Kapanen ready for fresh start, motivated to prove himself again after being waived

"Yeah, absolutely," the 26-year-old said after his first Blues practice after St. Louis claimed the winger off waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. "This year hasn't been up to my expectations. I know what I'm capable of bringing to a team when I'm at my best. I haven't been doing that as of late, so I think a fresh start is exactly what I need and to kind of prove myself and show these guys that I'm a good hockey player. Hopefully I can just help the team out."

Kapanen, the son of former NHLer Sami Kapanen (1995-2008), was put on waivers along with his remaining contract that goes through next season with a cap hit of $3.2 million.

Kapanen, who was in his third season with the Penguins, had just 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 43 games this season. Pittsburgh shopped Kapanen earlier this season and desperately needed the cap space with the NHL Trade Deadline looming on Friday. The Blues obliged and took a chance.

"A) knowing that the number of players we lost this year, we get a player that hopefully is motivated, he should be motivated," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said. "He comes from a family background, he was a high pick that got traded for a first round pick and for whatever reason, he didn't get the footing recently in Pittsburgh. I'm sure there's enough responsibility for everyone involved to share, in his view and in Pittsburgh's view.

"We just felt that getting a player in here at his age that has a lot to prove, under contract next year for us, so we don't have to go searching the market this year as you retool and we have a player that we know the cost, we get a good look at him. He gets a chance to play in a situation, get more ice time and prove what he is as a player. If it works out, we get a chance to sign him a year from now at still a young age, and if it doesn't work out, then he moves onto free agency. I don't see a lot of risk in it. We hope a lot of upside for him and for us."

Kapanen, who scored a hat trick against the Blues on Dec. 3 in a 6-2 Penguins win, skated on a line with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich on Tuesday and was excited to get into town for this new chapter in his career.

"Initial thoughts were to get me on a plane quick and maybe make the game and play against Pittsburgh (on Saturday)," Kapanen said. "Obviously that would have been pretty funny, but I'm just excited for the opportunity to be honest. It didn't work out in Pittsburgh, and I couldn't be more excited to join these guys. After just knowing them for a couple hours, it's a great group of guys and just really happy to be here."

And just why didn't it work out in Pittsburgh, playing with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin?

"That's a good question. I don't think it's just one thing," Kapanen said. "I think it's a culmination of a lot of things, but I don't think there's any point in talking about that now. I'm here and I'm beyond excited to join this team and see what we can do."

The Blues (26-28-5) are all but out of the playoff picture this season for the first time since 2017-18, so they will give Kapanen every opportunity to thrive in the remaining 23 games.

"Speed for sure I think stands out and size," coach Craig Berube said. "A guy with pretty good size, really good speed. Those are the two things that stood out.

"I think he was disappointed in his time in Pitt. I think his career got going in the right direction in Toronto. Whatever moves are made for whatever reasons, but I think there's a lot of potential there. He's got all the talent and the size to be a good player."

Kapanen has 172 points (70 goals, 102 assists) in 364 NHL games spanning eight seasons, has already given the impression to his new teammates the motivation is there.

"I'm sure he's not happy with the way the year's gone," said defenseman Torey Krug, who faced Kapanen plenty while with the Boston Bruins and Kapanen was with the Maple Leafs. "It's our job to embrace certain things in these situations and that's one of them, try to get a guy to feel comfortable as quick as he can and hopefully he can make an impact in our lineup and feel comfortable that he can be the player that he can be.

"Obviously played a few playoff series against him and a lot of rivalry games. A guy that brings a lot of speed to the table, a lot skill. I think it's something that we haven't too much in our lineup over the years and I think we'll try to embrace it and hopefully let him find his game, just to support him as best as possible."

"I was in that situation too a little bit when I came here," forward Brayden Schenn said. "I felt like I had a good year before in Philly, but when you always come to a good team, you always have something to prove. A new set of eyes on you and you expect big things out of yourself. We're expecting a good hockey player for the last 23 games."

Kapanen was a 2014 first-round pick by the Maple Leafs who set career highs in goals (20), assists (24) and points (44) in 78 games but the numbers have slowly taken a dip since until the rug was pulled in Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Which is why a fresh start is best for all involved.

"I think that's exactly what I need to kind of come into a new team and know the guys and get this first day over with and just feel more comfortable tomorrow and hoping to play a good game," Kapanen said. "I feel like I've been in trade rumors for like the last six years of my career. It's something I'm pretty used to, but I think coming into this year, it was going to happen. Obviously being at home and being on waivers and looking at your phone waiting for it to ring is something new for me. But it happened and now I'm here and couldn't be happier."