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

[Naslundforever]

How far everyone goes to excuse running with crap vets on the bottom 6 is starting to reach denials level...

Apparently half the team is not « their biggest problem and very serviceable» on this bottom feeding team.

 

[Captain97]

Getting rid of Armia is a risk with Laine. If they want to keep him happy, they might re-sign Armia for cheap.

Much like Gallagher if Armia cost 2 million or less. I'd be happy to have him.

 

[salbutera]

“I would say early on you’re really focusing on the youth and to see where the guys are at, if they’re ready, and maybe seeing things they need to work on to get to the next step in their career,” St. Louis said. “And the more you get deeper into camp, I think you really start focusing on the core guys, your team, and especially things like the power play.

“But early on, the veterans, they just want to get some reps. They’re not as excited to play in an exhibition game as a young guy.”

- MSL

 

[Habby4Life]

Much like Gallagher if Armia cost 2 million or less. I'd be happy to have him.

there is no reason to believe moving Armia will affect Laine’s decision to stay.

Armia needs to go. They should be moving all UFAs at the deadline. The only one I would consider signing and keeping is Evans. He will be cheap and is a serviceable 4th liner

 

[Habby4Life]

I don’t think there is much that can be taken from these two games. Sure some guys looked good but they faced AHL lineups and the real test will be when teams put our nhl lineups. That won’t happen until near the end of the preseason.

Its one thing to look good against the Utica Comets versus the NJ Devils

Like what Pierre McGuire said last night, not much can be taken from last nights game.

Get the optimism but that’s the reality.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Getting rid of Armia is a risk with Laine. If they want to keep him happy, they might re-sign Armia for cheap.

Absolutely not. If the habs trade or keep Armia, it will have nothing to do with Laine.

 

[Shred]

CBA expires in two years (sept 15th 2026), so they have to make those two expansions before it ends, because players want to change the HRR rules to include the expansion fees.

Because of this, I'm thinking both teams will be added at the same time next season.

Is this something that will piss the players off and lead to more strikes and lockouts or they will just take the 50 extra jobs happily?

 

[Egresch]

Ultimately its not going to matter. Kapanen and Beck are likely going where we expect them to go. Back to Sweden and to Laval.

The veterans are veterans and this is preseason.

I dont think our management thinks like this. If Kapanen is better than Dvorak, he stays.
- We dont need another 3rd rd pick. We have top prospect pool and still own ton of picks.
- We might have 5 top6 players already in the lineup. With Demidov, our top6 can stay there next 5-6 years.
- Now we need to incorporate our top prospects to NHL. On next 2 seasons we need to promote Hutson, Roy, Mailloux, Reinbacher, Barron, Kapanen, Beck, Demidov...
They will do it organically, if you are ready, you stay. Who cares about underperforming vets? We finished bottom 5 for a reason.

 

[bonneaug]

As someone else said, I can't wait to see his performance on the last game of camp. He came in hot and ready (in shape) from his early season start in Europe, so he's got legs that others don't atm. If he still shines amongst the vets, there's a very strong possibility Kent does what needs to be done to keep him over, even if he starts on the wing

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Is this something that will piss the players off and lead to more strikes and lockouts or they will just take the 50 extra jobs happily?

We can only wait and see

 

[KFlint]

If he could just go to the AHL, it would be a lot better for his development than playing in the SHL. Playing on a big ice, even against though opposition seems like a suboptimal path to me… Let’s see what he does at the end of the camp indeed but the contract situation is a bit of mess if he is ready enough to learn in the NHL. Could be as a winger first..

 

[BaseballCoach]

There's not a litany of these guys out there when you need depth to get through the attrition of the playoffs.

I hate Dvorak and the trade, it was horrendous.. but the guy has value in the NHL. Just nothing close to what Bergevin paid for him because he let the Canes pants him.

Dvorak might be quite productive playing with Dach and Laine, while still taking some draws.

That will allow Newhook to provide speed at C on the 3rd line, with Roy and Armia or Anderson. Or Kapanen might beat out Roy, you never know.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Is this something that will piss the players off and lead to more strikes and lockouts or they will just take the 50 extra jobs happily?

