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New addition Kasperi Kapanen impresses Craig Berube in debut against Seattle: Blues Extra

Mar. 1, 2023
New addition Kasperi Kapanen impresses Craig Berube in debut against Seattle: Blues Extra

Forward Kasperi Kapanen, claimed off waivers on Saturday by St. Louis, made his debut on Tuesday during the team’s 5-3 loss to Seattle. He finished with four shots on goal, six shot attempts and three blocked shots in 19:17 of ice time.

Kapanen’s high water mark for ice time this season in Pittsburgh? When he played 16:15 way back in October. After the game, Berube said he saw “some real good stuff” from Kapanen.

“He’s going to be pumped up, for sure,” Berube reiterated after Blues practice on Wednesday. “New team and wanting to impress. I think he’s got to understand ‘put in three things what makes you a good player?’ Using his speed, his shot for sure too and skillset. Third is just getting to the hard areas.

“I thought that last night, like I told him today, he was in the hard areas. He was in the middle of the ice. He got some chances and that’s what he’s got to keep on doing. Obviously, do your job defensively and things like that. We were happy with his game.”

Kapanen was used on the second power play, and later promoted to the first unit in Jordan Kyrou’s place. When the Blues were pushing for a late equalizer with the goalie pulled, Kapanen was on the ice. When Kapanen was on the ice at 5-on-5 on Tuesday, the Blues outshot the Kraken, 7-1.

While the Blues were impressed with one speedy winger, another left a lot to be desired.

Kyrou was minus-3 on Tuesday night, and seemed to force plays when there were no plays to be made. Instead of setting up the Blues for scoring chances, he was turning pucks over.

“He’s got to drive, use his feet,” Berube said. “He’s not understanding where’s the pressure from and what’s going on? It might be in front of you, so chip it and go. Use your speed. There’s nothing wrong with putting a puck in behind a guy and going and getting it yourself. With his speed, he’s going to create separation, the guy might even take a penalty on him.

“It’s just about him playing more of a north game and not a turn-up game so much. I think I’ve got to get him driving deeper and that line, in general, now can create some offensive zone time, which they don’t have enough right now. It’s just one and done, one and done. The line needs to create more space for itself in the offensive zone, and get some offensive zone time.”

Kyrou played on a line with Brayden Schenn and Brandon Saad against Seattle, and the line again practiced together on Wednesday before the team flew to San Jose.

Kyrou has not scored during the Blues’ six-game losing streak, and his six-game goal drought is the longest of the season for him. He went 11 games without a goal last year.

Since the Ryan O’Reilly trade on Feb. 17, Kyrou has been one of the team’s worst possession forwards, along with Schenn and Saad. The Blues have also been outscored 9-1 at 5-on-5 with Kyrou on the ice in the last six games. With him off the ice, they have been outscored 9-7.

The Blues signed defenseman Michael Buchinger to a three-year entry-level contract on Wednesday, inking the 2022 third-round pick to a deal that begins with the 2023-24 season.

Buchinger, 18, is an offensive defenseman that has 13 goals and 43 assists in 51 games for Guelph in the Ontario Hockey League. Buchinger (picked No. 88 in 2022) and Leo Loof (No. 88 in 2020) are the highest-drafted defensemen by the Blues since they took Scott Perunovich at No. 45 in 2018.

A Blues trade target found a new home on Wednesday evening when Arizona traded defenseman Jakob Chychrun to the Senators in exchange for conditional 2023 first and 2024 second-round picks, in addition to a 2026 second-round pick.

Chychrun, a 24-year-old defenseman under contract for two more years at a $4.6 million cap hit, had 28 points in 36 games for the Coyotes.


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