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

[yianik]

Everyone we draft we think about what he will project to become if he hits. But we know the vast majority of really good players and NHLers come in that 1st round.

Every now and then you get a gem or two outside the 1st and that is huge. Think about it, one or two lower picks that are top players is 1 or 2 out of the 10 guys that fill those spots.

While I thought we did not have so many blue chip prospects a couple years ago, I have thought we have an abundance of better than average longer shots to make it and even be top players. Guys like Struble, Engstrom, Heineman, Roy, Beck, Farrell , Konyushkov, the Xhekaj brothers and yes, Kapanen.

 

[26Mats]

Everyone we draft we think about what he will project to become if he hits. But we know the vast majority of really good players and NHLers come in that 1st round.

Every now and then you get a gem or two outside the 1st and that is huge. Think about it, one or two lower picks that are top players is 1 or 2 out of the 10 guys that fill those spots.

While I thought we did not have so many blue chip prospects a couple years ago, I have thought we have an abundance of better than average longer shots to make it and even be top players. Guys like Struble, Engstrom, Heineman, Roy, Beck, Farrell , Konyushkov, the Xhekaj brothers and yes, Kapanen.

Plus Hutson and Fowler were outside the 1st round.


The good drafting is giving us more players than we'll be able to ice. Hopefully we know how to keep the good ones and trade the other for good pieces.

 

[yianik]

Plus Hutson and Fowler were outside the 1st round.


The good drafting is giving us more players than we'll be able to ice. Hopefully we know how to keep the good ones and trade the other for good pieces.

Yes, the drafting philosophy and thereby the picks seem improved for sure, and then the kids are put into a better ( was there one before as both MT and Sly seemed put off by that concept ) development system.

Just to play on words, but I'm hoping we keep the really good ones and trade the ones that are " only" good.

 

[Guess]

Looks like Kapanen is playing as the 1C in Timra according to this: Timra IK twitter

 

[HomaridII]

Looks like Kapanen is playing as the 1C in Timra according to this: Timra IK twitter

https://x.com/i/web/status/1828896482293948591

he scored what ended up being the winning goal.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Kapanen with a goal and an assist in a 3-2 loss.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1829907280269369720

https://x.com/i/web/status/1829905852872212899

The Timra coach is playing him a ton, in pretty much every situations. I won't mind it nearly as much as I would have if he doesn't make the habs out of camp ( which he has very little chance of doing) and spends the season there. He won't be wasting his time.

 

[overlords]

The Timra coach is playing him a ton, in pretty much every situations. I won't mind it nearly as much as I would have if he doesn't make the habs out of camp ( which he has very little chance of doing) and spends the season there. He won't be wasting his time.

that coach is none other than Olli Waffles Jokinen

 

[Sam de Mtl]

The Timra coach is playing him a ton, in pretty much every situations. I won't mind it nearly as much as I would have if he doesn't make the habs out of camp ( which he has very little chance of doing) and spends the season there. He won't be wasting his time.

Yep. Great development year for him in Timra if he keeps up around that playtime.

SHL a bit stronger than SM Liiga also.

 

[Adam Michaels]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1832046029463588949

Kapanen's coach at Timra (Olli Jokinen) says that the plan is to use him as the 1C, use him on the PP and the PK. He even said that they have a contingency plan at Timra should Kapanen crack the Habs' line-up, which Jokinen believes he will.

 

[26Mats]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1832046029463588949

Kapanen's coach at Timra (Olli Jokinen) says that the plan is to use him as the 1C, use him on the PP and the PK. He even said that they have a contingency plan at Timra should Kapanen crack the Habs' line-up, which Jokinen believes he will.

Excited to finally see this player in Noryh America, even if it's only preseason, or rookie camp.

Anyone know if he is going to be at rookie camp?

 

[Tyson]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1832046029463588949

Kapanen's coach at Timra (Olli Jokinen) says that the plan is to use him as the 1C, use him on the PP and the PK. He even said that they have a contingency plan at Timra should Kapanen crack the Habs' line-up, which Jokinen believes he will.

