Oliver Kapanen has gone from a player who struggled to find the back of the net in his first 18 games of his career to being tied for the league lead in rookie goalscoring. Kapanen might not have had the same amount of pressure as Ivan Demidov coming into this season, but some believed he could be the future second-line centre of the Montreal Canadiens, as soon as this season.
He may not be playing on the second line just yet, but his connection with Alex Newhook and fellow rookie Demidov has been superb to start the season.
Demidov and Dobes steal the spotlight
Demidov has been getting all of the spotlight, and deservedly so. He leads all rookies in points and is electric any time he is on the ice. He deserved all the hype and has backed it up.
You would think Kapanen would be the next-most-talked-about rookie on the roster given how well he is playing, but that is not the case. The other rookie getting all the shine is goaltender Jakub Dobes.
Dobes has been spectacular so far, posting a 6-0-1 record with a 2.25 goals against average and a .920 save percentage. He also became the first rookie in NHL history to start back-to-back seasons 5-0-0.
Kapanen may not be getting the same praise as the other two rookies, but he has been just as crucial for the Canadiens' success so far this season.
From SHL loan to NHL contributor
Oliver Kapanen has 4g 4a in his last six games and is one of only four SHL regulars averaging a point per game. That is mighty impressive for a 21-year-old. Here are his goal and assist from today's 5-2 Timra victory. pic.twitter.com/qANRCih3qz
— Grant McCagg (@grantmccagg) February 26, 2025
Kapanen did not generate the same type of positive buzz as the other two did last season. He played in 18 games last season, and his production was not great, producing just two assists in that span.
After the first 12 games, the Canadiens loaned him to Timrå IK in the SHL. His production did a complete 180, recording 35 points in 36 games.
He returned to the Canadiens at the end of the SHL season, but there was still uncertainty on whether or not he had a future in the Canadiens lineup. He did not leave a great first impression, the way Demidov did with his multi-point debut or Dobes did with winning his first five career starts, but that should not cloud how he has played this season.
Finding his scoring touch
The Finnish centre had a much better start to his official rookie season, recording a goal in back-to-back games after failing to score in his previous 18 games.
He has been one of the Canadiens' more consistent point producers, with six goals and 10 points in 15 games. Kapanen's biggest knock is that he tends to disappear at times during the game, but then you look at the stat sheet and he ends it with an assist or goal.
You could say he benefits from playing alongside Demidov, or you could look at it as the two young forwards having built a rapport with one another. Demidov has all the magic, with his ability to create plays, but Kapanen’s best ability is being in the right position at the right time.
Whether it is putting in a rebound or a tap-in in front of the net, he always seems to be at the right place at the right time.
A key piece for the Canadiens’ future
Kapanen has not been as flashy as Demidov or as dominant as Dobes has been so far this season, but has quietly been putting together an excellent rookie campaign.
His six goals put him in a tie with Beckett Sennecke for first in rookie goals. Demidov leads the way in rookie points with 13, but Kapanen is not far off, sitting in third place with 10 points.
He has quietly been establishing himself as a full-time NHLer, and Canadiens fans should get used to seeing Kapanen in the middle six of their lineup.