How Oliver Kapanen became the Montreal Canadiens’ biggest surprise so far this season

After an excellent end to the 2024-25 season that saw the Montreal Canadiens make an incredible turnaround after the 4 Nations Face-Off break to make the NHL Playoffs for the first time since the 2020-21 season, the team decided to upgrade their roster by trading for Noah Dobson and Zachary Bolduc in an effort to go from playoff hopefuls to Stanley Cup contenders.

However, there was still a glaring question mark in the Canadiens lineup as this season was getting ready to kick off: Who will be Montreal’s second-line centre? Would they trade for Sidney Crosby? Could they make a move for Nazem Kadri or Robert Thomas? It turns out the answer to that question for the Canadiens this season was already in the organization.

Lacklustre 2024-25 debut

Oliver Kapanen was a surprise addition to the Canadiens roster in the 2024-25 season when he made the team out of training camp, but after a lacklustre 12-game spell, he was loaned to Timura IK for the season. The 2021 second-round pick had a great season with Timura IK in the SHL, where he finished the season with 15 goals and 35 points in 36 games. Following the end of his season in Sweden, Kapanen returned to the Canadiens and played in another six games with the franchise, but continued to struggle with his production, finishing the year with Montreal with two points in 18 games.

When training camp opened up before this season, Kapanen was one of the players fighting for a roster spot, alongside Florian Xhekaj, Owen Beck, and Joshua Roy. Kapanen, throughout training camp, continued to impress with his playmaking abilities and overall hockey IQ. His play opened a discussion about whether he had the potential to one day become the Canadiens full-time second-line centre, a conversation spearheaded by Grant McCagg, a former amateur scout for Montreal. He was adamant that Kapanen could one day become Montreal’s second-line centre, and so far, he has been proven right.

Changing the narrative

Kapanen opened up the season on the right track, scoring his first career NHL goal on the opening night of the season. He followed that up the next night by scoring again, which got some fans to start believing in his potential. Kapanen has been playing alongside Ivan Demidov all season, but his play really started to take an uptick once Juraj Slafkovsky was moved to their line, creating the Canadiens new second unit. Since being put together, not only have they been incredibly productive, but they have arguably been the Canadiens best line this season.

All the attention has gone to Slafkovsky and Demidov, in part because they were both top-five picks and partially because of the style they play. Slafkovsky has grown into his body this season, becoming a truly physical presence on the ice, while Demidov dazzles with his stickhandling and playmaking abilities. Kapanen’s game is not as flashy as the other two, but he always seems to find himself in the right positions at the right time. While Demidov will be at the top of all the Calder Trophy discussions, Kapanen has been putting together a great rookie campaign of his own.

In 57 games this season, Kapanen has 18 goals, which puts him in a tie for the lead in rookie goals. His 31 points so far this season put him fourth in rookie scoring. His play has not only surprised the Canadiens, but he was also a surprising addition to Team Finland's roster for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. With just 18 NHL games under his belt before the season started, it is hard to imagine that Kapanen was on Team Finland’s radar to make the roster, but he has played his way onto the roster. From a player who was a question mark before the season started, he has completely changed that narrative and has been the Canadiens biggest surprise this season.