During training camp, I asked Ron Hextall if the decision to re-sign Kasperi Kapanen on a two-year contract was a way of giving the speedy winger a bit of a confidence boost heading into this season after a largely disappointing 2021-22 season.
"No, it just kinda made sense for us," Hextall said. "He had two restricted years, so when you look at your arb case and everything, that’s kinda how your numbers flesh out, quite frankly."
Instead of dealing with a potential arbitration case next offseason with Kapanen as a restricted free agent, the Penguins are walking him to unrestricted free agency at the end of his contract.