LA Kings Rasmus Kupari on transferring to the wing: “Not an issue for me”
Concluding the week-long developer camp, Rasmus Kupari said he would welcome a move to the wing if he played in the NHL.
In his second full season with Ontario Reign last year, Rasmus Kupari, the 2018 LA Kings first-round pick, led the AHL club through their first eight games with two goals and nine points. The 21-year-old earned a well-deserved cup of NHL-level coffee in early March and played three games before returning to rule.
Kupari was the Kings last calling in the shortened 2021 season and played in a total of seven games. He scored his first career goal on May 8 against the Colorado Avalanche. While other Kings prospective buyers were limited to six games in their three-year entry contract without starting the clock, Kupari was no longer eligible.
Regardless of where he spends the 2021-22 season, he will burn the second year of his ELC. And while he’s mostly played center throughout his career, Kupari could be one of several centermen who have converted to the wing.
After the final day of the Kings development camp on Friday, the Finnish striker spoke to the media.
How he feels about his game after a full year at Reign and a few games with the Kings last year
I feel good. Good summer back in Finland. Yeah, obviously the last year has been huge for me, all year with the Reign [and] a couple of games with the Kings so I’m looking forward to the next season.
Whether he found it difficult to fit what he had learned into a newcomer environment
No i think it was good. Good camp, meet new people, [and] Work on some of the things you need to learn as a striker. Stolly [Jarret Stoll] and all of the developers have done a great job with us. It’s been a good week.
Whether his more determined play style in scrimmage was intent
I tried to think about it a little more, tried to connect to the network [and] Be a little more direct with my game – give and go and that kind of game. I think this is one thing that I am really working on and using my speed.
What he would like to show of his skills this season
Yeah, I hope to use my strengths, my speed, maybe I’ll try to shoot a little more, [and] be more direct. But I also want to show my skills. [In] In some situations you can show what you can do, dangle and all, but yeah, work hard every day.
Thoughts about a possible shift in the wing given the organizational depth in the middle
That’s not a problem for me. I can also play as a winger. Obviously, I’ve been at the center for most of my career. But when you are a center you have to be ready to play as a grand piano. And I look forward to it if this is the right place for me.
Does he feel that the group of talented people is ready to make a difference this year?
We have a lot of young people, however [the Kings] added a couple of older guys too. It’s just fine. And yes, [I] look forward to camp, [and I’m] ready to fight for a place and the grid.
What has improved his game the most and what he would like to work on
I would say of course the game is a little different here in North America, a smaller ice rink. So, like I said, last year was huge. I tried to be more direct with the puck, to go to the net, all of those things. When I played in Europe there was more space, more time with the puck. Yes, and maybe [I’d like to be] something more physical.
