There are many interesting stories from the Habs training camp. Joshua Roy’s progress, Lane Hutson’s emergence, Patrik Laine’s arrival.
And in the middle of it all, Oliver Kapanen is having a good training camp. The Habs’ 2nd-round pick in 2021 is in no way intimidated by the veterans and is making his mark on the ice with his intelligence.
Fans aren’t the only ones discovering him now, as Martin St-Louis didn’t know him before training camp.
Martin St-Louis didn’t know Oliver Kapanen before training camp.
But it’s clear that the forward has left a fine calling card so far.
Oliver will play under Barré-Boulet and Heineman tonight pic.twitter.com/D1WmiN4oqT
– Anthony Martineau (@Antho_Martineau) September 23, 2024
“I didn’t know him. He behaves well on the ice, it’s very smooth. You can see his intelligence too.” – Martin St-Louis
He’s confident that he’ll come into his own in the first preparatory game. Kapanen will be in uniform tonight when the Flyers visit the city.
The 21-year-old has said on several occasions that he is in Montreal to make the big club, as he is not eligible to play in the AHL. He’ll be forced to return to Europe if he doesn’t make the big club.
He’s going to have some excellent preparatory games to carve out a position for himself. He will play in a line with players destined for the Laval Rocket in Emil Heineman and Alex Barré-Boulet. It has to be said, however, that his line has been excellent in the White vs.
He’ll have to excel enough to force Martin St-Louis to use him with more talented players, but that’s no small task.
Overtime
– He really said it.
Stop fkn crying bro, it’s not junior pic.twitter.com/VS0pAMAErJ
– Leafs Papi (@LeafsPapi_) September 23, 2024
– Ironic enough.
The Panthers spent YEARS dealing with Steven Stamkos one-timer goals only to make their preseason debut against…
Newest Nashville Predator Steven Stamkos scoring a one-timer goal pic.twitter.com/aAuvXquliX
– B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) September 23, 2024