Former Leafs forward blows up and tosses row of sticks in anger at Oilers practice

28-year-old winger Kasperi Kapanen had been grinding through rehab for weeks, inching toward a return that mattered both for his season and his confidence. One wrong stride changed everything.

Witnesses saw Kapanen leave the ice in discomfort, immediately slamming his stick before storming toward the bench. What followed was raw frustration from a player who has battled for traction since being traded by the Leafs to the Penguins back in August of 2020.

Kapanen swatted a cluster of sticks across the Oilers bench, several clattering onto the ice as teammates paused mid-stretch. It was an emotional snap that reflected how close he thought he was to making his return.

TSN's Ryan Rishaug captured the moment, noting how "extremely frustrated" Kapanen looked as he left the ice.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch has spoken highly of the work Kapanen put in behind the scenes, praising his pace and conditioning as he inched toward full contact practices. Losing that momentum, even temporarily, hits hard for a player fighting to stay relevant in a deep forward group.

Fans know Kapanen as a streaky scorer capable of real bursts, and his speed remains his calling card. He showed flashes of that during brief stints this year, but staying healthy has been the bigger obstacle since arriving in Edmonton.

Seeing a player vent so publicly is never ideal, yet it speaks to how badly he wants back in. For someone who once put up a career-high 44 points in a season with Toronto and was drafted 22nd overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2014, the expectations never faded. The grind to reclaim that form continues to test him.

If this latest setback proves minor, a cool-headed reset may help. Sometimes an emotional flare cracks the pressure valve, letting a player refocus on the next step. Kapanen still has runway to make an impact once cleared.

For now, the hope is simple. He gets answers, avoids a long layoff, and channels that fire into something positive when he finally returns.