The Penguins have reacquired right winger Kasperi Kapanen from the Maple Leafs in a multi-player deal.
They also got defense prospect Jesper Lindgren and winger Pontus Aberg while sending their 2020 first-round draft choice, which will be No. 15 overall, forwards Filip Hallander and Evan Rodrigues and defenseman David Warsofsky to Toronto.
Kapanen was the Penguins’ first-round draft choice in 2014 and was sent to the Maple Leafs in the Phil Kessel trade. He clearly will be counted on to fill a prominent role with them during his second stint here, with a spot alongside Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel on the No. 1 line a logical niche for him.
“Kasperi is a good young player that brings speed to our lineup and plays the way we want to play,” Rutherford said, in a statement released by the team. “Having previously drafted hm, we know him as a player and feel he can improve our top-six. Aberg and Lindgren are both young players that will further add to our organizational depth.”
Kapanen, who turned 24 Sunday, has two years remaining on a contract that carries a salary cap hit of $3.2 million. He is scheduled to be a restricted free agent after the 2021-22 season.
Kapanen had 13 goals and 23 assists in 69 regular-season games in 2019-20, then added three assists in five games during the Maple Leafs’ qualifying-round loss to Columbus. His most productive season in the NHL was 2018-19, when he had 20 goals and 24 assists in 78 games. He skates well and is considered a capable goal-scorer.
Aberg, 26, had one assist in five regular-season games during the past season. His most productive NHL season was 2018-19, when he had 12 goals and 13 assists in 59 games with Minnesota and Anaheim.
Lindgren, 23, had a goal and eight assists in 31 games with the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate in 2019-20.
Aberg is a restricted free agent, while Lindgren has one year left on a deal worth $775,833 in the NHL.
MORE ON THE TRADE:
• Rutherford: ‘Solidifies our top-six’
• Kapanen: ‘Super-excited’ to be back
• Kovacevic: Rutherford’s eye always on the prize
• Defense prospect Lindgren ‘really smart, consistent’
