One of Edmonton Oilers' top even strength players is reportedly leaving team for good
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Daniel Lucente
Jun 20, 2026 (1:35 PM)
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Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Edmonton Oilers turned a waiver claim into one of the most productive depth forwards in the NHL - and now they likely cannot afford to keep him.
That is the real story behind Kasperi Kapanen's expected departure this summer.
Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period appeared on Oilersnation Everyday this week and suggested Kapanen will likely test the open market.
Pagnotta acknowledged he could be wrong, but the signal carries enough weight heading into July free agency.
Kapanen recorded eight goals and 17 points in just 41 regular-season games, finishing fourth among all Edmonton Oilers forwards in five-on-five points per hour at 1.79.
His partnership with Vasily Podkolzin produced a 17-8 goal differential in 292 minutes together.
He then delivered strong playoff numbers before his contract expired - all at a $1.3 million cap hit.
Jack Roslovic and Adam Henrique are expected to leave Edmonton as well, but their situations are straightforward. Kapanen's is not.
Why the open market prices him out of Edmonton
Kapanen is 29 heading into next season, coming off the best underlying numbers of his time in Edmonton.
A contender needing proven middle-six depth with penalty kill reliability will pay between $2.5 and $3 million to land him.
Edmonton, managing a tight cap around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, cannot comfortably justify that number given the missed time and roster depth already in place.
The hidden cost of doing it right
This is the part nobody says out loud. When a cheap reclamation project works, the player earns a raise the original team cannot match.
Edmonton found Kapanen on waivers, maximized his value, and is now watching him price himself onto someone else's roster.
Stan Bowman needs a comparable replacement at half the cost. That is the real offseason task.
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