Maple Leafs' Kasperi Kapanen: Teammates say he's fastest skater on team
Kapanen, who scored a goal Saturday against Montreal, is impressing his coach and teammates with his speed, reports Lance Hornsby of Canoe.com.
"Yeah, it's kind of unbelievable how he kind of comes from a standstill to full speed within a few strides," said center Nazem Kadri, who thinks Kapanen is the fastest Leaf on the ice. "He just has that gift to have that natural skating ability and knows how to use it." Kapanen is playing on the team's fourth line, giving the Leafs the best line in the NHL because of his speed, scoring touch and two-way ability. Kapanen could be in line for increased responsibility in 2018-19 if James Van Riemsdyk leaves in free agency. File that away.