The Montreal Canadiens made two high profile picks in the first round on night one of the 2022 NHL Draft. The event was held in Montreal at the Bell Centre, and all eyes were on the first and 26th overall picks.
The Habs grabbed Slovakian left winger Juraj Slafkovsky with the first overall selection and then added his countryman Filip Mesar late in the opening round. But it was their next pick who really stood out early in training camp.
With the first pick in the second round, intrigue built overnight as we waited to see who the Canadiens would grab with the 33rd overall selection. A lot of potential first round picks slipped out of the opening round, and the Habs were fortunate to land Owen Beck.
Canadiens Prospect Owen Beck Made Name For Himself In Training Camp
Owen Beck was not a well known prospect among the Habs fan base. At least not in July when he was selected with the first pick of the second round. He was coming off a season where he scored 21 goals and 51 points in 68 games for the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League.
Beck quickly made a name for himself among Habs prospects with his excellent performance at the Canadiens rookie camp and his continued strong play during preseason games. While the Canadiens are busy trying to select their opening night roster, they took care of some other business as well.
Beck was rewarded for his strong play today when he signed an entry-level contract with the Canadiens. His three-year deal comes with a cap hit of $916,667. Due to his age, the deal will “slide” ahead a year if he spends the upcoming season in the OHL. The same thing can happen in the 2023-24 season if he returns to Junior for his 19 year old season.
Though he played so well in exhibition games, it is best for the 18 year old to be sent back to the OHL, and he will likely end up there in a few days.
However, he has proven he could very well play an important role on the Montreal Canadiens roster in the near future.
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