Kapanen family business brings him to Wheaties

Kuopio, Finland is a 19-hour flight from the Wheat City, but Ilari Kapanen still knew all about the Brandon Wheat Kings.

The 19-year-old defenceman, who was nabbed by the Western Hockey League team with the scheduled 106th pick of the Canadian Hockey League’s import draft in July, was a fan of a Brandon superstar a decade ago.

“I knew a little bit about the Wheat Kings before,” Kapanen said. “I watched a lot of Nolan Patrick when he played here in like 2015. I knew a little bit about the club but I didn’t know anything about the city. I knew it was a small town and went to check and saw 48,000 people here. “It’s a small town but I like it here. It’s peaceful.”

Kapanen was actually monitoring the draft on his phone when he saw his name pop up.

Just like he knew about Brandon, local hockey fans had likely heard of the Kapanen family.

His uncle Sami played 831 regular season games in the National Hockey League — including with a former Wheat Kings star named Marty Murray — and Sami’s sons also both play pro, with Kasperi with the Edmonton Oilers and Konsta in the top Finnish league.

In addition, Kapanen’s older brother Oliver skates with the Montreal Canadiens, and his father Kimmo was a goalie who enjoyed a long pro career. Another uncle, Jari was a captain with the highly regarded Finnish club Jokerit, and to top it off, their grandfather Hannu was inducted into the Swedish Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015 after a long career with Jokerit and HIFK.

So his family knows a thing or two about hockey.

“It’s really big,” Kapanen said. “We have four players play in the NHL and my cousin plays in the Finnish pro league and I play here now. It’s a big thing in Finland. I think every Finnish hockey player knows the Kapanen family. We’re a pretty good family, everyone loves hockey, even my dad, grandparents, everyone.”

The five-foot-11, 161-pound blue-liner had four points in eight games with Timrå IK U20 in Sweden, and played five games with HIFK in the Liiga, the top professional league in Finland.

He also suited up for Finland’s U19 and U20 teams.

Kapanen was part of the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase on Team Finland, playing against Canada, the United States and Sweden in Windsor, Ont. Finland went 2-3.

“It was pretty fun,” Kapanen said. “I got to play some games in the summer too and it went great actually. I think I did well and the team did great too.”

Murray, who now serves as Brandon’s general manager and head coach, said the defenceman looked good at the event.

“It’s his brain and his skating ability,” Murray said after an unofficial skate on Tuesday. “Those are excellent attributes that he has. I was able to watch him a lot in that world junior showcase and he showed really well there. These are just captain’s skates out here but he looks the part with his ability to skate and move pucks and his hockey IQ.”

Kapanen agreed with Murray’s assessment.

“I think my strengths are skating and moving the puck well,” Kapanen said. “I’m a two-way D-man. I can play D too. I like to play in the offensive zone with the puck. Of course I have some things to work on, like playing physical. It’s going to be more physical in this league than in Finland and Sweden so that’s one thing I need to put work in on.”

There will be a lot for him to get used to in Canada. For one, he’s no longer playing on the wider European ice surface, but he’s OK with the change.

“I like the smaller ice,” Kapanen said. “We had it in the summer tournament so I think it’s good for my game. I’m a good skater and move the puck well so I love it.”

Kapanen may have only arrived in Brandon last week, but it’s clear he’s already made an impression on his new teammates. He’s perpetually smiling and chatting with whoever is close by, in part because the outgoing youngster has a terrific command of the language.

He added he learned in English in school and had to speak it when he played in Sweden too.

“It’s a big thing,” Kapanen said. “Of course you feel a lot better when you know the guys and like your surroundings here. The family (his billets) is great too.

“It’s a big thing for me obviously, I was nervous about it, how the guys are, and they’re great. After I got drafted, a couple of guys texted me directly so I’ve been talking to them the whole summer.”

He said the other players have always included him when they go out to get something to eat or in other activities.

Kapanen was joined in Brandon by Russian import Kristof Muissu, who has quickly been tagged with the nickname “Moose” by his teammates. While Muissu’s English skills are rudimentary, Murray said Kapanen looked like he was visiting with old friends already.

“His English is excellent and he seemed to fit right in,” Murray said. “It looks like he’s played here for two or three years, and that’s credit to our guys too. They’re good at welcoming new players in and I can see that both with him and Kris.”

Wheat Kings camp started last night with practices, and continues for the next three days with games, mostly at Assiniboine Credit Union Place.

Like another fellow import, Czech goaltender Filip Ruzicka, he is hoping to be somewhere else after Christmas. Both have a chance of cracking the rosters of their respective world junior teams, and Kapanen would be thrilled for the opportunity.

“It’s a big goal,” Kapanen said. “I think every kid dreams to play there. Making that team in the summer is a good thing with the world juniors coming in the winter. It was amazing. I haven’t been on the national team for long so it’s always an honour to put the Finland jersey on.”

Before then, his new adventure begins in Canada. Since the day he saw his name on his telephone on July 1, he’s been ready.

“I’m really excited,” Kapanen said. “I’ve been waiting for this the whole summer to come here, and going on the ice with the boys, I’m getting even more excited. The camp starts soon and we’ll go to work.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com