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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 5, 2024 12:55:48 GMT -5
Kapanen makes the final roster for Finland’s World Championship team. How exciting for the young man to extend his season a bit.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 5, 2024 16:47:43 GMT -5
London win 4-2 in the game and in the series. The Knights advance to the OHL championship finals and Saginaw get to rest up a bit for the Memorial Cup as hosts. Beck with no points today.
Rohrer, Kapanen and Guhle all saw exhibition action today for their respective national teams, with no points amongst the trio.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 9, 2024 12:08:00 GMT -5
It is official for Kapanen and his move to the competitive SHL. Great opportunity for him even if he signs his ELC and does not make the opening night roster for the Habs.
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Post by seventeen on May 9, 2024 13:37:25 GMT -5
He'll be 23 when his contract expires. But should be fully developed and heading into his prime.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 12, 2024 14:25:31 GMT -5
Hattrick at the World’s for Kapanen. Not bad!
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Post by seventeen on May 13, 2024 11:53:11 GMT -5
Hattrick at the World’s for Kapanen. Not bad! Looks like he's definitely improved his scoring touch. Nice deflections and no fear of going to the front of the net. |
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on May 14, 2024 19:24:54 GMT -5
Hattrick at the World’s for Kapanen. Not bad! I follow Grant McCagg on Twitter, and he was super impressed with Oliver Kapanen ... is he NHL-ready in your opinion ... Cheers. |
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Post by seventeen on May 14, 2024 23:46:41 GMT -5
I follow Grant McCagg on Twitter, and he was super impressed with Oliver Kapanen ... is he NHL-ready in your opinion ... Cheers. I defer to NWT of course, but I'd say he is NHL ready. Played 2 1/2 full seasons in the Finnish LIGA, starting at age 18, improving from 4 to 27 to 34 points in 51 games last season and then took off in the playoffs with 14 points in 13 games. I place a lot of value in how a guy does in the playoffs after his regular season. I feel it's like a fresh start and whatever the learned during the regular season should come together in the playoff run. If there's an injury issue, then of course that has to be taken into consideration. No such problem with Kapanen and being chosen to the Finn's WC team was a nice reward. He's continued to score there, against competition better than anything he faced in Liga. He signed with one of the Swedish clubs so I don't think he'll be available for the next 2 years, but that's probably ok with the Habs as it gives them time to see how the rest of their centres measure up without Kapanen taking up a spot, or languishing in Laval. The SHL is a good league. Hockeydb has him at 6', 178 lbs. We'll have to see at his next training camp if those numbers get updated. I see him slotting in either the 4C or 3C spot. A lot depends on Dach's recovery, Newhook's best position and Beck's development. By the time he's in Montreal, if Evans is still around, I think Jake gets replaced. Not bad for a 64th overall pick. Last pick in the 2nd round, just after Riley Kidney (another centre who may yet improve) |
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Post by seventeen on May 16, 2024 14:22:45 GMT -5
Finland drops one to Austria (3-2) on a literally last second goal! On the bright side, Oliver Kapanen scored again.
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Post by Willie Dog on May 18, 2024 9:31:33 GMT -5
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Post by folatre on May 18, 2024 10:31:32 GMT -5
By all accounts, despite flying under the radar for most of the last three years, Kapanen has really progressed nicely. Hopefully he gets signed and is ready to roll in camp.
Does he skate anything like his uncle, Sami?
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Post by Willie Dog on May 18, 2024 10:42:22 GMT -5
By all accounts, despite flying under the radar for most of the last three years, Kapanen has really progressed nicely. Hopefully he gets signed and is ready to roll in camp. Does he skate anything like his uncle, Sami? I still think the habs will take a forward at tge draft but if kapanen is a nice fit it will generate some more competition for 2nd and 3rd lines Newhook, dach, kapanen, Roy, Gallagher, Anderson, ylonen, Dvorak, rhp, mesar tuch, Farrell... |
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Post by Cranky on May 18, 2024 11:30:25 GMT -5
Kapanen who?
He's coming up fast from someone we barely thought of. He's got the size and the 200 ft game so now it's time to see if he can mix it up in the AHL.
We may have the bottom six sown up with size and talent. Hopefully middle six in there too. Even a bit of nastiness is X Junior smacks his way into the lineup.
