9 espoirs de la LNH qui ont augmenté leurs stocks au Championnat du monde junior 2023 – Le travail de Kapanen mis en lumière
—
86DC
@Canadiens de Montréal
9 espoirs de la LNH qui ont augmenté leurs stocks au Championnat du monde junior 2023 – Le travail de Kapanen mis en lumière
—
86DC
3 Comments
From the article:
« Finland showed up to the tournament with its weakest roster in recent memory, and they sure played like it.
Nashville Predators first-round pick Joakim Kemell had a decent tournament. Winnipeg Jets first-round pick Brad Lambert was invisible. The rest of the team was compromised of solid-to-fringe NHL prospects.
If one player from the team could leave the tournament with his head held high, it was probably Oliver Kapanen. The cousin of Kasperi Kapanen was drafted by the Montréal Canadiens in the second round last summer.
Although the 19-year-old is a credible prospect, he was put unfairly out of his depth by being asked to center the top line, a spot he would have lost to at least four different centers on Canada’s roster.
In difficult circumstances, Kapanen played a tournament worthy of respect. His two goals and one assist in five games don’t do him justice. He was thrown into a role of pivotal offensive catalyst, which doesn’t really suit him. Yet he managed to play above his means and drive offense for Finland. His goal against Slovakia is indicative of the types of individual efforts that were required of him.
His defensive game, which he is more known for, was about as good as any forward’s in the tournament.
Kapanen’s display of individual offensive capabilities offers hope that he has enough skill that will translate to the NHL level. That, in combination with his staunch defensive efforts, makes Montréal’s drafting him in the second round last summer more logical than it first appeared. He definitely gave credibility to his potential as a future bottom-six NHL center. »
Roy should be on this list
Good stick Kap