Kaskimaki made his way to North America for the 2024-2025 season, and skated with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL. In 62 games, the 21 year old saw 11 goals and 22 assists, with 10 points coming with the man advantage, and even one while short handed. That the rookie Finn saw time on both special teams, and featured on the power play, is a good sign for the confidence he earned from the coaching staff. He will be a year or two away from earning an extended look at the NHL level, but as the Blues’ veterans age, and he builds on his budding game in the North American circuit, look for him to earn a shot at a middle-six role if his development goes according to plan.

He played 12 games in April and May, earning just two assists, so the extended length of the AHL season will be something he will come into the season with more acclimation to. Kaskimaki is worth a stash if unowned in your dynasty leagues.

Even though he is considered a center, Kaskimaki spent the majority of the 2024 World Junior Championship playing on the left wing of the second line. It was not catastrophic, but it was still an underwhelming tournament for him. He finished with only four points in seven games, falling short of the expectations for a 19-year-old in this competition. All signs indicate that Kaskimaki will return to the Liiga to continue his development in his home country.

After a disappointing last season, Kaskimaki has already made significant progress this year with HIFK. In just 12 games, he not only matched his goal total from the previous year (three), but also increased his shots per game from 1.6 to 2.3. This improvement has already had an impact on his ice time, as he is playing an additional three minutes per game. Although it is still too early to jump to conclusions, it’s undoubtedly a major step taken by the young center.

Kaskimaki’s weight increased by 13 pounds since his 2022 draft, but it did not translate to a better performance on the ice. Last season, in 41 games in the Liiga, Kaskimaki scored only seven points. Despite his reduced role on the team, this was not sufficient. When on the ice, his team only scores eight goals all season, and he did not help that with an awful 4.62 shooting percentage. His playoff performance was a glimmer of hope in an otherwise disappointing season as he equaled his goal tally for the year in just seven games. Cedrick Blais-Turcotte