VIDEO: Penguins' Kapanen rips puck past Bobrovsky for first preseason goal
In light of a serious injury to forward Beau Bennett that will keep him out of the lineup for six weeks, rookie winger Kasperi Kapanen may be in line not only to make the Pittsburgh Penguins' opening night roster, but also to earn top-six minutes early in the season.
The 22nd overall pick at the 2014 Draft back in June, Kapanen took a big step towards proving his mettle at the NHL level, notching his first goal of the preseason on an absolute laser beam past one-time Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky:
“He's a high-end talent, high-end speed,” Penguins assistant general manager Bill Guerin told the Tribune-Review of Kapanen earlier this week. “He's a very, very mature kid for his age. Obviously having his father play so many years in the NHL, or playing with him and bringing him up that way, he's already a pro.”
With a shot like that, Kapanen may indeed be a mainstay at the pro level sooner rather than later.