"We really hope that we've got the right chemistry for a line for Sid," Rutherford said on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio on Saturday. "(Crosby) has had really good chemistry with Guentzel here for a while, which will continue. But getting that right-winger that works (is important) and we're hoping that Kapanen is the guy who can do that."
Rutherford hopes their styles of play will mesh well together.
"I think with Kapanen's speed and the fact he can track down pucks and Sid can find him in the open, it should be a good fit, but we'll see," Rutherford said.
The Penguins reacquired Kapanen in a six-player trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs in August. Pittsburgh also threw in the 15th overall pick in this year's draft, which the Leafs used to take Russian forward Rodion Amirov.
Pittsburgh drafted Kapanen with the No. 22 selection in 2014 but dealt him to Toronto in the swap that sent Phil Kessel to the Penguins one year later.
Kapanen collected a career-high 20 goals and 44 points across 78 games in 2018-19, but the 24-year-old produced only 13 markers and 36 points over 69 contests this past season.
It's unclear what's left in 41-year-old Joe Thornton's tank, but what's crystal clear is that Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe will get more options when setting his lineup next season.
Here are four different ways the Maple Leafs could set their forward lines next campaign, assuming general manager Kyle Dubas is done adding forwards this offseason. For these projections, we've rotated Robertson, Vesey, and Barabanov in and out of the lineup. Pierre Engvall, meanwhile, was omitted because his $1.25-million cap hit may be tough to manage.
Option 1: Stacked top 6
Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / Getty
LW
C
RW
Zach Hyman
Auston Matthews
Mitch Marner
Alexander Kerfoot
John Tavares
William Nylander
Nick Robertson
Joe Thornton
Ilya Mikheyev
Jimmy Vesey
Jason Spezza
Wayne Simmonds
Before adding Thornton, the Leafs would've needed Kerfoot to play center. Opinions are mixed regarding whether he's best suited to be a center or a winger. But Kerfoot struggled during his first season in Toronto, which was spent primarily playing down the middle. Some of his best success came as a winger with the Avalanche in a complementary role on the club's top lines, so we've placed him on the left side with Tavares and Nylander.
The 19-year-old Robertson, meanwhile, flanks Thronton after leading the OHL in goals last year. Mikheyev, who was a hound on the puck last season before suffering a wrist laceration and being quiet in the playoffs, joins them. The finisher and puck retriever could nicely complement Thornton's playmaking ability.
Option 2: Depth down the middle
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
LW
C
RW
Zach Hyman
Auston Matthews
Mitch Marner
Ilya Mikheyev
John Tavares
William Nylander
Jimmy Vesey
Alexander Kerfoot
Wayne Simmonds
Alexander Barabanov
Joe Thornton
Jason Spezza
There's a real chance Thornton can no longer play top-nine minutes and must be sheltered on the fourth line. That would force Kerfoot back to center. We've bumped Vesey - Kerfoot's former college teammate at Harvard - up to the third line in hopes of recreating their old chemistry.
Putting Spezza and Thornton on the same line may not be ideal because they both lack quickness, but flipping Spezza and Simmonds doesn't entirely fix that problem. We've also inserted Barabanov for Robertson in this scenario to provide a different look.
Option 3: Balanced attack
Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / Getty
LW
C
RW
Alexander Kerfoot
Auston Matthews
Zach Hyman
Ilya Mikheyev
John Tavares
Mitch Marner
Nick Robertson
Joe Thornton
William Nylander
Alexander Barabanov
Jason Spezza
Wayne Simmonds
The previous two lineups are awfully top-heavy, which was part of Toronto's issues in 2019-20. In this lineup, we're banking on Matthews to carry his own unit. As the league's second-highest-paid center, he shouldn't need the help of Marner or Nylander to be effective. Plus, a workhorse in Hyman is there for support, alongside a capable playmaker in Kerfoot.
The third line sees the biggest change in this lineup. Nylander, an elite play-driver and zone-entry specialist, would put Thornton in the best position to succeed. A 30-goal scorer this past season, Nylander would benefit from Thornton's playmaking skills, too. As would Robertson, of course.