Is anyone listening to and believing Bettman's denials regarding expansion?

 

[Shred]

Is anyone listening to and believing Bettman's denials regarding expansion?

the lady doth protest too much

 

[WeThreeKings]

I dont think our management thinks like this. If Kapanen is better than Dvorak, he stays.
- We dont need another 3rd rd pick. We have top prospect pool and still own ton of picks.
- We might have 5 top6 players already in the lineup. With Demidov, our top6 can stay there next 5-6 years.
- Now we need to incorporate our top prospects to NHL. On next 2 seasons we need to promote Hutson, Roy, Mailloux, Reinbacher, Barron, Kapanen, Beck, Demidov...
They will do it organically, if you are ready, you stay. Who cares about underperforming vets? We finished bottom 5 for a reason.

I do think our management thinks from the perspective if there's more development that can be had and we maximize what we have on our roster, that they would do that.

If Oliver Kapanen goes back to Sweden as is 1C in a better pro league in LIIGA, while Dvorak gets moved at the deadline for something rather than little; that has made Kapanen better in the long term and improved our position to be in on trades that make tremendous impacts on our long term outlook.

Now if Kapanen continues to show through his remaining opportunities that he is so unequivocally better than the alternative, they might look to be creative and get him in. But if they have any doubt that at some point he may benefit from being in the SHL, they'll take the cautious approach.

They could have played Reinbacher in the top 6 last year; but didn't.

 

[LaP]

Apparently half the team is not « their biggest problem and very serviceable» on this bottom feeding team.

That's nothing new the media have always pushed the narrative that we're not winning because of our best players (a.k.a. Kovalev/Subban is the problem) and that depth doesn't matter and should be by default glamorised.

Dvorak, Gallagher, Evans and Anderson are not terrible bottom 6 players. But none of them are elite as bottom 6 players. They are weak to so so defensively and none of them is very hard to play against except for Gallagher but he's not what he used to be in that regard. Winning a cup is all about how many players in my lienup is better than the guy doing the same job the other side. The more "yes he is better than the guy the other side" you have in your lineup the more chance you have to win a cup.

In 92-93 Mtl won not because Muller was better than Joe Sakic, Pat Lafontaine or Wayne Gretzky. I loved Muller he was a good 1st line center but Mtl won because Guy carbo was hands down the best 3rd line center in the whole league, LeClair as a 2nd line winger was very hard to play against, defense depth was better than the other teams most nights, Roy was the best goalie, ...

Our bottom 6 atm is very vanilla and there's nothing to write home about there. The 4 vets i listed represent 66% of the bottom 6. That's something KH will have to adress maybe not this year but certainly in part starting with the 2025-2026 season. They'll need to be replaced by better player defensively (potential selke canditates) or physical players hard to play against in their physical prime.

I could see Kapanen and or Beck being borderline selke material or at least getting close enough with experience (wont be day 1). I could see Tuch and Xhekaj being hard to play against. We'll have to see how those guys develop but one thing is sure those vets ain't the answer mid and long term.

 

[Egresch]

I do think our management thinks from the perspective if there's more development that can be had and we maximize what we have on our roster, that they would do that.

If Oliver Kapanen goes back to Sweden as is 1C in a better pro league in LIIGA, while Dvorak gets moved at the deadline for something rather than little; that has made Kapanen better in the long term and improved our position to be in on trades that make tremendous impacts on our long term outlook.

Now if Kapanen continues to show through his remaining opportunities that he is so unequivocally better than the alternative, they might look to be creative and get him in. But if they have any doubt that at some point he may benefit from being in the SHL, they'll take the cautious approach.

They could have played Reinbacher in the top 6 last year; but didn't.

Reinbacher was not ready for NHL mentally, he had a rough year in Kloten.
Kapanen can definitely benefit from 1C in SHL, but he will not be happy with such approach. He came to fight for spot and if he shows he is ready, he wants to stay in NHL. Kapanen is not one game wonder, he plays NHL level hockey full 2024.
In the meantime, Dvorak has been inderperforming for 3 seasons and is overpaid. Do we care about Kapanen or Dvorak?

