Oliver Kapanen is having a superb rookie season. Nobody’s taking that away from him. In reality, did you think the guy was going to be so good that, at mid-season, the Canadiens’ GM was going to say he had the tools to stay in his second-center chair for the long term?
Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri could obviously help the Montreal Canadiens, but at what cost? Literally? Amid reports the Habs have kicked tires with the Flames regarding the centre, it begs the question, would a trade for the 35-year-old be worth it?
Seriously, who would have thought at the start of the season (other than Grant McCagg) that Oliver Kapanen would crack the Canadiens’ top-6? Not only did the Finn make the team, but he established himself as the center of the second line to play with the young Russian gem, Ivan Demidov.
Stu Cowan’s interview on the FAN Hockey Show said a lot about where the Montréal Canadiens are headed, but one theme stood out more than the rest: Oliver Kapanen has changed the conversation.
There's more to hockey than scoring goals and stopping pucks. For some players, putting up points came second to their main task: angering their opponents.
Oliver Kapanen is really enjoying his rookie season with the Habs. The Finn, who found himself at the center of the second line somewhat by default, leads all NHL rookies with his 16 goals this season.
Oliver Kapanen has been the talk of the town in recent weeks. Like it or not, he’s solidified his place in the team’s second line. He plays excellent hockey with Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov on his wings.
There’s something about rookies in Montreal. If they arrive with fireworks, billboards, and a pre-written legend, we notice. If they arrive quietly, do the work, and stack results without much noise, we tend to look past them.
The Canadiens played their biggest game of the season tonight. The Red Wings were at the Bell Centre. Here are the lineups: No goals were scored in the first period, but the play was very intense and fast-paced.
Over the last month or so, the Montreal Canadiens’ 2nd line has really broken out and taken the league by storm. While rookie Ivan Demidov and former 1st overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky are getting a lot of attention around the league for their play, their centre, Oliver Kapanen, has gone very unnoticed for his play as a rookie this season.
On Tuesday, during his mid-season press conference, Montreal Canadiens General Manager Kent Hughes was asked in French whether the Habs can proceed with Oliver Kapanen as their second-line centre for the long term.
Currently, the second line is led by Oliver Kapanen. Let’s face it, no one (except Grant McCagg) had anticipated such a scenario this summer. The guy really gets the job done with Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky at his side.
The Montreal Canadiens left Dallas with a 4–3 overtime win Sunday night, and it was the kind of game coaches love to rewatch on a long flight. Second night of a back-to-back.
On Friday morning, Finland announced their 25-man squad for the 2026 Olympics in Milan. Amongst the group that will be playing for Finland is Montreal Canadiens rookie Oliver Kapanen.
This morning, the USA and Finland announced their Olympic rosters for the men’s hockey tournament. The Americans chose to leave Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson at home, which was expected— but not a good decision.
Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov are enjoying arguably the best streaks of their NHL careers at the moment. Slafkovsky has eight points (including four goals) in his last four games, while Demidov has six points (including three goals) over the same period.
The Montreal Canadiens have had plenty of quality young players come up through their system over the last few years, and this year is no different. But while Ivan Demidov and Jakub Dobes have all the attention, Oliver Kapanen is putting together a decent rookie season himself.
At first glance, Oliver Kapanen might look like any other 22-year-old trying to make his mark in the NHL. Born in Timrå, Sweden, standing 6-foot-2 and 194 pounds, the second-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2021 has quietly threaded his way from European rinks to the bright lights of Montreal.
The Montreal Canadiens entered this season with high expectations after the young club qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a surprisingly excellent season a year ago.
The Montreal Canadiens will start the 2025-26 season with a couple of rookies on the roster. The Calder Trophy favourite, Ivan Demidov and Finnish forward Oliver Kapanen.
For Oliver Kapanen, the upcoming training camp feels like more than just another step in his development. After a year filled with movement between leagues, countries, and levels of competition, the Swedish forward now faces a golden opportunity to prove he can be part of the Montreal Canadiens’ lineup moving forward.
Much was made of Montreal Canadiens prospect Oliver Kapanen’s performance at the 2024-25 training camp. And while the stats during his time in the NHL don’t quite correlate to the perception from most fans, the decision to loan him to Timra IK in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) has paid dividends for the Habs.
The Montreal Canadiens have an interesting situation at play when it comes to prospect Oliver Kapanen. With Patrik Laine’s injury, the team could use an
A creative young prospect has signed his first NHL contract. On Saturday, the Montreal Canadiens announced they have agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract with forward Oliver Kapanen.
The IIHF Men’s World Championships are well underway featuring some of the best players and prospects in the world. One player who’s had a good tournament thus far is Montreal Canadiens prospect Oliver Kapanen.
Montreal Canadiens prospect Oliver Kapanen has signed a contract with Timra IK (SHL). The contract runs until 2025-26, however, Habs fans should not worry when it comes to this particular player.