St. Louis Blues claim Kasperi Kapanen off waivers from Pittsburgh Penguins

The St. Louis Blues have claimed winger Kasperi Kapanen off of waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Kapanen, 26, was a surprise absentee from Friday's Penguins practice. When reporters asked head coach Mike Sullivan for an explanation, he revealed that the speedy winger was going on waivers for the purpose of reassignment to the AHL's Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins.

Coach Sullivan on Kapanen's absence from practice: "Hexy informed me before practice that he was held out because he's going to go on waivers here this afternoon."

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 24, 2023

The move came after a series of recurring healthy scratches, only months after Penguins general manager Ron Hextall re-signed Kapanen to a two-year extension through the end of next season that carries a $3.2 million cap charge.

Kasperi Kapanen has been placed on waivers. #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/uYFbbsqcDr

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) February 24, 2023

Kapanen has 20 points in 43 games as of this writing – a slight bump in per-game scoring relative to last season – but has struggled with the defensive side of things. The hope on the Blues part is that a change of scenery can bring the best out in Kapanen, whether as an everyday contributor with a future in St. Louis or someone whose stock they rehabilitate as a trade chip.

The Penguins, meanwhile, clear the full freight of Kapanen's deal and now have the cap space necessary to activate Jan Rutta off of injured reserve.