A huge decision concerning the future of Owen Beck could be made in the coming days

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Elias Edmonson
June 6, 2023 (11:34)

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The Seattle Thunderbirds put an end to Owen Beck's and the Peterborough Petes' season by winning 4-1 last Friday in the Memorial Cup semifinal.

However, throughout the season, the Canadiens prospect has shown tremendous progress, proving to the management that he is likely the forward closest to making the jump to the NHL.

Owen Beck had indeed impressed greatly at the training camp last year, being one of the last players cut by the Canadiens. However, due to an agreement between the Bettman league and the CHL, the forward will be required to return to his junior team or secure a spot with the NHL team in the 2023-2024 season.

This agreement stipulates that all players aged 18 or 19 who play in one of the three Canadian junior leagues (QMJHL, OHL, WHL) cannot join an AHL affiliate.

Former organization member Marc Dumont has notably mentioned that Owen Beck has nothing more to learn in the OHL and that the agreement should be modified to allow young prospects to continue their development in a more competitive league, such as the American Hockey League.

Although the 19-year-old forward did not overwhelmingly dominate the league in terms of offensive production (66 points in 60 games), several experts confirm that he excels in all aspects of the game and that it would greatly benefit him to face men in a professional league.

In this regard, Andrew Zadarnowski has raised the possibility of the Canadiens loaning Owen Beck to a European team. This avenue could allow the Canadiens' prospect to continue his development while also giving the organization a better idea of his true potential.

"Owen Beck is not yet eligible to play in the AHL, but does he still have something to learn in junior? I wonder if a loan to a European club would be more beneficial for his 19-year-old season. I doubt the Canadiens want him to go that far, but it's an interesting avenue to explore. " - Andrew Zadarnowski

Yesterday, my colleague Nicolas Desrosiers reported that Vinzenz Rohrer is currently training with the Zurich Lions in Switzerland, and we can wonder if Owen Beck could do the same in preparation for the upcoming season.

An announcement could be imminent in this matter as European teams are currently signing contracts for the 2023-2024 season. Do you believe the Canadiens should allow Owen Beck to go to Europe to continue his development against men, or would it be better for him to stay in North America with the Peterborough Petes in the OHL?

Credit : Habs et LHN