Kasperi Kapanen (Aberg/J Lindgren) Traded to Pittsburgh (15OV/Hallander/E Rod/Warf to Toronto)

[Darren McCord]

Pin it to the first page.

to be fair that’s the exact same response to kessel. Even though kessel is a much superior player

 

[Gurglesons]

Most rank him #4, which means he’d be like 7th or 8th in most teams rankings. Not saying it was wise to deal him but yea.

Sundqvist 2.0. He’s cheap 4th line depth that can likely pot 10 goals.

 

[Turin]

Did you see how Malkin played this postseason? He was a ghost.

They're in their mid-30's. If they were nearing 30, I'd be on that boat. Now? Nope.

Malkin was pretty noticeable, but the puck just didn’t go in. I’m not discounting his elite season because of a 5 game series coming off basically an offseason.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Everything in that tweet is true. You were literally saying sign Rodrigues less than 24 hours ago.

This deal is horrendous unless Kapanen explodes in a way nothing in his game has shown.

Yeah, I was saying sign him as a 14th forward and he's a good extra piece to have. That's not a valuable piece. ZAR would be a nice extra forward to have too, but losing him is pretty much losing nothing as well.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I can absolutely see a scenario in which this trade works out as planned...but man, you don't pay for the best case scenario, you pay for what you're getting and Kapanen will need to take his game to a higher level to be worth this package.


I love me my Kuopio connections, but...damn, JR. That's rough asset management for an organization with few moveable assets.

 

[PensandCaps]

Did you see how Malkin played this postseason? He was a ghost.

They're in their mid-30's. If they were nearing 30, I'd be on that boat. Now? Nope.

Malkin wasn't a ghost. His line was pretty good 5v5. Price was stonewalling him.

 

[Gurglesons]

to be fair that’s the exact same response to kessel. Even though kessel is a much superior player

What? No. Kessel was the clear best player in the trade and the pick was expected to be low.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Lol 2 of those assets were nothing.

JR overpaid, but saying "he gave up 4 assets" is dumb. Just say "he gave up a 1st and good prospect".

Whoooa there. Don't you stop referring to Rodrigues as a useful asset now!

 

[Gurglesons]

Yeah, I was saying sign him as a 14th forward and he's a good extra piece to have. That's not a valuable piece. ZAR would be a nice extra forward to have too, but losing him is pretty much losing nothing as well.

Leafs were likely going to give Kapanen away for nothing if we waited.

Typical Rutherford overpaying for an asset he wants rather than waiting for an asset he needs.

 

[ViewsFromThe6ix]

The Leafs won this deal obviously, but I think people are being disingenuous with acting like Kapanen is only a 3rd liner with no space to grow. In Kapanen's 2 years in the NHL, he has produced at ES like a top-6 winger with a 1.90 5v5 points/60. That's good, he immediately slots into the top-6 (probably with Malkin) and is a clear improvement. The Penguins also have a stacked top-6 group now.

I definitely think they overpaid, but let's not pretend the Penguins got a bad player here. Kapanen's going to be a good top-6 forward for them.

Leafs fan here. In 18-19 Kapanen was fantastic, very, very good 2nd line player with elite PK ability and PP2 upside. Had a really rough year last year. Hasn't meshed with Tavares or Matthews at all, and is a north/south player which is why people say his potential is a 3rd liner. If he returns to 18-19 form he's a 2nd liner.

This is both subjective using the eye test, and I know many models loved Kapanen in 18-19.

 

[PensandCaps]

NO HE ISN'T

He is. Metrics are good, has great Speed.

certainly better than ZAR.

 

[ncm7772]

Yeah. I hate this trade. LOATHE it.

Maybe Aburg can channel his inner 2017 SCF G2 goal.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

This Lindgren better be John Marino

if you can bulk him up and teach him the game away from the puck, you might have something. Definitely a project and bit of a long shot, but he's not a bad skater and moves the puck well.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Hallander was top 4 in our pool (personally my #2) but I think he Legare and POJ are all about equal caliber prospects. Imo he was the most projectable/translatable out of those 3. I think he’s Kuhnackl-esque bad case and really effin good best case.

 

[Gurglesons]

One thing I think Kapanen does bring is some bite and size to the top six if he continues to develop.

Whatever. Deal is done. Time to start looking into the positives here.

 

[OswaldBates]

He is. Metrics are good, has great Speed.

certainly better than ZAR.

OHHHHHHHHH Metric Hahahahaha & is a Moron

 

[Darren McCord]

What? No. Kessel was the clear best player in the trade and the pick was expected to be low.

ya and kappy is the best player here as of this moment. I hate giving up hallander. But the jr is all in for two years and doesn’t care at all what comes after. That’s for sure

 

[mrzeigler]

Well, next year is most certainly NOT the year to try and rebuild since Minnesota is getting our first round pick anyways.

The only solace I take from the situation is the fact that the 2021 draft is going to be a clusterf***. I expect that little meaningful hockey will be played this winter, and that will make next year's draft a total crap shoot. Even the "boring, safe pick" route is dangerous because players likely won't have had a chance to truly show what they can do in what traditionally would be their most meaningful year of hockey. I wouldn't be surprised if there are more than the usual number of first-round busts and more late-round steals.

Of course, this all presumes that there will be an NHL. If covid prevents the league from packing arenas with fans for two consecutive years, this league will go bankrupt, and none of this will matter.

 

[Pancakes]

I'd also like to point out that while everyone is (rightfully) down on our playoff performances the past few years, we were still an excellent regular season team this year.

We still have the ability to win another cup. Our chances are as good as anyone's. I firmly believe that. We're not some bubble team that is trading the future away for an unlikely shot at glory. We're a team that had the 7th most points in the entire league this year. 7th highest win percentage as well. One of the very best 8 teams in the league.

If you're in the top 8 teams in the league, you have a chance to win a cup. Shitty playoff performances happen ALL the time to good teams. Look at Calgary. Look at Washington. Look at Tampa. Look at Colorado who has a super bright future and is already good but is down 0-2 to Dallas.

It's damned hard to win the Cup, but we're one of the few teams around who can legitimately say they have a real shot at it. A few bad playoff series doesn't mean we can't win another cup. As long as we're having the regular seasons we've been having, we're positioned as well as anyone to win another one.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I don't really give a shit about anything in this deal other than the 15th overall, Hallander (who I'm not even that high on, but he is one of our best prospects), and Kapanen. Everything else is inconsequential rubbish. E-Rod doesn't matter, but I'd have liked him in the lineup over ZAR. Warsofsky doesn't matter. Lindgren doesn't matter. Aberg doesn't matter.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

There goes Kapanen's healthy career.

 

[Darren McCord]

I think rust or horny gets moved next tbh

 

[Empoleon8771]

I feel like this deal is going to be remembered like the Tanev signing, universally panned as an awful move by JR at the time only for people to fall in love with the player once they see him.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I'm really trying to see Kap thriving in this team's top six but I'm just not able to convince myself. He had some great kicks at the can in Toronto with some awfully talented players and just never looked the part.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

mean... I GUESS at least Dubas didn't find a way to unload Ceci on JR. Yet.

Don’t worry, JR can sign Ceci in the off season for free! JJ-CC the bottom pairing for the rest of the window and JR can cry about people being mean to both of them.