Urheilu reaches Kaapo Kähkönen from New Jersey early Tuesday local time.
The goalkeeper from Helsinki has had a massage after the hot Rangers-Devils local battle the previous night and is now over a cup of coffee ready to reflect on the events of the past weeks and months.
Kähkönen was traded from San Jose to New Jersey last Friday, so everything on the east coast is still new.
– There is no contract for next season, so I think the rest of the season will be spent in a hotel. We’ll see what we do after the season, Kähkönen says about settling into a new environment.
The change of environment could not have come at a better time for Kähkösen. San Jose, which won only 16 games, has had a miserable season despite Kähkönen’s good performances. San Jose lost twelve games in a row between December and January.
Earlier in the fall, the team lost consecutive home matches by 1–10 and 2–10.
Kähkönen knew all season that he was for sale.
– It’s still a shock when you are asked to the GM’s office to hear about the player trade, but I accepted it with great pleasure. The situation and the hustle and bustle in San Jose was so miserable, Kähkönen describes.
After a difficult last season, Kähkönen – unbelievably – in the midst of San Jose’s turbulence, made his career rise. Kähkönen, who represented TuTo in the mestizo and Blues and Lukko in the SM league, had to explore the landscape of his soul behind the losing team.
– So much happened in the past couple of years that it will teach you. In that, you learn about yourself and learn to approach things differently, the goalkeeper reflects.
– The idea that you start playing that game from the first second hits the eyes hard. I can’t think that maybe we will win 5-0, rather that we have to play for nil here if we want to win. Sniffing backfires immediately. You just have to do your own thing, then you’ve done what you can, Kähkönen philosophizes.
The trade changed everything
The player trade changed everything in an instant. Now Kähkönen represents the New Jersey Devils, who started the season with high expectations, but who have been severely disappointed during the first 60 games.
The team has underperformed, injuries have sanded the way and the head coach Lindy Ruff got a shoe.
However, the playoff line is only six points away, so unlike San Jose, the Devils hope lives on.
– Great to join a team that is still fighting for a place in the playoffs. Games really matter here. I hope we can get a good crack at it.
It goes without saying that the atmosphere in the locker room is a little different in San Jose and New Jersey.
– There is a terrible difference in the spirit and attitude of the costume shop. However, we are talking about the right opportunity here, and you can see it in everything we do. You can see it in the attitudes and expressions of the players and the coach (Travis Green) from half of the requirement level. It’s motivating and great, Kähkönen enthuses.
Demonstrations for others
At the same time that New Jersey “rescued” Kähkönen from San Jose, the club hardly has big plans for the Finn for the future.
In addition to Kähkönen, GM Tom Fitzgerald acquired a goaltender with all the experience from Montreal Jake Allen’s. Allen’s contract also covers the coming season, Kähkönen’s does not.
After the transfer deadline, the club’s GM spoke openly about his desire to acquire a so-called bigger name as the first goalkeeper for the coming season.
With Kähkönen, it was more about the previous goalkeeper Vitek Vanecek too getting rid of a contract worth more than three million dollars than acquiring Kähkönen for a longer period.
– I try not to think about these. Each GM has his own reasons for making certain decisions. It’s great that someone wants to. You just have to go where you’re told and play your best game.
Kähkönen gives displays during the spring mainly to other clubs.
– Whether the contract is broken or not, you always play for the place and time. You can’t think too much about contract matters. When I go to training or games, I can’t think about what the contract will be like next summer. I’m preparing well, I’m playing to the best of my ability and if that level is enough for this series, you can think about contracts in the summer.
Get down to business right away
Kähkönen was immediately put into action when he was able to play in a hot New York local game against the Rangers early on Tuesday morning. Kähkönen played well, but the Devils lost 2–3.
Kähkönen is trying to get on top of the game in a new environment at a fast pace.
– The mood in the hall was great. It was great to be able to play in one of the finest halls in the world (Madison Square Garden) and to be a local crowd. It’s a shame it came to nothing.
– With a new team, it always takes time to get on the same wavelength. You have to understand some things pretty quickly on the flight or it won’t go well. On the other hand, you have to understand to focus only on your own work and try to get used to new things one thing at a time. If you try to take everything at once, things can get quite messy, Kähkönen emphasizes.
Got an NHL tooth left? A new episode of Ika änäriä appears every Thursday on Areena. Jussi Paasin and Ismo Lehkonen you can access the latest episode of the podcast by following this link.