Prospect Info: Oliver Kapanen, RHC, KalPa U20 (U20 SM-sarja), 64th Overall

[morhilane]

Yes you got it.

Also he said Kapanen could cause a surprise and play in Montreal next year

I actually think he could be an upgrade on Dvorak at center on the bottom 6.
But that depends what kind of Dvorak we have next season...if he's still around..

 

[Runner77]

My French is non-existent but does that say Kapanen’s Liiga coach thinks we hit the jackpot with him and he could be a 2nd line C?

I purposely stayed away from posting that as I expected the usual “what else is his coach going to say” whenever someone too close to any player, provides an assessment. But hey, hoping his coach is right!

 

[26Mats]

I actually think he could be an upgrade on Dvorak at center on the bottom 6.
But that depends what kind of Dvorak we have next season...if he's still around..

It would seem to me Dvo, Ylo, RHP, and Pez are 4 players in danger of losing their spot in the top 14 , depending on who we bring in. If we need to shed salary to sign a ufa top 6, Dvo would be the one to sacrifice, assuming Andersona nd Gallagher are unmovable.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Dvo and Evans both have 1 year left on their contract.
I expect Beck and Kapanen to be our 3C and 4C for the 25-26 season.

 

[morhilane]

Dvo and Evans both have 1 year left on their contract.
I expect Beck and Kapanen to be our 3C and 4C for the 25-26 season.

You don't really want to start with rookies at the same time as your 3rd and 4th centers.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

You don't really want to start with rookies at the same time as your 3rd and 4th centers.

It's not an issue, especially considering Kapanen will have had 4 years of pro experience.

Two seasons ago, we were icing 4-5 rookie dmen each game. This is nothing compared to that.

 

[jaffy27]

My French is non-existent but does that say Kapanen’s Liiga coach thinks we hit the jackpot with him and he could be a 2nd line C?

It’s not “The” jackpot…….it's “Le” Jackpot lol

 

[jaffy27]

The only two piece I see missing in the organization, at least in terms of projections, are two top 6/9 forwards:

Caufield Suzuki Slaf
---------- Dach. -----------
Roy Newhook Kapanen/Beck
Kapanen/Beck Evan's Xhekaj/Tuch/Heineman/RHP/Ylonen/etc...

Matheson/Engstrom Guhle
Hutson Reinbacher
Xhekaj Mailloux

Fowler
Monty/Primes/Dobes

Demidov, Lindstrom or dare I say Celebrini will shrink this number to 1

 

[26Mats]

Demidov, Lindstrom or dare I say Celebrini will shrink this number to 1

Yes, I'm anticipating we draft a forward with our first.

Then it will be interesting to see if HuGo trade the Jets 1st, and/or they sign a stop gap UFA top six forward...

Their first offseason (2022) they started off with a real bang, bringing in: Dach, Monahan, Matheson, Slaf, Hutson, plus Beck, Engstrom, and Mesar.
Then 2023 was more quiet: Newhook, Reinbacher, Fowler, plus Bogdan, plus a 2nd, 3rd, 4th in the Petry trade.
So we'll see what 2024 has in store...

 

[GrandBison]

It would seem to me Dvo, Ylo, RHP, and Pez are 4 players in danger of losing their spot in the top 14 , depending on who we bring in. If we need to shed salary to sign a ufa top 6, Dvo would be the one to sacrifice, assuming Andersona nd Gallagher are unmovable.

That's a good sign when marginal players actually need to battle to get in the lineup

 

[BLONG7]

That's a good sign when marginal players actually need to battle to get in the lineup

We need a lot more internal competition than we have had, in the last 10-12 years that's for sure.
Especially at forward......we have almost Zero depth there, and outside of 4 players ( Suzuki, CC, Dach, and Slaf ) we have no real high end talent in the organization......
We could include Newhook as a lock in the top 6 and Roy in the top 9.

But we all just saw what happens when one of them ( Dach ) goes down.......no depth.