Option 4: Let's get weird
Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / Getty
LW
C
RW
John Tavares
Auston Matthews
Mitch Marner
Zach Hyman
Joe Thornton
William Nylander
Alexander Barabanov
Alexander Kerfoot
Ilya Mikheyev
Jimmy Vesey
Jason Spezza
Wayne Simmonds
This isn't a realistic or viable lineup to use over an extended period. It's more of an in-game desperation option for Keefe if the team is trailing and he needs to create a spark.
Toronto ran out it's $33.5-million line toward the end of its qualifying-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets after the club's offense dried up. The trio displayed flashes of brilliance, but the line should really only be used in spurts.
It probably isn't best to give Thornton second-line minutes over a long span, but Hyman and Nylander are there to provide ample support. However, that leaves the bottom six looking quite bleak. Putting Kerfoot between Barabanov and Mikheyev could create a makeshift checking line, though.
Joe Thornton left a lasting impact on the ice in the Bay Area, ranking second on the Sharks' all-time points list after 15 seasons in San Jose. However, Jumbo Joe - who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday - was also one of the team's most beloved players off the ice.
That was evident after Thornton called members of the Sharks before news broke of his signing with the Leafs, per The Athletic's Kevin Kurz. It was also made clear by all the support Thronton's ex-teammates gave to the greatest player in Sharks franchise history.
Daaaamn.... going to miss a lot more then just laughing with this guy... ultimate teammate, friend and guy to learn from..@MapleLeafs got a great one coming! pic.twitter.com/S0WMD3aHy7
For more than two decades, Jumbo and I have been friends, with the vast majority of those years being teammates, too. I now consider him a brother. Toronto has gained a tremendous influence, and we will miss his presence here in San Jose. Good luck in TO! -PM pic.twitter.com/pE09ZLjllz
Mentor, line mate, friend and all of the above. Going to miss having him around the locker room. They don’t make them like him anymore! You got a good one @MapleLeafs. Good luck in Blue Jumbo! pic.twitter.com/gyDlWqRMNe
Man I’m going to miss ya, but feel very fortunate to play with you and become great friends. So many fun memories in a short period of time. I’ll make sure to keep your seat next to me at the back of the plane vacant until you come back. pic.twitter.com/i2sJdY23nr
More Couture: “I guess it's fair to say that I'm still kind of numb about it. At the same time, it’s his choice, and everyone in this organization respects him for everything that he's done for all of us players… He’s meant so much for my career."
The future Hall of Famer is 41 years old now. He tallied seven goals and 24 assists in 70 games with the San Jose Sharks last year.
Thornton is one of the most decorated players of all time, but he's still missing a Stanley Cup from his resume. The Leafs, although talented, have not won a Stanley Cup since 1967 and a playoff series since 2004.
He's currently training overseas with HC Davos of the Swiss league.
The majority of the marquee free agents are now off the board, but Mike Hoffman continues to search for his next destination. It was reported Thursday that the 30-year-old is open to signing a one-year contract, which gives prospective teams more flexibility to bring in the dangerous goal-scorer.
Here are five clubs in a position to make a splash by bringing in Hoffman for one season.
Nashville Predators
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Projected cap space: $12.94M Roster size: 19 RFAs: F Luke Kunin
The Predators have been contenders for years and boast one of the league's top defensive cores. Despite their skill at forward, however, their offense still leaves something to be desired. Hoffman has his faults, but there's no denying his goal-scoring talent. Adding the sniper for one year could just be the missing piece that puts the Nashville over the top.
Nashville ranks 18th in goals per game since the start of the 2018-19 campaign, and Hoffman would have led the club in tallies in each of those two seasons. The Ontario native isn't a great scorer at five-on-five, but his services on the man advantage would be invaluable for the Predators, who have been abysmal in that department in recent years. Nashville's power play placed 31st and 25th over the previous two seasons, while Hoffman ranks fifth among all players with 28 power-play markers over that span.
General manager Dave Poile said Thursday that he'll continue to search for ways to improve his club this offseason. With plenty of cap space and a nearly full roster, swinging on Hoffman with a low-risk, high-reward deal seems like an enticing option.
Boston Bruins
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Project cap space: $10.35M Roster size: 21 RFAs: F Jake DeBrusk, D Matt Grzelcyk
The Bruins were reportedly interested in most of the big-name free agents such as Taylor Hall and Alex Pietrangelo but ultimately lost out. Now, with a depleted free-agent group to chose from, it could prove wise to bring in Hoffman on a one-year contract.
