A young, talented player has agreed to his first NHL deal.
The Montreal Canadiens announced on Saturday that they and forward Oliver Kapanen have reached an agreement on a three-year, entry-level contract.
The Canadiens selected Kapanen 64th overall in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
The game of the Finnish center has several positive aspects. In the offensive zone, he possesses exceptional awareness and can finish both close to the goal and from a distance. In addition to his skill at finishing shots, Kapanen excels at setting up opportunities and locating teammates in high-scoring situations.
The 20-year-old has thrived in Finland’s top division, Liiga, after being selected by Montreal. He plays for KalPa, the same team that his father Kimmo spent several seasons on. In 51 games during the previous season, Kapanen recorded a career-high 14 goals and 20 assists for 34 points. He added 14 more points during the postseason. He advanced KalPa to the playoffs, where the eventual league champions Tappara defeated them.
Kapanen scored 27 goals and 38 assists in 124 Liiga games, including two on loan to Kärpät. He also scored 15 points in 20 postseason games.
He has also had several career appearances as a representative for Suomi. Before making his senior national team debut in Czechia this past spring, Kapanen represented Finland in the IIHF World Junior Championships in 2022 and 2023. Kapanen scored six goals in eight games at the IIHF Men’s World Championship, which tied for sixth most goals in the competition. He was ultimately ranked among Finland’s top three players.
Kapanen is already well-connected within the NHL. His cousin Kasperi is currently a member of the St. Louis Blues, while his uncle Sami played in the NHL for a long time.
The signing means that 42 standard player contracts for the upcoming season have been signed by the Canadiens. CapFriendly estimates that Montreal has expected cap space of about $8.5 million.
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