Due to a lower-body injury, Kasperi Kapanen will miss at least four weeks of action for the St. Louis Blues.
The 27-year-old forward sustained injuries on Monday during the Blues’ 4-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers when he blocked a shot by Nick Seeler with 7:25 remaining. After being put on injured reserve, he will get another evaluation in four weeks.
“Lower-body injury, probably week to week, which will push him, because we have the break, that will push him until after the break,” Drew Bannister, the Blues coach, said. “I don’t think a miracle will occur. While it’s always possible, it’s more likely that he’ll be prepared for us following the break.”
For the Blues (21-19-2), who take on the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, BSMW), Kapanen has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 42 games. In Monday’s 4-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at Enterprise Center, he was moved to the first line for St. Louis.
Bannister remarked, “[Kapanen’s] game didn’t bother me.” “At that point in the game, I felt we had what I needed from him in that position. He and that line both appeared to get a tiny bit of life from it.
Forward Adam Gaudette was recalled by St. Louis from the American Hockey League’s Springfield.
With 24 goals and 36 points in 37 games for Springfield this season, Gaudette leads the AHL in scoring. Throughout 218 NHL games for the Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, and Ottawa Senators from 2017–22, the 27-year-old has 70 points (27 goals, 43 assists).
“He shoots the puck,” stated Bannister. “He enjoys scoring and shooting the ball. It’s clear that he was very successful when I was there, and that success has continued.
With him, there’s not a lot of compromise. As soon as you pass it to him, quickly get to the net because a rebound will almost always occur if it is not in the back of the net. He’s been really successful down there, and now he has the opportunity to be rewarded by coming up here and participating in games. Hopefully, he can repeat his success down here.”
Between 2015 and 24, Kapanen played 429 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Blues, totaling 199 points (82 goals, 117 assists). Following his February 25 waiver claim by the Blues from the Penguins, he concluded the previous campaign with 14 points (six assists and eight goals) in 23 games for St. Louis.