If ever there was a Habs prospect quietly flying under the radar it's Oliver Kapanen. Everyone talks about Beck making the jump (he might) but no one mentions Kapanen in the same breath.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Excited to finally see this player in Noryh America, even if it's only preseason, or rookie camp.

Anyone know if he is going to be at rookie camp?

He's not going to rookie camp. Habs want him 100% for their main camp so looks like they're considering him for the main roster.

 

[26Mats]

He's not going to rookie camp. Habs want him 100% for their main camp so looks like they're considering him for the main roster.

Would have been good for him to have gotten an earlier taste of the North American game I would have thought. I guess he's playing against higher competition right now anyways, so that may help more.

 

[Wateredgarden]

Our generation's Plekanec?

 

[Sterling Archer]

Would have been good for him to have gotten an earlier taste of the North American game I would have thought. I guess he's playing against higher competition right now anyways, so that may help more.

When you see comments like this from his coach, it's very promising

https://x.com/i/web/status/1832052675841781783

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

When you see comments like this from his coach, it's very promising

https://x.com/i/web/status/1832052675841781783

Especially coming from a guy with 1200+ NHL games under his belt. Jokinen was ( and probably still is) a bit of an oddball, but he knows the league and what it takes to make it there very well.

 

[26Mats]

When you see comments like this from his coach, it's very promising

https://x.com/i/web/status/1832052675841781783

Usually I don't take a player's coah's public comments seriously, because they always hype their players. But, I remember Koivu saying things like this about Lehkonen before camp one year when many thought Lehky would go back to Europe for another year. And sure enough, Lehkonen easily made the team.

Kapanen, Engstrom, and Bogdan are three players I'm cautiously getting excited about.

 

[DAChampion]

1st line center in the SHL - wow.

 

[WeThreeKings]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1832046029463588949

Kapanen's coach at Timra (Olli Jokinen) says that the plan is to use him as the 1C, use him on the PP and the PK. He even said that they have a contingency plan at Timra should Kapanen crack the Habs' line-up, which Jokinen believes he will.

The other notable is he said he already looks like one of the best players in the SHL and if he doesn't make Montreal, that he thinks he will legitimately be a top player in the SHL this year. Would be crazy.

 

[Hins77]

When you see comments like this from his coach, it's very promising

https://x.com/i/web/status/1832052675841781783

At one point, I forgot he was still our prospect. Haha. Crazy, it could be a gift coming from no where.

 

[MtlSars]

When does the SHL season/playoffs come to an end? Is there a possibility he comes and plays a couple of games after the TDL in March and April once Dvorak is gone?

With Dvorak and Evans right now, I'd rather he play 1st line minutes in the SHL than 3rd/4th line winger with 12min this season... but he's not an injury call up option then...

 

[Adam Michaels]

When does the SHL season/playoffs come to an end? Is there a possibility he comes and plays a couple of games after the TDL in March and April once Dvorak is gone?

Timra's last game of the regular season is on March 11th. No date on when the playoffs end. It will obviously depend on how far Timra goes.

Last year, we were expecting Engstrom to join Laval when Rogle would be eliminated. They made it to the finals and he never came over because going deep in the SHL playoffs coincides with the end of the the NHL & AHL regular seasons.

With Dvorak and Evans right now, I'd rather he play 1st line minutes in the SHL than 3rd/4th line winger with 12min this season... but he's not an injury call up option then...

I agree that unless he comes to camp and really impresses forcing Habs to move one of Dvorak or Evans before the seasons starts, the best option for Kapanen is in the SHL, where he will play top line minutes and used in every situation.

As for injury call up options, there are Beck & Gignac.

 

[Seb]

Being hyped for a Timmins pick this late is weird.

His progression has been stellar, I remember being super underwhelmed early.

 

[Tyson]

Especially coming from a guy with 1200+ NHL games under his belt. Jokinen was ( and probably still is) a bit of an oddball, but he knows the league and what it takes to make it there very well.

I remember when Saku was asked about Lehkonen and he said he was NHL ready...he was right.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Being hyped for a Timmins pick this late is weird.

His progression has been stellar, I remember being super underwhelmed early.

It took him a while, he was definitely on a slower development curve. People sometime forget that there is such a thing, they don't all explode right off the bat in their D+1 season.