The Montreal Canadiens’ second-round pick at the 2021 NHL Draft has flown under the radar amongst Habs’ fans. Although Oliver Kapanen has been brilliant on the international stage and has been developing in the Finnish Liiga, names like Owen Beck and Filip Mesar have garnered the most hype.
Kapanen is arguably ahead of both players in his development, if not at par with them. He is responsible defensively (face-offs, backchecking and killing plays). His quick stride also allow him to transition pucks through the neutral zone and pose an offensive threat.
He was the number-one centre for his home country Finland during the World Juniors tournament.