Western Conference Contender Claims Veteran Winger Kasperi Kapanen off Waivers
Kasperi Kapanen was recently placed on waivers by the Blues, and now the Edmonton Oilers have claimed him, adding to their depth up front after an abysmal offensive start to the new season.
While many people look to the Edmonton Oilers defense and goaltending as an issue, their offense hasn't been perfect in 2024/25, and it's become a major area of weakness for them.
Through the first six weeks of the season, the Oilers rank 24th in the NHL in goals scored per game at 2.63, and while McDavid and Draisaitl continue to excel, they need something to change.
That something may have been a waiver claim, as the team moved swiftly to pick up Kasperi Kapenen on waivers, just a day after he was officially placed there by the St. Louis Blues.
The 28-year old former first-round draft pick has struggled early in the 2024/25 season, tallying just 1 goal in the 10 games he has played with the Blues thus far, with the team looking to push younger talent on the roster rather than keeping him around.
Edmonton however are eyeing off a Stanley Cup run, meaning they need veteran talent, and given that Kapanen has played in 470 games throughout his career for Toronto, Pittsburgh and St. Louis, he's a good, cheap option for them moving forward.
In those 470 games, Kapanen has tallied just 85 goals, but has never played alongside a talent like Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, so now we will wait to see where he gets slotted into their lineup.
Whether this move pays off or not for Edmonton is another story, but given that he comes in at under $1 million per year with all of that experience and goal scoring ability, it's safe to say that this was a risk worth taking.
