The Habs Top 10 Prospects: #5 Owen Beck

At just 18 years old, Beck impressed at training camp, showing that he could easily handle NHL minutes one day, but management could see that there was more in his game that could be improved before he becomes the best version of what he can be. He was sent back to the OHL, where he ended up playing the next two seasons and had two Memorial Cup appearances, including winning tournament MVP with the Saginaw Spirit in 2024. During that tournament, he finished with 4 goals and 1 assist, after having 2 goals in the Finals against the London Knights. Beck also did this while having a 70.4% faceoff winning percentage. Being responsible on both ends of the ice makes him a clutch player in big games.

As previously mentioned, I placed Oliver Kapanen at #9 on the Habs prospects list, and cited that part of the reason the Finnish forward isn’t higher is because he has to compete against such a smart well well-refined player like Owen Beck. He is continuing to get better each season offensively while not losing his touch in the faceoff dot that he had in the OHL.

While on pure skill, the two players may be even, but Beck’s hockey IQ is miles ahead, which is why if the Canadiens see one of the two on their team in the future, it’s more than likely Beck. He is also a very versatile player who can move higher in the lineup or play a tight checking role on a lower line. The best comparison to him is either Jake Evans or Phillip Danault with less offense, although if you ask Tony Marinaro, he believes that Beck can bring similar offense as Danault to the table in the future during a discussion he and Brian Wilde had last week.

Danault was the perfect centre to take pressure off Suzuki in his first two years in the league; however he hasn’t had a guy behind him like that since Danault left in the 2021 off-season to join the Kings. If Beck can bring a similar game to the table as Danault, then the Canadiens could be in great shape up the middle, by adding Beck and possibly Michael Hage, who is expected to become a top-six centre in the NHL someday.

Chances are Beck likely won’t be a 2nd line centre but more so a middle-six centre, meaning he’s looking like he could be among the top 3rd line centres in the NHL one day if he pans out.

Therefore, that centre weakness could turn into a strength in 2-3 years if both prospects hit. I think what makes Beck such a valuable prospect is his defensive game and faceoff ability. As we’ve seen in the last few years, a great faceoff man is needed, and with the loss of Christian Dvorak this off-season, the Habs need someone who wins draws like Beck. The only issue is that the Canadiens will still need to find a strong faceoff guy who is left-handed.

My prediction is that Owen Beck eventually plays top PK minutes as the Canadiens’ main faceoff man when down a man and is also among the top bottom-six centres in the NHL for the next decade or more, starting with the 2026-27 season. Like Kapanen, he could surprise and find a role on the Habs’ opening night roster, but it is more likely he plays top minutes in Laval and is one of the first call-ups if injuries occur. However, the following season we could see Beck as a full-time Habs player.

How good do you think Beck will become in the future?