St. Louis Blues winger Kasperi Kapanen issued an apology after a drunk driving arrest last month in his native Finland.
The Blues confirmed Thursday that Kapanen is facing an alcohol-related charge. The 27-year-old issued a statement through the team.
“Last month I made an unacceptable error in judgment and take full responsibility for my actions. I offer my apologies to my family, the Blues organization, my teammates and the fans,” he said. “I understand the severity of my mistake and am committed to doing everything I can to earn back their trust.”
Blues president of hockey operations Doug Armstrong also commented on the matter with the Toronto Sun.
“We are disappointed in his lapse in judgment and are entrusting him to make the necessary changes to avoid putting himself in a similar situation in the future,” Armstrong said.
Finnish news outlets reported Thursday that Kapanen’s case will be heard in district court in Pohjois-Savo, Finland, in February.
Kapanen tallied 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 23 games with St. Louis after being claimed off waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 25.
Kapanen was a first-round draft pick (22nd overall) by Pittsburgh in 2014. He has 186 points (78 goals, 108 assists) in 387 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Penguins and Blues.
He is due to earn $3.2 million in 2023-24 and will become an unrestricted free agent after the season, according to Spotrac.