Boston has the cap space to make a one-year deal work, and it's been made clear that the club has been looking for a winger to play on the second line with David Krejci to complement the team's top trio. Now that Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak may miss a portion of next season after undergoing surgeries recently, Hoffman's talents could be more necessary than ever.
Last season, Patrice Bergeron, Pastrnak, and Marchand combined to score 107 of Boston's 227 goals (47%). The team is desperate for secondary scoring help, and Hoffman offers just that. There would be little risk in signing him to a short-term contract, and if things go smoothly, the two sides could decide to work out a longer deal in the future. Hoffman's fit on the Bruins makes perfect sense, so perhaps we'll finally see GM Don Sweeney make a big move this offseason.
Los Angeles Kings
Darcy Finley / National Hockey League / Getty
Projected cap space: $13.62M Roster size: 19 RFAs: None
The Kings don't appear to be an obvious landing spot for Hoffman, but hear us out. It's unlikely he wins a Stanley Cup there in 2020-21, but Los Angeles is one of the strongest possession teams in the league, and adding a pure goal-scorer like Hoffman could help catalyze an unpolished offense that lacks some touch.
Los Angeles finished 30th in goals per game (2.53) last season, but head coach Todd McLellan saw his club buy into an aggressive, in-your-face brand of hockey that would have yielded better results if it had a few more finishers. The Kings finished in the top 10 in several critical possession metrics at five-on-five.
CF% (rank)
SF%
HDCF%
xGF%
53.1 (4th)
52.79 (4th)
51.44 (9th)
51.95 (8th)
Captain Anze Kopitar - the Kings' lone 20-goal scorer in 2019-20 - led the team in scoring with 62 points, and Alex Iafallo was the only other player to break 40. Hoffman averaged 61 points over his previous five campaigns, and L.A. adding a dynamic winger alongside Kopitar would undoubtedly bolster the offense. Los Angeles could also use a power-play specialist after finishing 26th on the man advantage last season.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / Getty
Projected cap space: $13.63M Roster size: 19 RFAs: F Pierre-Luc Dubois, F Kevin Stenlund, D Vladislav Gavrikov
Columbus isn't exactly a free-agent hot spot, but the Blue Jackets have shown a ton of promise in recent years and have already added offensive depth with the additions of Max Domi, Mikko Koivu, and Mikhail Grigorenko this offseason. The club has a handful of RFAs in need of new deals, but only Dubois is set for a significant pay raise.
Hoffman isn't Artemi Panarin, but the Blue Jackets' upset over the juggernaut Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2019 playoffs is proof of what the team can do when equipped with high-end offensive talent. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen can sell his club as a defensive machine that's one or two premier scorers away from making a serious run, and Hoffman could certainly move the needle.
Signing a one-year deal with the defensive-minded Blue Jackets could pose a risk for Hoffman, but it's unlikely that a potential down year would tarnish his market value in 2021-22. Flanking the wing of either Dubois or Domi doesn't sound like a bad gig, either. Like the Predators and Kings, the Blue Jackets need help on the man advantage, and Hoffman would likely be the club's No. 1 option.
Florida Panthers
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Projected cap space: $11.56M Roster size: 18 RFAs: D MacKenzie Weegar, F Aleksi Saarela
The Panthers' abundance of cap space makes bringing back Hoffman a distinct possibility. Over the past two seasons, his 65 goals rank first on the team and his 129 points rank third. Florida already lost Evgenii Dadonov to the Ottawa Senators, so with a glaring hole at left wing, the club can ill afford to lose Hoffman too.
Replacing a lethal goal-scorer is never an easy task, and few options remain on the market for Florida at this point in the offseason. With the cap space to make it work, perhaps Hoffman circles back and signs for one year before hitting free agency again next season.
Mangiapane was a restricted free agent and had an arbitration hearing set for Oct. 20. His new deal carries an average annual value of $2.425 million.
The 24-year-old tallied career highs with 17 goals and 15 assists over 68 games in 2019-20 after signing a one-year pact worth $715,000 with the Flames last offseason. He added two goals and five points through 10 playoff contests.
Calgary selected Mangiapane in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Draft.
The Flames have just under $4 million in projected cap space with one remaining restricted free agent in defenseman Oliver Kylington, according to CapFriendly.
