An all European line for the Montreal Canadiens makes a lot of sense, hear me out!

Oliver Kapanen is set to return to the Montreal Canadiens after he played 12 games to start the year with the CH before the club assigned him to Timra IK for some development time in the SHL.

Below is a look at the final game that Kapanen played, on November 5 against the Calgary Flames. As you can see he recorded an assist, his second of the season, and he was a strong two-way presence down the middle. Who was pretty strong in the faceoff dot as well.

So hear me out, I have a couple of line changes that I would implement upon Kapanen's arrival, because he deserves to be inserted into the lineup, in the thick of the Habs' playoff race. I also think that he has the intelligence, skating and talent to thrive in a top-six centre role. Especially with two fellow-European players in Swede Emil Heineman, and Finn Patrik Laine.

My lineup changes differ from the suggestions in the hyper-linked article about Heineman above.

This line holds a monopoly of tools and has all the elements you want in a balanced line, that plays smart, and quick and can challenge physical, especially on the backcheck. Offensively, Heineman is an animal on the forecheck, and Kapanen plays the responsible centre role with veteran-like poise. Then you have one of the purest European shooters the NHL has ever seen in Laine, who floats into the zone like a leopard ready to pounce on its prey.

Heineman plays heavy and hard, finishing every check, but he has great vision, and the heavy forechecking and rushes in pursuit for the opposing net are Peter Forsberg-like, he uses his frame to drive hard the blue paint. Heineman in no slouch in the shooting game either, he doesn't rival Laine, but he can shoot the puck in a variety of ways, all above NHL average.

Laine is obviously the pure shooter-playmaker, but he plays an honest game in the neutral zone when he is at his best. I think having a player like Heineman will inject energy into Laine, and Kapanen's youthful exuberance will be the cherry on top. I think the Habs' high prospects are dependant on the development paying dividends for the club.

What better way to assess how well Kapanen's game has come along with SHL coaching, and an inhouse plan for the season established by the Canadiens development staff - Rob Ramage, and Adam Nicholas conceivably directing him, and showing him ways to improve? Put him into the lineup, and let him cook with fellow countrymen Laine, and Heineman, who he shares a birthplace with.

Kapanen is Finnish, his Uncle Sami Kapanen is a Finnish Olympian and former NHL player. His cousin Kasperi is a former 22nd overall pick by the Edmonton Oilers in 2014, who has represented his home Finland on many occasions, just like Oliver. But Oliver was born in Sundsvall, Sweden on July 29, 2003, where his father was playing goaltender for nearby Swedish hockey club Timra IK.

The Finn born in Sweden, played 36 games with Timra during the 2024-25 season, and registered 35 points, including 15 goals and 20 assists. He added another three points (two goals, & one assist) in six SHL playoff games.

Kapanen has a great shot, and great offensive zone awareness without giving up anything on the other side of the puck.

Heineman plays an honest defensive game and puts opposing defenders on their heels, and all three players are tenacious with their sticks in all three zones.

Laine just has a great awareness of how to get to the net with slow, methodical routes to the zone, where he emerges into pockets to create with his shot, or bait defenders before dishing it off, whichever opening presents itself for the Tampere, Finland native. The former No. 2 overall selection behind Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews in the 2016 NHL Draft adds quite a nice element to the Habs lineup.

And if this line can get clicking at five-on-five, the Habs playoff chances dramatically improve. The pack mentality will also factor in, and four lines rolling will be music to Martin St. Louis's ears.

What about lines one, two and four?

With the second line composed of Emil Heineman, Oliver Kapanen and Patrik Laine - the first line has a great support line below them in the depth chart.

Don't kid yourselves, the first line remains Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky, and judging by each player's production over the last five games, the line is clicking offensively. Suzuki's brand of hockey ensures a strong two-way presence on the line, and No, 20 and No. 13 both chip in defensively.

The third line could be a configuration of Alex Newhook, Christian Dvorak and Brendan Gallagher, a line that I think speaks for itself.

Dvorak is the workhorse down the middle, winning timely faceoffs, and thriving defensively while displaying a very linear approach to offensive game. He isn't a dynamo, nor a play driver, but he makes smart passes and positions himself well on route to, and around the front of the opposing net.

Pairing Newhook's speed, and ability to create plays off the rush on the drop of a dime will blend well with the great passes, and Gallagher's tenacious pursuit for the net, which rivals some of the best pests across the NHL's 32 teams. Newhook is also a great finisher off the rush and presents as an accurate shooter with one-touch shots that explode off his stick.

Then there is No. 11, who does everything else the line needs him to do, the same way that he has played his entire career. Standing five-foot-nine, and weighing 183 pounds, Gallagher is the heartbeat of the Canadiens. If he is in the offensive zone, you can make a fair bet that he is in front of the net.

You can't go wrong with this line that blends speed, tenacity and smart two-way play to break up plays on defence, and quick transition them back the other way to create offensive rushes. Newhook thrives on the rush, and Gallagher and Dvorak are swift skaters in their own right, which helps for Newhook to use as support valves en route to the offensive zone.

And that leaves the fourth line.

You can call it the J line

Joel Armia, Jake Evans and Josh Anderson round out the Habs fourth line, and each player brings a different skill set to the line. But cohesively they bring intensity - both on the forecheck and creating turnovers on the backcheck

Anderson intimidates right away with his gallops and large frame (six foot three, and 217 pounds), which push many defenders back on their heels, respecting his speed, and strength to drop the shoulder and drive the puck through the defender and into the goalie. He is mean, and heavy on the forecheck finishing his checks, and collecting any loose change, while using short passes to leverage time in the attacking zone for his line. He is a heavy shooter - using his favourite weapon, wrist shots off the rush - most of the time.

Evans is a responsible, prototypical fourth-line centre that is hard to play with, and creates energy with his smart defensive play, and timely rushes through the neutral zone. No. 71 is a menace on the penalty kill with Armia, using great anticipation to intercept pucks, speed to transport them to the net, and solid instincts when in the offensive zone.

The there is Armia, who plays heavy, leaning on opponents both with, and without the puck on his stick. A former Buffalo Sabres first-round pick in 2011, Armia has rounded into a very good bottom six winger, who kills penalties, and devastates with fantastic defensive awareness. Armia also has some great puck rushes in his repertoire, and he shoots the puck quite heavily.

All in all, this is the best way to balance the Habs' twelve forwards, unless, of course, Ivan Demidov joins the fold. But that's another story for another day.