If Hughes pulls another Dach in a trade and we add a top 3 in the draft...my wallet will be in peril. I may finally stop automatically deleting games and even PAY to watch them.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 26, 2024 12:08:22 GMT -5
Hattrick at the World’s for Kapanen. Not bad! I follow Grant McCagg on Twitter, and he was super impressed with Oliver Kapanen ... is he NHL-ready in your opinion ... Cheers. Probably close, within a year or two. He played a key role on his Liiga team this past year, actually moving up to the top centre spot. His role has increased in his time there. Moving to a SHL team will mean a jump up in competition which is good for his further development as you want to play against stronger players and teams when you have a young player developing pro habits. I expect he comes to camp, probably gets some games in, is sent back for one season in the SHL, and then comes over full time to AHL/NHL the season after. Just my armchair prediction at this point. He is just 20 so there is no rush to have him in the lineup yet and the SHL is a very good league in which to play. Let’s not forget he was captain of the Finnish WJC for a few years and has been slowly getting better since he was drafted. I always liked him, but thought his ceiling might be a defensive centre. But, he has shown a bit more offensive flair this past year in Liiga, a league that is notoriously stingy with goals. |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 26, 2024 12:30:01 GMT -5
Not a huge surprise that he has found a new team post-OHL. He was not going to get an ELC from the Habs.
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Post by seventeen on May 26, 2024 13:35:26 GMT -5
We'll 'lose' a number of draftees from previous years. I wish them good luck in their careers, but I won't be following them much from now on. This is just business as usual in the hockey world.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 31, 2024 11:43:19 GMT -5
Davidson earns his first NHL deal with a two year ELC. He suffered some injuries last season, but he was solid when he played. Well earned as a decent depth guy for Laval and see how he continues to develop.
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Post by Willie Dog on Jun 2, 2024 13:00:11 GMT -5
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Post by seventeen on Jun 2, 2024 14:26:03 GMT -5
Not surprised at all. Those guys were low probability players and didn't find their way to improving enough to make the NHL. Davidson has some 4th line potential, so giving him more time to get better is good management practice.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jun 2, 2024 19:03:36 GMT -5
Beck opens the scoring in the final vs London.
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Post by drkcloud on Jun 2, 2024 19:24:33 GMT -5
Beck with a huge opening period. Both goals for Saginaw and he absolutely rocked Easton Cowan to set the tone
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jun 2, 2024 19:33:39 GMT -5
Heckuva period when it matters most. Long way to go and London is a powerhouse, but what a start for the underdog hosts.
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Post by jkr on Jun 2, 2024 21:17:58 GMT -5
Beck with a huge opening period. Both goals for Saginaw and he absolutely rocked Easton Cowan to set the tone Lets hope that was a sign of things to come when the Habs play the Leafs. |
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Post by drkcloud on Jun 2, 2024 21:43:17 GMT -5
Owen Beck named tournament MVP
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Post by folatre on Jun 2, 2024 22:14:54 GMT -5
Beck was rocking and rolling, nice to see. That kid is a gamer.
I think he probably needs a season in Laval to get accustomed to the bigger faster men in pro hockey, which is fine because in 2025-26 Dovrak and probably Evans will not be on the Montreal roster.
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Post by seventeen on Jun 2, 2024 22:53:32 GMT -5
He’s a smart, responsible player with an excellent wrist shot. Could use some strength work to help his overall game but the foundation is there. Should be good friendly battling between he and Kapanen. Great way to end a juniour career.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jun 3, 2024 11:28:30 GMT -5
Quite the finish to Beck’s junior career. He was used a ton last night and took 24 faceoffs including a lot in the third period. He was a whopping 79% on the draws. He will come to camp having won a World Junior Championship (2023), OHL Championship (2023), OHL Scholastic Player of the Year (2023), Memorial Cup Championship (2024), and Memorial Cup MVP and First Team All-Star (2024). He also was one of the best faceoff guys during his stint and wore letters for his previous junior team and Team Canada (2024).
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Post by seventeen on Jun 3, 2024 12:57:35 GMT -5
Quite the finish to Beck’s junior career. He was used a ton last night and took 24 faceoffs including a lot in the third period. He was a whopping 79% on the draws. He will come to camp having won a World Junior Championship (2023), OHL Championship (2023), OHL Scholastic Player of the Year (2023), Memorial Cup Championship (2024), and Memorial Cup MVP and First Team All-Star (2024). He also was one of the best faceoff guys during his stint and wore letters for his previous junior team and Team Canada (2024). So.....trade bait?   After all, his value will never be higher.  |
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Post by Willie Dog on Jun 3, 2024 15:41:29 GMT -5
Below is what Bakula had to say about Beck's mem cup performance
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Post by Willie Dog on Jun 23, 2024 18:02:56 GMT -5
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