Olli Jokinen drops a bombshell about a young prospect and he's pretty sure that he can play with the Habs soon

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Carl Vaillancourt
September 6, 2024 (3:09 PM)

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Former NHL star Olli Jokinen dropped a bombshell on Friday, expressing his belief that a young Finnish prospect from the Montreal Canadiens organization could soon join Martin St-Louis' lineup.

The player in question is young Finnish forward Oliver Kapanen, a second-round pick by the Canadiens in 2021, who had an excellent regular season in the SM-Liiga, one of Europe's top leagues.

At least, that's what his head coach, Olli Jokinen, believes. Jokinen didn't miss the opportunity to praise his player and encourage the Canadiens to give him a real shot at the team's next training camp.

Oliver Kapanen will be at the Montreal Canadiens' training camp, and he could force Kent Hughes' hand

As the excellent Marco D'Amico reports, Kapanen will be present at the Canadiens' camp, with a clear goal in mind.

For him, it's either a season in Montreal this year or a return to Sweden. His contract doesn't allow him to play for the Laval Rocket in 2024-2025.

However, the 21-year-old, who has shown rapid progression since being drafted, has another scenario in mind.

Here are some statements from his head coach Jokinen.

"Here [if he comes back], we'll use him on the top line with power-play and penalty-kill time."

- Olli Jokinen

We could see a few surprises at the Canadiens' training camp in two weeks, and it seems that one of them could be Oliver Kapanen.

"Oliver Kapanen can steal a spot at the Canadiens' camp."

- Olli Jokinen

Is keeping Kapanen in Montreal the best option for his development?

"He's been too good for our league so far this preseason. [...] He's the type of player you can slot anywhere in the lineup because his hockey sense is very high."

- Olli Jokinen

It feels good to read such comments when they come from someone like Olli Jokinen. He had a long career in the NHL and knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level.

At just 21 years old, Oliver Kapanen is a 6-foot, 180-pound forward. Selected 64th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2021, the late second-round pick recorded 34 points in 51 games last season in Finland's top league. He signed a two-year deal in Sweden a few months ago.

In the playoffs, he scored 14 points in 13 games, and his impressive progress in recent months suggests he could shake things up at the Canadiens' camp this fall.

For a full overview, read Marco D'Amico's article.

Source: DansLesCoulisses
Oliver Kapanen ne participera pas au tournoi des recrues du Canadien

Credit: RG via Marco D'Amico
Oliver Kapanen ne participera pas au tournoi des recrues du Canadien