Kovacevic: Kapanen shows -- and knows -- he's got tons more to offer

I won't use the name. I just won't.

But when Kasperi Kapanen collected the puck inside the Columbus blue line, curled his wrists to keep possession, boomeranged back the other way to shed one defender, shouldered off a second, then sharply dished to a linemate at the far boards ... oh, for real, I went there. Maybe it's because I'd just had a memory-jogging chat with Eddie Johnston and Craig Patrick earlier in the PPG Paints Arena press box, but I don't think so.

Anyway ...

Once Kapanen passed off, he'd already been plotting one play ahead, possibly two. Because he then burst between the hashes, presented his blade, received the puck right back, loaded up to shoot ... and retracted. He'd force one final stride to create a de facto two-on-none with Sam Poulin, then slid another feed across ... only for Poulin to miss his vacated half of the net.

No goal, but point made.

JEANINE LEECH / GETTY

Kasperi Kapanen skates in the first period Monday night at PPG Paints Arena.

No, not Blue Jackets 3, Penguins 0, the meaningless outcome of both teams' preseason opener Monday night at PPG Paints Arena. But rather, the broader point that no one in this building had any business sharing this ice surface with No. 42 in black and gold. Not for a solitary shift. That's how stark the separation was between Kapanen and everyone else in virtually every category.

Now, to state the obvious, this is how it should've looked. It was man vs. boys, with Mike Sullivan and his Columbus counterpart, Brad Larsen, deploying mostly youngsters.

But in the same breath, I'm plenty comfortable putting forth that this is how it should look even when the games count.

And guess who agreed with me when I brought it up afterward:

Press play on that. I'll paraphrase here, but the head coach's expressions and mannerisms through it are priceless.

"I've told him I think he has the potential to be an elite player in this league," Sullivan began his reply. "I really believe that. And I've told him that on a number of occasions. And I'm going to do everything within my power to try to help him get there. And you know ..."

Slight pause here.

"Sometimes that means tough love for Kappy. But it's not because we don't think highly of him. It's just the opposite. We think so highly of him. I just think he has an elite game. And I think there's untapped potential, so much room for growth in his game."

This is where Sullivan delved into breakdown mode. Hadn't been around the man in months, and now this felt like hockey season.

"There isn't any aspect of the game that Kappy can't excel at, in my opinion. He's got explosive speed. He can play a power game down low. He's got good size. He's strong. He can finish. He can make plays. He can do everything extremely well. That's how I see it. And my hope is that I can push him to get to another level."

Now, a knowing nod.

"And we're going to push him hard. Because we think he's that capable."

Kapanen's capable, all right. There isn't a hockey evaluator from here to Helsinki who wouldn't concur.

But this is where the dialogue flips to the data, and all the superlatives become question marks. Because he's 25 now, no longer a kid and seven full years removed from the Penguins making their first pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. Because he's recorded only 52 goals over 242 games spanning parts of six seasons. Because he's achieved as many as 20 only once, and never more. Because, although he's been buried within deep rosters in Toronto and now in Pittsburgh since his return a year ago, he's yet to win his way onto a top line. Or a top power-play unit.

It's not quite the Alexei Kovalev story, but it sure comes with that feel, doesn't it?

All-universe gifts. Could do anything better than anyone else. Was once assessed by a certain someone who still shall not be named thusly: "He's got the talent to be the best player in the world."

But it wasn't until Kovalev arrived here in 1998 and found a home in more ways than one, not least of which was alongside Robert Lang and Martin Straka to form an unforgettable trio, that all that talent was transformed into production. He was a 20-goal guy for the Rangers for half a decade, 40-plus here.

I talked with Kapanen after this game, just me and him outside the locker room, and it felt fitting that this was my first face-to-face on the hockey front since the pandemic's outset in that, one, he'd made such a strong impression on me as an 18-year-old when he was my first interview in this place for this new venture in 2014 and, two, he feels so very pivotal to the franchise's future.

And sure, I brought up Kovalev. Brought up how Kovy used to say he felt this city and this team gave him his opportunity, embraced him for who he was as a highly skilled player in a place that'd produced a bunch.

So it didn't surprise in the slightest when, upon asking Kapanen what has to happen to break through to that next tier, he replied without hesitation, "I think it's mostly just getting the opportunity. Really."

Then, apparently realizing how that might be taken north of the border, he clarified, "I'm not saying I didn't get the opportunity in Toronto. I mean, I got to play with Auston Matthews. Patrick Marleau. I was with John Tavares for a bit. Great players. So I don't want to say I didn't get a chance."

All of that's fair, though I'll interject that the Maple Leafs having Mitch Marner and William Nylander ahead of him on the right wing depth chart -- not without cause -- limited ice time at regular strength and all but quashed it on the power play.

