A young forward is forcing Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens to make moves at the start of this training camp, and we’re talking about Oliver Kapanen.
The 21-year-old forward quickly made a strong impression from the very first intra-squad game at camp and has continued to stand out ever since.
He’s certainly caught the attention of Martin St-Louis:
Martin St-Louis ne connaissait pas Oliver Kapanen avant le camp.
Mais force est de constater que l'attaquant laisse une belle carte de visite jusqu'ici.
Oliver jouera au centre de Barré-Boulet et Heineman, ce soir. pic.twitter.com/D1WmiN4oqT
— Anthony Martineau (@Antho_Martineau) September 23, 2024
In fact, he’s been one of the standout performers at the 2024 Montreal Canadiens training camp so far.
If he maintains this level of play, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton will face some tough decisions, as sending Kapanen back to Sweden doesn’t seem like an option right now.
Oliver Kapanen could force Kent Hughes to make room in the offense
Kapanen, a 2021 second-round draft pick, is having an impressive camp.
His strong performances, particularly in the game against the Philadelphia Flyers, might compel management to consider trading a forward to make space for him.
Oliver Kapanen est là pour se tailler un poste, tassez-vous! Son deuxième du match est de toute beauté 🤩 pic.twitter.com/tFcJ0VIit4
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) September 19, 2024
Could Kent Hughes already be in talks with the Los Angeles Kings about this?
Olli Jokinen, his coach in Sweden, recently predicted that Kapanen would surprise many and begin the season in Montreal.
Transactions: David Pagnotta hints at Kings' interest and shares positive news for the Montreal Canadiens #NHL #NHLTrades https://t.co/wB5Jrv8Oeg
— Habs Fanatics (@habsfanaticss) September 24, 2024
That prediction is looking more and more plausible.
Additionally, for Oliver Kapanen, starting the season with the Laval Rocket isn’t an option; it’s either Montreal or back to Sweden.
And it’s hard to see him being sent back to Sweden.
Une bonne première impression pour Oliver Kapanen au camp du Canadien! Pourrait-il brouiller les cartes cette saison? 🤔🔵⚪️🔴 #ch #canadiens #Kapanen @anthonymarcotte pic.twitter.com/8lsO74cjCG
— BPM Sports (@BPMSportsRadio) September 19, 2024
Kent Hughes will need to get creative, but don’t be shocked if a player like Christian Dvorak is traded within the next ten days to create room for Kapanen.
What would you do if you were the GM?
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