Toronto Maple Leafs: Kasperi Kapanen poised for a breakout season

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Kasperi Kapanen played just 38 games in the NHL last season, but he could be primed to break out this year.

Kasperi Kapanen has spent the past three years developing his game with the Toronto Maple Leafs, after he was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2014 draft.

The 6-foot-1, 187 pounds winger has spent most of his time playing with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL, since joining the Maple Leafs organisation as a part of the Phil Kessel trade in July 2015.

Over the past two campaigns, Kapanen has been a near point-per-game player in the minors and rightly earned an extended run with the NHL club this past season.

During the regular season, the 22-year-old averaged 11:15 on the ice and scored seven goals, while adding a further two assists.

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Kapanen’s role on the team saw him utilised more for his defensive prowess, as he registered a 50.4% Corsi rating while starting in the defensive zone 66.5 percent of the time.

The Finn also averaged 1.5 hits per game, with 57 spread across his 38 games.

While largely spending time on the fourth line last season, Kapanen still managed a decent 12.7 pecent shooting percentage.

This upcoming season, however, it could be reasonable to expect Kapanen’s numbers to jump up significantly.

While Mike Babcock has not revealed how his bottom six forwards will line up, it is expected that Kapanen will be a third line player alongside Nazem Kadri and Andreas Johnsson.

Being partnered with Kadri alone should help Kapanen contribute more offensively, with the longest-serving player on the team registering back-to-back 32-goal seasons for Toronto.

Johnsson also will provide plenty of opportunities for Kapanen to contribute, with the Swede possessing great speed as well as a keen eye for getting shots on net.

Kapanen will be lining up with higher-quality teammates next season and should also see his average ice time increase.

If Babcock opts to roll his first two lines for 18 minutes each, the third line could reasonably expect at least 14 minutes, possibly more, with the team also looking to go heavy on offence this coming season.

More minutes on the ice and a higher calibre of teammates will do wonders for Kapanen’s game, giving him the ideal environment to flourish offensively while also continuing to be a strong defensive player.

The upgrade is also a fitting reward for a player who has kept his head down and worked hard to break into the NHL. Kapanen recently spoke to the Toronto Sun, saying:

"“Everybody wants to play in the NHL, everybody wants to succeed and get better. But I think I’ve been patient and it’s starting to pay off.”"

Kapanen should certainly see far more success in the NHL next season, with his hard work and patience truly paying off.

What do you think Toronto Maple Leafs fans? Will Kapanen have a breakout season while playing on the third line? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!