Joakim Kemell Already Has NHL Experience, Why Not Give Him More?
In times of desperation, the Predators decided to call up some of their young guys in hops they can do something for the team. Some of these call ups paid off like Matthew Wood while others, not so much. Unfortunately, in Kemell's two NHL games this year, he failed to record a single point. Since then, he's proven why he deserves another shot in the big leagues.
In the 65 games with the Milwaukee Admirals, the Finnish forward reached the 40-point mark, nearly notching his first 20-goal season in the AHL. In the postseason, he doubled down and scored 8 points in the first two rounds. His consistent shooting lane is something a lot of goalies fear. He has a nose for the net and as he said when he was 17 years old, "I like to score. It’s simple."
He has a very powerful one-timer, and his puck release is just as strong. He was noted as one of the best shooters in his draft class by EliteProspects. Even though he is only 5'11", he takes big strides to make his appearance bigger, such as his quick skating and big strides with the puck.
Kemell only took 8 shifts in his first 2 NHL appearances. If he is given way more than 10 minutes a night, we can realistically see him quickly adapt and become a solid scorer for Nashville. If the Luke Evangelista doesn't sort itself out by October, then Kemell is a prime replacement candidate.