Considering the well-documented magnificence of the Toronto Maple Leafs' rookie class this season, it's hard to imagine there's yet another dynamic freshman to add into the fold, right?

Wrong - enter Kasperi Kapanen, who's cemented his presence into Toronto's lineup, and his name into the minds of hockey fans everywhere in a mere matter of weeks.

Kapanen only played eight games for the Maple Leafs in the regular season, but those who follow the club closely knew his promotion from the AHL would help Toronto's balance in the stretch run, as the 20-year-old is a lightning-quick, offensively gifted winger who happened to rack up 43 points in 43 games with the AHL's Marlies in 2016-17.

Deployed on the fourth line alongside Brian Boyle and Matt Martin, Kapanen's full offensive potential appears untapped to this point, but he's undoubtedly staked his claim as a big-game player.

He earned the reputation first and foremost at the 2016 world juniors, where he clinched the gold medal on home soil for his native Finland with an overtime winner, and early in his NHL career, the clutch gene has transferred over.

With a playoff berth on the line, it was Kapanen that notched his first NHL goal versus the Pittsburgh Penguins to tie the game - setting the table for goals from fellow rookies Connor Brown and Auston Matthews to send the Maple Leafs to the dance.

Saturday night, it was Kapanen who stepped up again, first tying the game at 2-2, then following up with a double-overtime winner to send the series back to Toronto with a desperately needed split.

As the centerpiece of the Leafs' return in the Phil Kessel trade, Kapanen, drafted 22nd overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2014, is expected to grow into a more prominent role in Toronto's quest to become a consistent contender, and based on his early impact, it may come sooner than later.

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