Nice to hear we have a forward or two who can come in and make a difference soon.......

Does Kapenen have a chance of making the team next year, or is he bound for the Rocket?

 

[Tyson]

We need a lot more internal competition than we have had, in the last 10-12 years that's for sure.
Especially at forward......we have almost Zero depth there, and outside of 4 players ( Suzuki, CC, Dach, and Slaf ) we have no real high end talent in the organization......
We could include Newhook as a lock in the top 6 and Roy in the top 9.

But we all just saw what happens when one of them ( Dach ) goes down.......no depth.

Nice to hear we have a forward or two who can come in and make a difference soon.......

Does Kapenen have a chance of making the team next year, or is he bound for the Rocket?

I don't know what we have in Kapanen to know whether he can make the team as early as this upcoming season. Very promising prospect though.

 

[Beer and Chips]

The only two piece I see missing in the organization, at least in terms of projections, are two top 6/9 forwards:

Caufield Suzuki Slaf
---------- Dach. -----------
Roy Newhook Kapanen/Beck
Kapanen/Beck Evan's Xhekaj/Tuch/Heineman/RHP/Ylonen/etc...

Matheson/Engstrom Guhle
Hutson Reinbacher
Xhekaj Mailloux

Fowler
Monty/Primes/Dobes

Roy, Newhook, Kapanen, Beck are all possible third line players, we need second line players, imho.

 

[BLONG7]

Roy, Newhook, Kapanen, Beck are all possible third line players, we need second line players, imho.

He is trading a Dman this summer..........for a young forward ala Dach/Newhook......Therein lies the competition between the guy we get, and more than likely Newhook to be in the top 6..........
Roy I think is in the top 9 to start the season

 

[26Mats]

Roy, Newhook, Kapanen, Beck are all possible third line players, we need second line players, imho.

And really, we shou lo d be able to get one with our 1st, as well as in the trade and free agent markets this summer.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Roy, Newhook, Kapanen, Beck are all possible third line players, we need second line players, imho.

Roy and Newhook absolutely have legitimate 2nd line upside, while Beck and Kapanen should not be ruled out and certainly have elite 3rd line upside.

 

[malcb33]

Roy, Newhook, Kapanen, Beck are all possible third line players, we need second line players, imho.

Don't you think it might be a little early to cap these players? Roy only played a handful of games and looked decent, while obviously still working things out at the NHL level. Newhook was injured a good chunk of the year, his first year on the team, and the other two haven't even played in the NHL yet.

I can understand people wanting to project a future line-up, but chemistry also plays a massive part of where players slot into the line-up. I do definitely agree, the Habs need to inject more talent into the top half of the line-up, but Demidov, Lindstrom, Iginla, and Catton could certainly help with that.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Don't you think it might be a little early to cap these players? Roy only played a handful of games and looked decent, while obviously still working things out at the NHL level. Newhook was injured a good junk of the year, his first year on the team, and the other two haven't even played in the NHL yet.

I can understand people wanting to project a future line-up, but chemistry also plays a massive part of where players slot into the line-up. I do definitely agree, the Habs need to inject more talent into the top half of the line-up, but Demidov, Lindstrom, Iginla, and Catton could certainly help.

He is greatly overrating the offensive standard that defines a 2nd liner. They are generally 50-60 point players on contending teams with one of their second liners being closer to 70 points. Four forwards who can be close to or surpass a PPG is more than enough offence at the top of the lineup and we clearly have that foundation in Suzuki, Dach, Slaf and Caufield. There is every reason to believe that we have a handful of young forwards on the way who can be 50 point complimentary 2nd liners with both Roy and Newhook looking every bit the part. We will almost certainly be taking a high end forward with our first pick so we are in great position at all 3 positions with ridiculous talent/depth at D and a very solid group of young NHL/AHL goalies as well as some extremely promising goaltending prospects.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Roy and Newhook absolutely have legitimate 2nd line upside, while Beck and Kapanen should not be ruled out and certainly have elite 3rd line upside.

