2024-04-26 09:00:00
What if Oliver Kapanen, this hopeful who has just had a thunderous series in Finland, caused the biggest surprise next fall by securing a place in his first training camp with the Montreal Canadiens?
His head coach at KalPa in the Liiga, Petri Karjalainen, believes in it.
“You hit the jackpot with Oliver,” he said, showing his colors from the start of the telephone interview. What I told him at our last team dinner was: “First, win a spot with Finland at the World Hockey Championship and second, make sure that in October you play in Montreal .”»
Does Karjalainen know something that we don’t know? For Kapanen to be at Habs training camp, he must first sign his entry contract. We have to believe that it won’t be long before this second round choice (64e overall) in the 2020 draft.
What is circulating behind the scenes is that Kapanen will reach an agreement with the CH, but will play one last season in Europe once his camp is over in Montreal, if he does not obtain a position in the NHL, of course. He has been linked for some time to Timra, a club in the Swedish league (SHL), of which his father, Kimmo, is the general manager.
Information that the main interested party did not want to confirm, but did not seek to deny either.
“I don’t really know what to comment on,” said Kapanen, slightly taken aback. Teams will make announcements when something comes to fruition. It’s all a question of timing.”
The best player in the league
Karjalainen is amazed by what he saw from his teammate in the playoffs. The 20-year-old center carried KalPa on his shoulders, exploding with 14 points, including 7 goals, in 13 games.
“In the home stretch of the season and during the playoffs, he was the best player in the League,” said the hockey man, without an ounce of hesitation in his voice. If he continues on this path and continues to make giant strides, he will at the very least be close to a position in Montreal. I don’t see why he wouldn’t be involved in a hot fight.”
The Canadian also seems satisfied with the development of his hope.
“They like my game and the way I’m progressing,” Kapanen said. Rob Ramage has attended a few of my matches in Finland, but he mostly follows me remotely. I would love to play with the Canadian one day. I wouldn’t see why I would sign with another team. This is the team that drafted me. They know what they can get from me.”
Like Aho
Karjalainen has for some time witnessed the progression of Kapanen, whom he has known since he was 15.
“It was easy to see the potential. You knew he was going to be a good player when he got bigger and bigger. With his father Kimmo [un ancien gardien professionnel] and his uncle Sami [ancien attaquant de la LNH], he has hockey in his blood and it shows. He is very competitive, he wants to win. It’s not for nothing that he was captain at the World Junior Championship.”
In Kapanen, he sees a player on whom Martin St-Louis can count in the critical moments of a match.
“When you need to create something or preserve a lead, he is the type of player that coaches like,” he explained.
A kind of Sebastian Aho, our speaker continued. “Aho and Kapanen have similar strengths. These are two players who are not necessarily spectacular, but very effective in both directions of the ice. You win hockey games with players like them in your club. Oliver will not lead the first line in Montreal, but he can become a second or third line center for a while.
Military service
If Kapanen had an excellent season in Liiga, a decidedly defensive league, with 34 points, including 14 goals, in 51 games at age 20, he might have done even better. This season, he got off to a bad start.
“I didn’t have a good start. Then something happened and things got back on track. I was a different player,” the main person vaguely mentioned.
We tried to scratch the sore a little, without success. What exactly happened at the start of the season?
“I just didn’t like how I played,” he added, remaining evasive.
Luckily, his trainer quickly provided us with the fine details of this story.
“Oliver completed his military service last summer,” Karjalainen explained. This disrupted his summer preparation and affected his start to the season. I think he only had an assist following 10 games. And at one point in the season it must have been -9 or -10. He was very disappointed.
“But from November onwards he was one of our best strikers. We had two center players in the infirmary and he took on more responsibilities, both in the locker room and on the ice. It far exceeded my expectations. He transported us.”
That it was impossible to get the worms out of Kapanen’s nose does not surprise the KalPa head coach.
“That’s the type of player he is. He didn’t want to use it as an excuse…”
Sweden, the ultimate test
As we reported, everything indicates that Kapanen will not renew his agreement with KalPa and will play in Sweden next season. Probably with Timra. Nothing is confirmed, but there is rarely smoke without fire.
Karjalainen would of course have liked to find his foal next season. But he understands.
“He’s a big player for us, but I can’t be selfish,” he said. If he doesn’t play in the NHL next year, Sweden is a great option for him. The Swedish league offers a slightly higher caliber than in Finland. It’s a little more demanding in terms of skating.”
For Kapanen, it will also be educational to be uprooted.
“Oliver has played in Kalpa his whole life,” Karjalainen said. It’s a big name here. He will be able to avoid the spotlight a little. It’s a good thing for him.”
Kimmo Kapanen apparently has a very good reputation, by the way. He doesn’t do his son a favor.
“I often talk to his father and he is very professional,” assured Karjalainen. If he brings his son to his club, it is because it is deserved and he is certainly good enough.
“Other teams in Sweden are interested, but Timra would have big responsibilities to offer him. They need right-handed attackers.”
Laval?
One thing seems clear throughout the discussion: if Oliver is not closed to the idea of possibly playing games in the American Hockey League, it is not part of the plan established with the CH.
“The goal is to be as ready for the NHL as possible when I arrive in North America,” explained the forward. If I have to go to the AHL, I will be ready. The North American game will obviously represent a significant change.
“But… I would love to play in the NHL [rires]. My agent has agreed with the Canadian that I will settle in North America when I am ready.
With a view to Kapanen returning to Europe following the CH camp next fall, a bit like Emil Heineman did in 2022-2023, Laval would not be a possibility for next season, but perhaps for 2025 -2026 when he should have established his home in North America.
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