 

[26Mats]

Reinbacher was not ready for NHL mentally, he had a rough year in Kloten.
Kapanen can definitely benefit from 1C in SHL, but he will not be happy with such approach. He came to fight for spot and if he shows he is ready, he wants to stay in NHL. Kapanen is not one game wonder, he plays NHL level hockey full 2024.
In the meantime, Dvorak has been inderperforming for 3 seasons and is overpaid. Do we care about Kapanen or Dvorak?

It will be interesting to see what will happen with Kapanen. Still a lot of games for him to prove hinself.

Maybe we start with 14 forwards, kapanen and Pez as 13th and 14th. And then Kapanen gets in some games...

Either way, note that Dvo scored at a pace of 48 points in 82 games with us his first year, a career high for him. I think people thought that was underperforming because they had told themselves in their minds that for sure he'll be better offensively than Danault, while being just as good defensively.

I personally don't like Dvo as a center. But I think he could put up 50 points as a winger playing with good offensive players.

But Kapanen may prove to be our 6th, 7th, or 8th best offensive forward, in the range of Newhook and Roy, but bigger and better in the corners.

 

[Egresch]

Either way, note that Dvo scored at a pace of 48 points in 82 games with us his first year, a career high for him.

Well that is another issue. His trajectory goes downwards and he needs to bounce back quickly or he ends up like Tierney or White.

 

[Captain97]

there is no reason to believe moving Armia will affect Laine’s decision to stay.

Armia needs to go. They should be moving all UFAs at the deadline. The only one I would consider signing and keeping is Evans. He will be cheap and is a serviceable 4th liner

For me it's more of a general statement. If Amria cost 2 million or less I'd be happy to keep him.

 

[Deebs]

Kapanen should absolutely go back to Sweden for another year. Play 20+ minutes a night in a good league and be ready for NHL duty next year after we've moved on from a couple more vets. Trust the process

 

[Habby4Life]

For me it's more of a general statement. If Amria cost 2 million or less I'd be happy to keep him.

yeah, I get it, at a good $ and friendly term.

IMO, his time should be up, just too inconsistent. I’d rather use the money in free agency and add someone who brings physicality to the bottom 6.

Armia drives me crazy because when he is on, he protects the puck well, uses his body, chips in on the scoresheet but when he goes on one of those long cold snaps he brings nothing.

Next year top 6 of Suz, Slaf, CC, Dach, Laine, and Demi is solid. Third line of Newhook, Roy, Kap is sound. It’s the fourth line needs massive work. Got to find a way to shed Gally, Andy and bring in some guys that play with Jam.

 

[Habby4Life]

Kapanen should absolutely go back to Sweden for another year. Play 20+ minutes a night in a good league and be ready for NHL duty next year after we've moved on from a couple more vets. Trust the process

TBH can’t even say if he is ready. One game against Philly C team isn’t the bar to judge if the kid is ready. We will have a better understanding as the games get more physical and the lineups somewhat reflect an NHL team.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

I dont think our management thinks like this. If Kapanen is better than Dvorak, he stays.
- We dont need another 3rd rd pick. We have top prospect pool and still own ton of picks.
- We might have 5 top6 players already in the lineup. With Demidov, our top6 can stay there next 5-6 years.
- Now we need to incorporate our top prospects to NHL. On next 2 seasons we need to promote Hutson, Roy, Mailloux, Reinbacher, Barron, Kapanen, Beck, Demidov...
They will do it organically, if you are ready, you stay. Who cares about underperforming vets? We finished bottom 5 for a reason.

I don't think it's a good timing for keeping the vets untiel they get max value at tdl. Dvorak is worth 4 rd now, he could fetch a 2nd at tdl. Who cares, Heineman and Roy will not developp anything having Dvo at center, so keeping that old vet for return value is destroying young guns to developp.

 

[bsl]

If were going to make the playoffs I prefer Dvo as our third or fourth line center over Evans. It's not even close.

Yeah I think evans would go early. Not dvo. Dvo can show much better by tdl. Evans is what he is. If kap forces the issue then Evans might go now. Maybe for a second to a team with injury troubles to depth d at camp