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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 24, 2021 12:04:07 GMT -5
A talented scoring centre from Finland. Played with KalPa juniors and also made his pro debut this year. A familiar name with uncle and brother both players. He lead the Finnish juniors in goal scoring this past season. He was injured in the first game of the U18s, getting hit into the boards hard. He did come back to finish the tourney, but was not his usual skilled self. thehockeywriters.com/oliver-kapanen-2021-nhl-draft-prospect-profile/ |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 24, 2021 12:05:46 GMT -5
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 24, 2021 13:03:56 GMT -5
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 24, 2021 18:06:41 GMT -5
Kapanen is playing with at the Summer Showcase U20 tourney hosted in the USA right now. Luke Tuch is also there for the USA. It is a development tourney for next year’s WJC. Canada opted out, and it features the USA teams (blue and white) and Finland and Sweden.
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Post by folatre on Jul 24, 2021 18:47:43 GMT -5
This could be a nice pick. Apparently he is not a burner like his cousin but maybe he is more cerebral with the puck than Kasperi. If you combine those two dimensions then I think we would have his uncle, which is probably more than we should be expecting with this pick.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 24, 2021 21:03:03 GMT -5
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 24, 2021 23:46:32 GMT -5
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 26, 2021 21:36:44 GMT -5
From Habs EOTP:
Back-to-back picks and back-to-back centres for the Habs with the Kapanen pick. He has one year left on his contract with KalPa but his stay there will likely be extended beyond that. His cousin is Penguins winger Kasperi Kapanen.
Bio
Centre
Shoots: Right
DOB: July 29, 2003 – Timra, Sweden
Height: 6’1
Weight: 179 lbs
Scouting Reports
The Draft Analyst: Kapanen has above-average speed but it quicker and elusive along the boards than he is in open ice. One can make a strong argument that Kapanen’s tight-quarter footwork and puck control, plus his sharp decision making, combine to make him one of the more reliable puck controllers available in the draft. Kapanen’s speed was misjudged by several opponents, and he exploited their indecision by blowing past them for a rush to the inside. Kapanen is as reliable as they come in the possession game. He makes few mistakes throughout the course of a game, which is critical considering his multi-situational, minute-eating role.
McKeens: Worst case scenario, his offensive skill set continues to improve and he becomes that well rounded and reliable middle six center. Worst case scenario, he still profiles as a high end fourth line center and penalty kill because of his motor, quickness, IQ, and faceoff ability.
Elite Prospects: Even if his 200-feet game and consistency need work, the offensive tools clearly overshadow those flaws at this point. Kapanen is also relatively young for the draft and his progress over the two seasons has been excellent and trending in the right direction, which makes him a worthy pick in the late second or early third-round range.
Recrutes: Despite his great bloodlines, the talented sniper is flying a bit under the radar for this draft having been ranked as a third-round prospect on a lot of lists. He led all players in goal scoring in Finnish junior this season.
Corey Pronman: Kapanen is an interesting prospect due to his skill and competitiveness. He’s able to make the flashy plays through defenders’ sticks and legs, but also is able to play in the hard areas of the offensive zone and win physical battles. He shows good instances of playmaking as well. I wouldn’t call it the main area of strength of his game but it’s in there. With Kapanen, he will need to improve his skating to give himself a real chance at the NHL level.
The Hockey News: “He may be the best two-way player in this Finnish class,” said another scout. “He’s really smart on both sides of the puck, a true team player – he’ll do anything they need him to do, and he can play up and down the lineup. He can kill penalties and play different roles on the power play. He’s a versatile guy but maybe doesn’t have the high-end skill.”
LWOS: Kapanen is known for his goal-scoring ability. He has a very good wrist shot. It is both accurate and powerful. He also has a quick release which makes things difficult for goalies. His quick hands change the angle of that release as well. Kapanen can also score with a strong one-timer. He does a good job of adjusting his feet and can get his one-timer off even if the pass is not perfect.
Future Considerations: Kapanen has a genuine nose for the net and is dangerous in the slot. He’s not the quickest or most agile skater, but he’s above average and he can be quite deceptive in motion, moving laterally around traffic. His transition play is helped out by great conditioning and deft puck control, allowing him to carry the puck through all three zones, even at the end of his shift. Kapanen is a well-rounded, intelligent player that has one of the highest compete levels in this class. He fights hard in all three zones, and while his overall skill may not be high end, his work ethic should carry him to the next level.
DraftPro Hockey: Offensively gifted water bug center. Shift to shift energy and a high motor. High IQ and decision-making ability under pressure. Great skater in every direction with an excellent first step. Real quick feet and explosive from a stand still. Can produce offensively from anywhere. Plays the game in the dirty areas and drives the net hard. Projects as a top six winger at the next level or bottom six center.
SmahtScouting: While there are areas that need further development, if Kapanen can become a well-rounded skater and acquire explosive acceleration, he will be a dominant threat. With his ability to find open ice with ease, the last thing that defenders are going to want is Kapanen flying into the zone at lightning speed. If he gets that acceleration, he’ll beat defenders at a consistent rate and key up scoring chances.
HockeyProspect: His skating generally only grades out to about average or a little above. But mechanically, it looks fine, so there is some upside in that respect. We suspect he’ll develop the straight line speed necessary to compliment his game in due time. Given his style of play, it seems highly unlikely that this is a center even at the pro level in Finland, much less any North American pro league he can work himself into.
Rankings
Future Considerations: 65
Elite Prospects: 65
McKeen’s: 68
Central Scouting: 22 (EU Skaters)
Bob McKenzie: 52
Recrutes: 56
The Hockey News: 48
Draft Prospects Hockey: 82
The Draft Analyst: 43
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