PuckSleuth
42Cap hit
$2.6M
2.5% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$631K
vs. $3.231M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
1
25.0% shooting
Assists
1
1 primary
Points
2
1.00 per game
TOI/GP
18:22
PP 2:58 · PK 0:54
xGF%
57.7
5v5, +8.6 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.37
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
-4
Blocks 1 · Hits 5
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 @ VAN · W 9-7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 18:48 | 4:05 | 1:48 | — | — | 2 | 0 | -2 | +1.17 |
| Sep 29 vs VAN · OTL 6-5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 17:55 | 1:50 | 0:00 | — | 50 | 1 | 0 | -2 | -0.43 |
| Apr 30 @ ANA · L 5-2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 19:49 | 0:00 | 1:05 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.22 |
| Apr 28 vs ANA · W 4-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 17:29 | 1:03 | 0:39 | — | 25 | 0 | 0 | +1 | -0.21 |
| Apr 26 @ ANA · OTL 4-3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 19:08 | 0:00 | 3:47 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +0.68 |
GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 536 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
49th percentile
18th percentile
61st percentile
21st percentile
10th percentile
54th percentile
75th percentile
16th percentile
48th percentile
27th percentile
76th percentile
76th percentile
66th percentile
57th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleSpeed-first playmaker
Trait percentiles vs. NHL wingers · 2025-26
Kapanen uses elite speed and aggressive forechecking to create chances and set up teammates, though he doesn't generate his own offense at a high rate. He's a heavy contributor on the forecheck and in transition, with strong defensive awareness.
- Shooting volume
- 41
- Playmaking
- 73
- Zone entries(est.)
- 81
- Forechecking
- 78
- Physicality
- 67
- Defensive impact
- 75
- Puck management
- 55
- Speed
- 89
Where he shoots from
Slot 38% · Mid-range 42% · Perimeter 21%(96 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Speed ranks 89th among wingers, enabling constant pressure
- Playmaking at 73rd percentile complements his high-volume 81st percentile rush chances
- Forechecking prowess at 78th percentile drives possession gains
Watch-outs
- Shooting volume at 41st percentile limits goal upside
- Puck management at 55th percentile suggests occasional careless decisions
Similar style: Tom Wilson (WSH), Jared Wright
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 41 GP · goals above average
Season total +1.2 goals, or +0.03 per game.
- Even strength offense
- -0.6
- Even strength defense
- +0.4
- Power play
- -0.1
- Penalty kill
- +0.2
- Finishing
- +1.5
- Playmaking
- +0.5
- Penalties
- -0.8
Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.0 | 14:47 | — | — |
| 2016-17 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 9.1 | 10:42 | — | — |
| 2017-18 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 38 | 7 | 2 | 9 | -1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 55 | 12.7 | 11:15 | 14.3 | — |
| 2018-19 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 78 | 20 | 24 | 44 | +12 | 27 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 174 | 11.5 | 16:37 | 50.0 | — |
| 2019-20 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 69 | 13 | 23 | 36 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 121 | 10.7 | 15:47 | 13.3 | — |
| 2020-21 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 40 | 11 | 19 | 30 | +15 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 68 | 16.2 | 15:32 | — | — |
| 2021-22 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 79 | 11 | 21 | 32 | +2 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 129 | 8.5 | 14:32 | 41.7 | — |
| 2022-23 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 43 | 7 | 13 | 20 | -8 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 69 | 10.1 | 12:02 | 26.7 | +0.06 |
| 2022-23 | St. Louis Blues | 23 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 47 | 17.0 | 16:45 | 40.6 | +0.06 |
| 2023-24 | St. Louis Blues | 73 | 6 | 16 | 22 | -5 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 99 | 6.1 | 14:23 | 34.2 | -0.08 |
| 2024-25 | St. Louis Blues | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 9.1 | 11:19 | — | -0.02 |
| 2024-25 | Edmonton Oilers | 57 | 5 | 8 | 13 | -16 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 55 | 9.1 | 12:01 | 42.9 | -0.02 |
| 2025-26 | Edmonton Oilers | 41 | 8 | 9 | 17 | +5 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 12.3 | 14:35 | — | +0.03 |
| 2026-27 | Edmonton Oilers | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 20.0 | 18:10 | 100.0 | +0.37 |
| Career | 12 seasons | 571 | 99 | 142 | 241 | -11 | 142 | 5 | 22 | 8 | 20 | 923 | 10.7 | 14:22 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Usage
Last game: @ VAN, Oct 1
Line 3 with Max Jones and Colton Dach (8:58 together at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Kapanen converts on a breakaway for SHG
NHL.com · Oct 2
- EDM@VAN: Kapanen scores goal
Yahoo Sports · Oct 2
- HIGHLIGHTS | Kapanen Goal
NHL.com · Oct 2
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.30 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2026-27, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 23.4 mph
- 100th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 5
- Hardest shot
- 61.2 mph
- 32nd pct
- Distance
- 3.1 mi
- OZ time
- 47.4%
- 80th pct
- DZ time
- 32.4%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 30, forwards typically produce 84% of their peak (age 24).
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
1 season left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | EDM | $2.6M | 2.5% |
UFA after 2026-27. $2.6M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).