Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen to arrive in Pittsburgh on Saturday

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan indicated forward Kasperi Kapanen has his immigration status squared away and is expected to arrive in Pittsburgh, from Finland, on Saturday.

The Finnish native has not been able to participate in the team’s training camp to this point after failing to secure a work visa on time.

While he will be in Pittsburgh physically, he will not be able to join his team until he completes an NHL-mandated quarantine of seven days.

As a result, Kapanen is bound to miss the Penguins’ first two games of the season, each road contests against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday and next Friday.

The earliest he could play would be the team’s home opener against the Washington Capitals on Jan. 17. But considering that game starts at noon, it seems doubtful Kapanen would participate without the benefit of even practicing.

Sullivan was hesitant to commit to a date that Kapanen could join his teammates on the ice.

“Until we get him here and I can have a conversation with Kasperi on his fitness level and his comfort level with how we’re trying to play, it’s hard for me to answer that question,” Sullivan said. “But what we will do, I’ll have a lot of interaction with him via (video conference) or phone calls while he’s going through that quarantine period.

“We’re going to introduce our team concept to him through that process as well so that he has that ability to make sure that he’s learning the Penguins’ way … and how we’re trying to play so that when we do get him in the practice environment, we get him with the group, that he’s going to be able to hit the ground running.”

The Penguins acquired Kapanen in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Aug. 25. He is expected to serve as the right wing of the team’s top line while also inhabiting a role on the second power-play unit.

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