'Oliver Kapanen to replace Phillip Danault'

Virtually everyone in Montreal was skeptical that Oliver Kapanen would start the season at center to Ivan Demidov and Alex Newhook, and worried that the Finnish rookie would take over the second center spot for the start of the 2025-2026 season. Well, after two games, Kapanen is filling his role wonderfully and playing some excellent hockey.

Of course, it’s only two games, and we’ll have to see more, but so far, the 22-year-old center is impressing. His two goals in as many games are one thing, but it’s much more than that that’s catching the eye with Kapanen. It’s his all-round game that’s impressing, because he’s literally doing everything right on the ice, and doing it with confidence.

It’s a style of play that reminds us of a certain Phillip Danault, and that’s why Maxim Lapierre believes Kapanen will replace Danault in the long term. https://www.youtube.com/live/I7NXdI6etJo

That’s what the former NHL forward said on the latest episode of La Poche Bleue with Pascal Leclaire. Lapierre explains that this is the first time in a long time that he feels Phillip Danault has probably been replaced in Montreal.

Like Danault, Kapanen is a very intelligent player on both sides of the rink, who executes all the little details brilliantly, in addition to being able to contribute offensively thanks to his very good vision of the game. The Finnish center even seems to have a little more offensive talent than the Québécois, which could make him even more important to the team.

For Lapierre, Kapanen is exactly the kind of player who can stabilize any line-up trio, thanks to his very mature style of play. content-ads] Pascal Leclaire added that Kapanen is exactly what the Habs need at center of a third line, and what’s more, he found him excellent at short-handed. He didn’t seem at all overwhelmed by events, and he played with great confidence against the big guns of the Leafs and Red Wings.

Of course, once again, it’s only two games, but if Kapanen continues to play the same way, with the same composure and maturity, he’ll be indispensable to the Habs. It would even take some pressure off a potential second center, whether via trade, or simply via the arrival of Michael Hage. So for now, we can say that Ivan Demidov is in good hands, while there’s a really nice chemistry between the two.

’Overtime’

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