If Dach is reasonably healthy going forward and a top 7 pick likely going to a forward, I honestly think we’re in terrific shape.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

If Dach is reasonably healthy going forward and a top 7 pick likely going to a forward, I honestly think we’re in terrific shape.

The only problem is a game breaker.

Unless the Habs can get lucky and get a bunch of fairly good players in which case that many good players might work out to be a game breaker, if that makes sense.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

The only problem is a game breaker.

Unless the Habs can get lucky and get a bunch of fairly good players in which case that many good players might work out to be a game breaker, if that makes sense.

Slaf has game breaker upside without a doubt. Hutson does as well.

I’d say Caufield is on the fence in terms of upside but for argument sake, let say he doesn’t but he’s not that far off. Same with Suzuki really. He can definitely keep getting better. Maybe he gets as close as you can get without being one. Dach has comparable upside as the last 2 mentioned but is less proven and more of a question mark.

We have a very good chance of getting a forward with similar upside as the last 3 mentioned.

I don’t see the problem. Slaf and Hutson are very realistic options at gamebreaker status with 4 others hovering around that mark. I’m really only worried about them staying healthy

 

[malcb33]

The only problem is a game breaker.

Unless the Habs can get lucky and get a bunch of fairly good players in which case that many good players might work out to be a game breaker, if that makes sense.

I agree, unless the Habs get lucky and someone exceeds their projections and turns into a game-breaker, I think they'll end up more towards the construction of a team like the Hurricanes.

Hutson and Slaf seem to be the closest thing the team has right now. Caulfield has shown his ability to influence the scoresheet, which obviously can win you games, but IMO he doesn't create/ change the momentum in the game for me to be considered a true game-breaker.

Maybe that's the difference between a game-breaker and an elite play driver?

 

[Sam de Mtl]

I agree, unless the Habs get lucky and someone exceeds their projections and turns into a game-breaker, I think they'll end up more towards the construction of a team like the Hurricanes.

Hutson and Slaf seem to be the closest thing the team has right now. Caulfield has shown his ability to influence the scoresheet, which obviously can win you games, but IMO he doesn't create/ change the momentum in the game for me to be considered a true game-breaker.

Maybe that's the difference between a game-breaker and an elite play driver?

Nothing wrong with the Hurricanes blueprint.

Hate those jerks, but they are doing it right.

 

[themilosh]

I would think the AHL would be best for his development. I guess the money's that much better in the SHL.

Ive never understood why the Habs cant (couldn't?) pay their AHL players "equivalent" to SHL salaries? Wouldn't it be to our advantage to have the best "available" in the world on our farm team than to be in some euro league? Giving them state of the art equivalent training etc.. as the Habs themselves. Like why wouldn't Laval players have the same luxuries as Habs players?

I just think in a Cap system, a team like mtl should build positives in areas we can influence..

I mean to go as far as paying Vets $1M/ year to litterally develop their linemate, mentor on/off ice, etc... like the Vets are actually Employees of the team, highest paid in the organization, bc they are player coaches..

 

[morhilane]

Ive never understood why the Habs cant (couldn't?) pay their AHL players "equivalent" to SHL salaries? Wouldn't it be to our advantage to have the best "available" in the world on our farm team than to be in some euro league? Giving them state of the art equivalent training etc.. as the Habs themselves. Like why wouldn't Laval players have the same luxuries as Habs players?

I just think in a Cap system, a team like mtl should build positives in areas we can influence..

I mean to go as far as paying Vets $1M/ year to litterally develop their linemate, mentor on/off ice, etc... like the Vets are actually Employees of the team, highest paid in the organization, bc they are player coaches..

NHL ELC have a capped minor-league (AHL) salary. It was $70k a few years ago. I think it's now $95k, but I can't find the reference right now.

The players on AHL contracts and post-ELC two-way contracts can have the AHL salary negotiated.