"But here," he proceeded, "I feel like they want me in more of an offensive role, and I get to play power play. And, like, last year, I feel like me and Geno and Zuck and Cartsy and the guys I was playing with, we clicked. They brought out the best in me."

Evgeni Malkin and Jason Zucker were his most common linemates. Jeff Carter, too, when Malkin was down. And all of that assessment's fair, too. His 11 goals and 19 assists over 40 games in the shortened season came with a career-best projection for goals and points.

"I guess what's next is to work. I've put in the work. I've been here in Pittsburgh most of the summer, training up in Cranberry and doing drills with the staff here."

OK, I asked, but what's the focus of the work? Some players specialize their summers, isolating a specific area. But it's hard to picture that applying to Kapanen when it comes to skill.

"You know, cardio. Gym stuff. Helping me be more durable and play more, which is something we've been focusing on. And honestly, it's felt great."

He pointed to the rink.

"Tonight. I felt great out there."

Yeah, dude, it showed.

So, what is it, then? What's the thing that'll be the thing that makes the difference? Because it sure won't be third-period calisthenics.

"I'll just keep working for it. I know this: I've gotten to play with Geno. He's a Hall of Famer, one of the best to ever play the game. He's helped me out so much since I got here, on and off the ice. I'm grateful for that. I'll be happy with that once he's back and keep working just as hard the whole time he isn't."

With that, he extended a polite fist-bump as a clear signal he had to go. Trotting away, he whirled around and added, "Fifteen more minutes of work."

Never used the name, did I?

Good. Let this one make his own.

JEANINE LEECH / GETTY

Nathan Legare tries to work the puck under the sweepcheck of the Blue Jackets' Stanislav Svozil.

• I asked Nathan Légaré, one of the precious few youngsters to show well, about skating alongside Kapanen, as he did at even-strength and on the top power play, and he replied, "That was a lot of fun. He's a lot of fun to watch, a lot of fun to play with. He's one of the elite players in the league."

Eh. Not yet. 

Update that subscription, son!

• Don't make me denigrate this prospect pool. Not again.

Sorry, but there just isn't much. And there wasn't on this night, either. There'd be a rush here or there -- Legare really is as fast as he'd promised me a week ago in Cranberry after talking about shedding 15 pounds for that purpose -- but it was so difficult to discern anyone standing out. Even Poulin, who joined his buddy Légaré in flanking Kapanen, showed little beyond more of a passion for planting himself near the crease.

Treat those draft picks like gold, Ron Hextall.

• Tristan Jarry gave up a long-range wrister by Yegor Chinakhov, the Blue Jackets' 2020 first-rounder, on Columbus' second shot of the game, this after the Penguins had already registered a dozen at the other end:

I mean ... I'm not sure what to say about Jarry for the foreseeable future that won't be perceived as some sort of jab at his performance in the playoffs, but then, that's just part and parcel of bringing him back, right?

• Mark Friedman, paired with Juuso Riikola here, confidently called Cody Ceci's departure "an opportunity," and he's right in that he's a right-handed defenseman with multiple limbs. Beyond that, I'm not seeing it. And for what it's worth, when the topic was raised with Sullivan, he downplayed any specific positional battle in trying to paint the entire depth chart as being more open than most might perceive.

I'd share my stance here, but my Ceci flags remain at half-mast.

• But hey, at least Jared McCann's lining up as first-line center in Seattle.

Having a hard time remembering why an expansion draft that required all teams to give up one player somehow motivated the Penguins to give up two. Maybe I'm not open-minded enough.

• Brian Boyle, 35 years old and a full year rusty, sent Columbus defenseman Andrew Peeke into next week ...

... in addition to nearly scoring on his lone shot, cleaning up on 10 of 15 faceoffs and just generally standing tall and looking big. All of which will, no doubt, have a place in this lineup once he makes the cut as a tryout.

That said, don't pin the hopes high. He's not exactly looking light on his feet out there.

• The NHL's recently revealed plan to enforce a rule that's been in its rule book teams traveled via sled dogs ...

... resulted in zero of the eight minor penalties in this game being assessed for crosschecking.

No doubt, all the players got that memo.

• How does an NHL game in Pittsburgh, preseason or otherwise, not get aired on local TV?

What was AT&T SportsNet showing instead, Cowchip Bingo from Kalamazoo?

Which is my way of saying I'd love to have shared video of the Kapanen sequence described above, but words will have to suffice. Pretend it's whatever year the AT&T SportsNet people seem to think it is.

DEJAN KOVACEVIC / DKPS

Jeff Jimerson's national anthem minutes before the game.

• Entered through the regular entrance ... came up the regular elevators ... saw all the regular workers here for the first time in 18 months, all of the Penguins' family ... man, we're getting there. We are.

• Never used the name. Which is a big relief. I'd have been a complete fool.