If some selective amnesia came over Kasperi Kapanen, he wouldn鈥檛 mind it.
Of course, games like Thursday鈥檚 4-3 preseason overtime win over the Stars might help just as well. Kapanen had a goal and an assist against Dallas, potentially securing a spot in the season-opening lineup for the Blues and pushing a disappointing 2023-24 season further away.
鈥淧ersonally, (I鈥檇 like) to learn from last year,鈥 Kapanen said, 鈥渂ut to also kind of forget about it.鈥
On Thursday night, Kapanen was arguably the best player on the ice. He was around pucks on the forecheck. He was physical at times. He was using his speed. He was active in shooting pucks. With a chance to prove himself worthy of a role in 50度灰视频, Kapanen delivered.
Philip Broberg also had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who were lifted when Jordan Kyrou scored 1:43 into overtime. Mathieu Joseph also scored for 50度灰视频, and Jordan Binnington made 17 saves.
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Kapanen entered camp on the bubble, and if he wasn鈥檛 to make the NHL roster, would have to face waivers for the first time since the Blues claimed him off waivers in Feb. 2023. At times during the preseason, Kapanen appeared on the outside looking in. When the Blues split into NHL and AHL groups, Kapanen was in the AHL group. Other times, he skated on an extra line.
Blues coach Drew Bannister said after Kapanen鈥檚 first preseason game that he wanted more out of the 28-year-old Finnish forward. Now, those messages have dissolved.
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 a player that maybe overthought things early on in the camp,鈥 Bannister said. 鈥淚 think now, he鈥檚 more focused on his strengths and I think we saw that last game where I felt like he was trying to make an impact. Today, obviously, he made an impact offensively with the play he made to Matty and obviously with the goal being around the net. I thought he played extremely well here today.鈥
Kapanen on the communication with Bannister: 鈥淛ust playing aggressive and using my speed. I think sometimes, I start to overthink and wonder what鈥檚 going to happen during my shift. I think can I get into a rhythm and let my instincts do the work. When I play like that, I think it shows and I鈥檓 just using my feet and trying to shoot and be around the net.鈥
On Thursday night, Kapanen helped form a line with Joseph and Brayden Schenn that contributed two goals. During Kapanen鈥檚 12:25 of ice time at 5 on 5, the Blues outshot the Stars 10-2, and had a 0.92-0.19 advantage in expected goals.
Kapanen picked up an assist on Joseph鈥檚 goal after Schenn won a wall battle with Mason Marchment. Kapanen scored on Broberg鈥檚 rebound to the side of the net, spinning a no-look backhand into the net.
That doesn't include Kapanen's almost-assist on a disallowed Ryan Suter goal in the second period, or Kapanen's miss of an open net in the first period.
鈥淚 thought we played a great game,鈥 Kapanen said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we spent too much time in our zone, which is always a plus. MoJo and Schenner are two great players, so I thought we had some good chemistry and it was a good game.鈥
Last season, Kapanen endured the worst season of his career since he became an NHL regular. He managed just six goals and 16 assists. Kapanen began the year in the top-six, and was a healthy scratch for two games down the stretch.
Kapanen was supposed to carry over his strong finish in the spring of 2023 (14 points in 23 games with 50度灰视频), but instead failed to provide secondary scoring.
鈥淓verybody knows it wasn鈥檛 my best, and I know that,鈥 Kapanen said. 鈥淚鈥檇 like to hold myself to a higher standard. That鈥檚 hockey and that鈥檚 just sports in general. Sometimes, you have bad years and you鈥檝e got to forget about that and move on.鈥
For Kapanen, moving on is better when he has someone to talk to, he said. And that someone is his father Sami Kapanen, who played 831 career NHL games for the Whalers/Hurricanes and Flyers.
鈥淚f it bothers you like it bothered me a little bit, I think it鈥檚 important to talk to somebody about it,鈥 Kapanen said. 鈥淚鈥檝e got a great guy that listens to me, my dad. Obviously, he鈥檚 been in the league for a while and knows the ups and downs of hockey. I just try to talk to him.
鈥淗onestly, I was happy to spend some time with my family and my friends back home. It was a long summer, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Try to play some golf, and mentally, be fresh coming into camp. I feel great right now.鈥
It also wasn鈥檛 always certain that Kapanen would be back in 50度灰视频 this season. His contract expired at the end of last season, and the Blues appeared ready to let their unrestricted free agents walk. Instead, Kapanen signed a one-year contract worth $1 million on the first day of free agency to return to the Note.
Kapanen said 鈥淚 love being here, and I love being a Blue.鈥
So far, Kapanen appears to have earned a spot 鈥 jumping over Zack Bolduc in the process 鈥 on the opening day roster. But that鈥檚 not the end of Kapanen鈥檚 journey. Brandon Saad will return to the lineup after his wife gives birth. Oskar Sundqvist is recovering from knee surgery. Bolduc, and prospects Dalibor Dvorsky and Zach Dean will push.
If Kapanen has a spot now, a future one isn鈥檛 promised either.
鈥淚鈥檓 just trying to fight for a spot,鈥 Kapanen said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a ton of great players in this organization and I鈥檝e just been trying to find my way into the lineup. If I keep playing like that, I鈥檝e got a good chance.鈥