased precision and control.

 

[ColePens]

Interesting analogy, even though I've never played hockey. I've beaten tennis players who should have easily handled me but insisted on using racquets with too much flex for their game. They were enamored with the perceived extra power but seemingly oblivious to increased unforced errors and decreased precision and control.

Yes.. you 100% get it. This applies directly to hockey. A low flex stick can rip a f***ing shot. Kessel was a great example of it. He could control the puck.

Kap can't control it. It just pops right off his stick. He loses it. Same thing applies here.

 

[jmelm]

There's a chance he puts it together and ends up being a good player. So at least there's that. I don't think he will, but he has the talent.

I still wish they didn't qualify him. Then you can try to negotiate cheaper. If he walks, oh well. There's plenty of other players signing for less than that who are guaranteed to at least bring something of value to the team even if they don't score a flashy goal once every 3 months like Kap.

You had me at "there's a chance he puts it together".

 

[Power Surge]

I like it.He should put points up in a bottom 6 role and can fill in the top 6 if need be with injuries. Good depth signing

 

[jmelm]

About 2.75 mil more per than I reasonably hoped.

If he can play like he did the year before last, he'll be a nice asset. If he plays like last year, we'll have to dump him for whatever at the deadline.

Fixed.

Unless Hextall has a plan to bring in a different LD, he's kinda stuck with Petts. Can't really run a POJ-Petry or Smith-Petry 2nd pairing.

I wonder if Rutta plays LD at all.

I'd rather play Rutta at RW than Kapanen.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Yes.. you 100% get it. This applies directly to hockey. A low flex stick can rip a f***ing shot. Kessel was a great example of it. He could control the puck.

Kap can't control it. It just pops right off his stick. He loses it. Same thing applies here.

What I don't understand is why players insist on sticking with that kind of flex. Is being able to fire the puck 5 or so extra mph worth it when you can't cleanly receive 80% of the passes sent your way?

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Okay, he's still here, use him on the PK now.

 

[jmelm]

horrible deal. I wanted him traded badly :-(

Don't lose hope man. I'm sitting in the bathtub right now holding the toaster and waiting for the trade.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Okay, he's still here, use him on the PK now.

Hahaha you so funny. What next? Suggest Sullivan not play Carter 18+ minutes per night in all situations?

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Don't lose hope man. I'm sitting in the bathtub right now holding the toaster and waiting for the trade.

Kap+DOC for a 3rd

 

[jmelm]

Kap+DOC for a 3rd

Yeah that makes sense....we signed Kapanen just so he could be the sweetener we use to dump DOC

 

[molon labe]

Shit contract for a shit player.

Least we can have a consistent whipping boy in the lineup who deserves it. 3.2M for a guy who will play seven and a half solid games for us next year. GREAT use of money. Here I thought I was going to have to listen to the board lambast Archibald or another nobody making no money. Now we can join together and wonder just why in the hell Kappy is still a Penguin.

 

[Power Surge]

Poehling-Carter-Kapanen for a third line might surprise. A lot of elements here.

 

[Ugene Magic]

You don't sign a guy and then trade him right after, and anyways, his upside is far greater than a guy like, McGinn.

 

[wheelz87]

You don't sign a guy and then trade him right after, and anyways, his upside is far greater than a guy like, McGinn.

And his downside is. Completely invisible. Like we saw last year. (We saw his invisibility?)

 

[jmelm]

Poehling-Carter-Kapanen for a third line might surprise. A lot of elements here.

I'd be fine with that if the salary cap was $90+M and we had $10M in cap space.

Maybe.

DOC is life

Agreed.

 

[dogthateats]

This contract begs the question: Why not me?

 

[K Fleur]

This deal means no Simon.

What a waste of an offseason.

 

[Ugene Magic]

And his downside is. Completely invisible. Like we saw last year. (We saw his invisibility?)

For one very misleading season. I don't think one outlier season makes him completely invisible. Trying too hard to be something he's not and be the more blunt instrument he is and take his butt to the net more. Also, he was not used as he was before he got here, and I think this team thought they were getting a more gifted offensive guy than he previously was. We've said this many times, his gifts are not being an above average playmaker. This team does not need him constantly stopping up to hit the late guy. Play him on the PK and make teams respect his speed.

Like PK #1 Carter/Kapanen and #2 Blueger/Archibald with Rust and others chipping in. There's no need to be paying McGinn 2.750 to be a 4th line/PK specialist. I'd add in Blueger to this as well, some people think he's some spawn of Staal/Bonino. (did someone really say 45/50 points with better wingers?) Are they giving him Jake and Rust? Obviously, certainly not, but who'd be the line driver?

Even before Heinen wasn't signed, had it been.... Heinen, Blueger and Kapanen, there is not a set driver on that line, and I'd expect a lot has to do with individual efforts moreso than Blueger ever being a driving force.

Kapanen is barely a 40/50 guy and so is Heinen. If you expect 40/50 out of Blueger you'd most definitely need to put a higher end winger on his line where he'll sponge off him.

That's where the Blueger overrating is. People take what he does and compute that to being better offensively with better wingers.

 

[jmelm]

I guess it can’t be worse than last year.

I guess this is the genius strategy the team is using for next season!

And his downside is. Completely invisible. Like we saw last year. (We saw his invisibility?)

Yeah, as much as I'd like to move McGinn, bad-Kapanen is worse than bad-McGinn.

 

[Andy99]

I guess it can’t be worse than last year.

f*** it he’s a Penguin, I’m gonna root for him for at least the first 10 games

it depends…does his shooting % go back up to 16 or more? If not, he’s a waste of ice lol…

 

[Zirakzigil]

This deal means no Simon.

What a waste of an offseason.

If this deal means I dont have to see Simon or ZAR in a Pens uniform ever again, its the best deal of the summer.

 

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

Could've easily been replaced with Zohorna for approximately 2.5M less. Unless Kappy gets traded, this makes absolutely no sense.