The Montreal Canadiens finally put pen to paper with Finnish center Oliver Kapanen. They had drafted him 64th overall at the 2021 Draft and since then, he has progressed very well. What does this signing mean for next season though?
Kapanen’s Development Over the Last 3 Seasons
In the three seasons since being drafted, Kapanen has carried on playing in Finland’s SM liiga with KalPa Kuopio or its minor affiliates. In the 2023-24 campaign, the 20-year-old played 51 games and picked up 34 points in the process, making him fourth in scoring on the roster. Undrafted 21-year-old Juuso Maenpaa had the lead with 49 points in 59 games followed by two veterans Matya Kantner (25 and never drafted) and Jaakko Rissanen (33 and undrafted).
Kapanen has also enjoyed international experience playing in the Under-20 World Junior Championship, putting up five points in 12 games and being named Finland’s captain for the 2022-23 tournament. This past season, at the 2024 World Championship, the Canadiens’ prospect scored six goals in just eight games, getting fans excited about seeing him wear the Sainte-Flanelle one day. It’s at those World Championships that Canadiens’ general manager Kent Hughes met with Kapanen’s agent and decided they would iron out a contract after the end of the tournament.
The Entry-Level Deal & Its Implications
The three-year pact signed with the Canadiens covers seasons 2024-25 to 2026-27 wherever he plays since the contract of a 20-year-old cannot slide to the next season. Furthermore, if he fails to make the Canadiens’ roster, he will head back to Europe and make his debut with Timra IK, a Swedish club competing in the Swedish Hockey League, since he signed a contract with them before the start of the last World Championship.
It’s worth mentioning that Timra IK’s general manager is Kapanen’s father, Kimmo. Hopefully, this doesn’t turn out to be like the Alexander Galchenyuk saga in which the young player’s dad was too involved. If you recall, it was reported that Galchenyuk would meet his father outside the Canadiens’ locker room after the game to discuss his performance and get advice which sometimes amounted to “do not listen to your coach, listen to me”. Even worse, the American would check his cell phone between periods to see his father’s advice.
In any case, Kapanen will report to the Canadiens’ camp on Sept. 18 and be put through his paces with the other rookies. As mentioned earlier, if he doesn’t make the team this season, he’ll go back to Europe but from the 2025-26 season, the Canadiens will be able to send him down to the Laval Rocket in the American Hockey League should they judge it appropriate.
What Should We Expect From Kapanen?
There’s still a lot of work left to polish Kapanen’s game, but in his last season with KalPa Kuopio, he ended up centring the first line. Daily Faceoff’s Tyler Kuehl described the center as:
There is a lot to like about the Finnish center’s game. He has outstanding awareness in the offensive zone, with the ability to finish in tight and from afar. While Kapanen has the ability to put the back in the back of the net, he is also exceptional at creating chances and finding teammates in dangerous scoring areas.
Since being drafted by Montreal, the 20-year-old has flourished in Liiga, the top league in Finland, playing for KalPa, the same team his father Kimmo played with for several seasons. This past season, Kapanen scored a career-high 14 goals and 20 assists for 34 points in 51 games, scoring another 14 points in the playoffs. He helped KalPa reach the semifinals, where they were ultimately eliminated by Tappara, the eventual league champions.
Granted, playing on the first line in Finland’s top league is an interesting feat, but, the level of play is lower and slower over there so we can expect Kapanen to need some time to adjust to the lack of space and the different pace.
Related: 2021 Entry Draft Has Strong Family Ties
I don’t think there’s a chance he’ll make the Canadiens in the upcoming season, but he will be an interesting story to follow for sure… even more so if his skill translates well to the NHL.
