Joonas Kemppainen’s first NHL season has not played out the way he would have hoped, and now, he’s headed to the minors.
The Boston Bruins assigned the 27-year-old forward to the American Hockey League following Friday morning’s practice. He is expected to suit up for the Providence Bruins on Friday night against the Albany Devils.
Kemppainen, who has just one goal and two assists in 35 games for Boston, surprisingly earned a roster start out of training camp after making the leap from the Swedish Elite League, but he was unable to build on the promising start to his Bruins career.
The Finnish centerman missed nearly all of December with an upper body injury and was a healthy scratch for each of Boston’s last two games. He also has gone without a point in 16 consecutive appearances dating to Nov. 25, and his minus-11 rating is worst among all Bruins skaters.
The Bruins, who will host the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night at TD Garden, did not announce a corresponding roster move.
Thumbnail photo via Perry Nelson/USA TODAY Sports Images
