The Montreal Canadiens opened their 2024-25 preseason on Monday. And while most fans were excited to finally catch a glimpse of star sniper Patrik Laine in a Habs uniform, another forward stole the spotlight.
Rookie centre Oliver Kapanen, playing on Montreal’s third line between fellow youngster Emil Heineman and newcomer Alex BarrĂ©-Boulet, was arguably the Canadiens’ best forward.
The 21-year-old made a real impact early on with his relentless forecheck, quick feet, and slick puck skills. That work paid off in the offensive zone as he logged two assists on the night.
Un de plus parce que pourquoi pas
One more for good measure
PHI 0, MTL 5#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/lRN3TA6NDu
— Canadiens MontrĂ©al (@CanadiensMTL) September 24, 2024
“[Kapanen] played an excellent game,” remarked head coach Martin St. Louis after the Canadiens’ 5-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. “I tip my hat to our scouting staff.”
3mil porte la marque Ă 3-0
in Heine-sight, that was a filthy snipe#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/0RlW847fbl
— Canadiens MontrĂ©al (@CanadiensMTL) September 24, 2024
Kapanen’s standout play comes as no surprise to those who have been following his trajectory.
Drafted by Montreal in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, he’s coming off a productive season in Finland’s top league (Liiga), where he tallied 14 goals and 34 points in 51 games. His breakout performance came back in June at the World Championships, which saw him lead Team Finland in goals and rank among the tournament’s top scorers.
But despite his promising progression, there’s a catch: Montreal already has five NHL-calibre centers on the roster — three of whom (Nick Suzuki, Kirby Dach, and Alex Newhook) will likely occupy top-six spots.
And while Christian Dvorak seems the most expendable of the bunch, Kapanen, who signed a three-year entry-level deal with Montreal over the summer, faces an additional challenge. He’s currently on an SHL loan contract, meaning if he doesn’t make the opening night roster, he’ll be headed back to Sweden for the season.
That puts Montreal in a bit of a tricky spot. Will they find room for him and potentially make a trade before the season, or will he be forced to head overseas and miss out on a year of North American development?
We’ll likely have that answer before the Canadiens kick off their 2024-25 campaign on October 9.