The Edmonton Oilers cannot catch a break this season. The franchise has dealt with injuries, inconsistent goaltending, and defensive breakdowns throughout the campaign. Just when things appeared to be improving on the health front, another setback struck during Thursday’s practice.

One forward who had been working his way back from injury appeared to hurt himself again during the session. The player’s visible frustration immediately sparked a reaction from fans who have grown tired of watching Edmonton’s season spiral further out of control.

Kasperi Kapanen’s Frustrated Outburst Divides Oilers Fans After Latest Injury Setback

TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported the concerning news from Thursday’s practice. Kasperi Kapanen appeared to suffer another injury just as he was on the verge of returning to the lineup. The timing couldn’t be worse for a team desperately needing reinforcements.

“Really unfortunate turn at Oilers skate,” Rishaug reported. “Kapanen appeared to hurt himself. Extremely frustrated as he left the ice. Been working his way back for some time now and was set to return.”

Kapanen’s frustration boiled over during the session. As the team stretched at center ice, the winger skated off and slammed his stick on the bench. Several sticks fell to the ice as he hit them in anger. The outburst captured the mounting frustration surrounding Edmonton’s cursed season.

Really unfortunate turn at Oilers skate. Kapanen appeared to hurt himself. Extremely frustrated as he left the ice. Been working his way back for some time now and was set to return. pic.twitter.com/MV9Ht4AQBn

— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) November 27, 2025

The $1.3 million forward has barely made any contribution to this campaign due to various health issues. Kapanen was expected to provide depth scoring and penalty-killing ability when healthy. Instead, he’s spent most of the season recovering from injuries.

Fans immediately reacted to the footage of Kapanen’s outburst. Opinions were sharply divided between those who appreciated his passion and others who criticized his behavior.

“Grown man crashing out while getting paid to shoot rubber pucks in a net,” one fan wrote dismissively.

Another supporter took issue with the mess Kapanen created for the training staff. “Having a tantrum and expecting the trainers to clean up your mess is so juvenile. GROW UP,” they posted.

Others echoed the criticism about the extra work created for staff members. “Oof. Nothing like creating a bunch of extra work for the trainers that already do everything for them,” one fan noted.

However, some supporters defended Kapanen’s emotional reaction. “Love the emotion, it shows that he cares a lot. But man, even more sucky news. Things have to get better for this team sometime,” one sympathetic fan wrote.

The harshest criticism compared Kapanen to a toddler. “Lmao, what a loser this guy is. Reminds me of my kids when they were 2,” another posted.

The setback represents another blow to Edmonton’s forward depth. The Oilers have struggled to maintain consistent lineup combinations due to various injuries throughout the season. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins recently returned, but losing Kapanen again creates another hole.

Whether Kapanen’s latest injury is serious remains unclear. For now, the Oilers must continue navigating their difficult season without another depth piece they were counting on to provide a spark.