Pittsburgh Penguins’ rookie forward Kasperi Kapanen will miss this weekend’s rookie tournament. The 18-year-old Finnish winger was the Penguins first-round pick in this year’s NHL entry draft.
Kapanen injured his hand this August in a game while playing for Team Finland’s U20 World Junior squad. The Penguins anticipate that he will be ready to play at the start of the team’s training camp, which begins next week. It is unknown what effect, if any, this injury will have on his chance of making the team out of camp.
He will be competing with Beau Bennett for a top-six role, who is also recovering from an injury this offseason. Kapanen could also play this season for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL or return to his Finnish team, KalPa Kuopio.
Fellow 2014 draftee Jaden Lindo will also miss the tournament. The sixth-round pick has been rehabbing a knee injury and also sat out last month’s rookie camp in Pittsburgh. He is expected to return to his junior club, the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL for the regular season.
The Penguins prospects are scheduled to open the tournament against the prospects of the Ottawa Senators on Friday, September 13. They will play the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. All of the games will be played at the Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario and start at 2:00 PM.
Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Penguins
