Canadiens Loan Prospect Kapanen To Timrå IK
The Montreal Canadiens announced on Wednesday that 21-year-old prospect Oliver Kapanen would loaned to Timrå IK in the Sweden Hockey League.
After his first 12 games in the NHL, the former second-round pick (64th overall) from the 2021 Draft has two assists, with a single penalty and a minus-4 rating, while averaging 11:38 a night.
Kapanen, a native of Sundsvall, Sweden, will make his professional debut in the SHL after playing parts of the past two seasons in Liiga, Finland’s top league.
In 51 games last season, he scored 14 goals and 34 points with KalPa. Although Kapanen is Swedish, he’s played his entire minor and junior career in Finland. He grew up through the KalPa program, starting at the U16 level and eventually playing in Liiga.
The Canadiens organization hopes that Kapanen will go to Europe, see top-line minutes, and get the chance to play in situations he’s not seeing in Montreal.
As a gifted young prospect with tremendous upside, Kapanen’s development is currently stalled in the NHL, so heading to Sweden to become one of Timrå IK’s top players would benefit him.
