Everyone has been questioning what the roster will look like come October 9th. Would Pascal Dupuis be ready to go? Was Beau Bennett the answer to who would play with Malkin and Hornqvist? Who would flank Brandon Sutter after the top six was figured out? And maybe the biggest question of all, why didn't general manager Jim Rutherford sign someone like Nikolai Kulemin to skate alongside Geno instead of bringing in guys like Comeau and Downie? The interesting thing is, these were all questions we were asking before camp, and we are still looking for the answer to some of those questions now.
It appears Dupuis will be ready. We have no idea why Evgeni Malkin has yet to hit the ice in training camp. Beau Bennett looked to have answered the question of how he would play and with who before injuring his knee on Friday. We still don't know who will play in the top six after the first four preseason games, but we may be closer to answering why Jim Rutherford did not sign Kulemin or someone like him to play in the top six. The answer, a eighteen year old Finn taken in June's draft, Kasperi Kapanen.
What We Know About Kapanen
Firstly, he is a legacy and mature beyond his age. The last name Kapanen may be familiar to many of you as it should be. Kapanen is the son of former NHLer Sami Kapanen. Sure, there are many kids that have NHL fathers, uncles, grandparents, etc; just look at Brandon Sutter. The good thing about kids of former NHLers is they are not star-struck or intimidated by the situation. They grew up in and around the locker rooms with their dads. They know how pro hockey players are in the NHL and are comfortable around them because they have been in their presence since they were in diapers. Kasperi is no different, he is comfortable and he is not intimidated by the opportunity. He doesn't see Crosby or Malkin and get star-struck. He sees them and is business as usual. This is vitally important for someone an organization is thinking of giving a shot because they are more mature than a normal eighteen year old kid. Kapanen is mature beyond his years and he is not intimidated by the situation.
Next, he has been playing professional hockey for two years. Junior hockey is great, but their is nothing that gets you ready to play in the NHL like playing professional hockey. Kapanen has been playing for his father's Kalpa Kuopio team in the Finnish Elite League for the past two seasons. He was sixteen and seventeen years old playing against full-grown men. That is huge. Were Kapanen's numbers as sexy as a Sam Reinhart's (selected in the top 5 by Buffalo in June)? No, but Reinhart wasn't playing against men either. Kapanen has eleven goals, eighteen points in sixty total games in the FEL, which is impressive for a teenager against full-grown men. That more responsible, higher-level play will benefit Kapanen in making the jump to the NHL.
Finally, the team circumstances. Rutherford said in July that Kasperi would get a long look in camp. Mike Johnston likes what the kid brings and wants to play him with the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin late in the preseason, that speaks volumes as well. If that doesn't speak enough about how they view him, Johnston came out and said he has a good chance of being here on October 9th. Finally, you have the injury to Beau Bennett. With Bennett set to miss six weeks (minimum) with this knee injury, the Pens have the roster spot for a skilled winger available. You can give Kapanen a shot to play in nine games and if you want him to get more North American experience, send him to Wilkes-Barre when Bennett is ready. This situation with Kapanen would not take a roster spot away from a veteran who could contribute to the top six, so it would make sense in Bennett's absence to try it out.
What We Don't Know about Kapanen
One is how will he adjust to the North American rink. The European leagues play with a rink that is 200 feet by 100 feet, while the US and Canada play on a 200 foot by 85 foot rink. That smaller area leads to less space and more physicality than in Europe. Kapanen will need to get used to the smaller dimensions, but more importantly will he will need to be more responsible and realize that to make the right play, sometimes you need to take the hit. If he is afraid to take the hit, it can lead to puck possession problems that may hamper the Penguins. He has looked relatively comfortable in the preseason, but how will he handle it against full-fledged NHL talent in the regular season and not a mix of NHL, AHL and juniors talent of the preseason. It's been the big topic around him, and will continue until he silences the question with his play on a consistent basis.
The bigger question with him in my opinion is where does he fit in? The coaching staff hoped to play him with Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz on Saturday v. Columbus. Crosby didn't play with the death of his grandmother, so Kapanen was centered by Sutter for portions of the game. He scored his first NHL goal in the game, assisted by Marcel Goc, and certainly looked more comfortable now that he has a couple games under his belt. My problem though is where does he play and will he fit in. I think it is a good idea to put him with Sid and Kunitz on the top line. It will allow Dupuis to get lesser minutes after coming back from the knee injury and would give Malkin someone he is familiar with on a line that will already feature a new winger in Patric Hornqvist. But will Kapanen and Sid mesh and more importantly, will Sid give up his high-comfort line of Dupuis and Kunitz to give this rookie a shot? The preseason games will give us that answer, but if they don't click, will he fit with Geno? Malkin's absence from camp thus far I feel has been a real detriment to Kapanen's chances - until Bennett got hurt anyway - because it would have been proof one way or the other if Rutherford should have signed Kulemin or someone for Malkin on July 1st. It is a big concern of where Kasperi plays I feel, because he is a top six talent that will not get to play that role on a line with say Brandon Sutter and Steve Downie. If he doesn't play top six, he might as well go back to Finland or get some more North American experience in Wilkes-Barre.
The View From My Seat
As I said above, I think Kapanen needs to play in the top six. I don't think it's worth burning the first year of the entry contract on him playing on the bottom six. He has the talent to play with the likes of Sid or Geno, and he just needs the experience of playing with some of the world's best. It is important that he gets some time with Sid against Minnesota and Detroit to see exactly what is there. Then, hopefully you have enough information to make a decision on whether he can stick now or needs more time.
Conclusions
The Minnesota game will be a big game for Kapanen because he will likely get time with Crosby, which could guarantee whether he stays or goes relatively quickly. If Malkin was healthy/playing, it would improve Kapanen's case as well.
Ultimately, I think the injury to Beau Bennett allows the Pens to take a chance on the kid, which otherwise may not have happened. He is looking more and more comfortable every game, and if he can create some zen with Sid tomorrow, then I think it's set.
My final call, Kapanen will be on the opening night roster.