In his first season since being drafted by the LA Kings, Kasper Simontaival has been impressive according to his coach, Jussi Tapola.
When he was drafted by the LA Kings last October, Kasper Simontaival was looked at as a promising piece to the franchise’s long-term future. While he stands as at a diminutive 5-foot-9, the 19-year-old more than makes up for his size in a number of areas.
Hours after the Kings drafted Simontaival, I spoke with his head coach, Jussi Tapola of SM-Liiga’s Tappara Tampere, to discuss the Finnish youngster, including his assets and what he needed to work on to prepare for the next level. I also spoke with Tapola recently to recap the youngster’s season.
As far as which assets do make up for Simontaival’s lack of size, the Tappara coach was not the least bit hesitant in his response.
“Kasper is strong in battles,” Tapola told me. “He needs to get quicker and faster and make his skating his strength. He works hard every day to develop. That is the most important thing.”
Entering the 2020-21 season, one of Simontaival’s most noticeable downfall has been his proneness to injuries. The Tappara Tampere head coach, however, informed me that Simontaival has worked especially hard this past year to stay healthy.
“Kasper used a long summer training period well and he was in good condition the whole season,” Tapola noted. “Also, he has grown as a professional athlete by taking care of his body .”
While his three goals and four assists this past season may not jump off the page, so to speak, Simontaival nonetheless was a positive factor for Tappara Tampere in terms of creating plays.
“Kasper used his playmaking ability when he played,” Tapola said. “He played 33 games in Liiga and he was a big part of the Finnish , scoring seven points there. He also played the power play and showed his talent there.”
In fact, Simontaival’s efforts at the World Juniors this past winter helped earned Finland a bronze medal.
Overall, Tapola is confident in Simontaival’s progress. While he may be closer to competing for an NHL roster spot, he admitted that there is still work to be done for the youngster.
“He is closer to the NHL after this season but there is a lot of work to do, especially on the physical side,” Tapola concluded.
After being drafted in the third round (66th overall) by the Kings last October, Kasper Simontaival began making his pursuit to the NHL. However, if fans of the silver-and-black are hoping to see the teenager in a Kings uniform soon, they will have to be patient.
This spring, Simontaival signed a three-year deal with Liiga’s KalPa. So, while the signing will hopefully mean a plethora of progress for the right-winger, it will be in his native Finland and not in North America — at least not right away.
Kasper Simontaival is just one of many bright spots in the LA Kings’ future and in due time, we will see more of him as the franchise continues to build towards success.