The Swedish forward has impressed so much that many believe he could replace Christian Dvorak on the third offensive line. Initially, it seemed the options for the 64th overall pick from the 2021 draft were limited to either the Canadiens or his team in the Swedish league. However, it now appears that sending him to the Laval Rocket is a possibility, though there is a stipulation.
Oliver Kapanen’s potential move to the Laval Rocket is contingent on the Canadiens keeping him on their roster for 60 days, until December 7th, as noted by user Jean-Francois C. This gives the management a two-month period to evaluate Kapanen’s performance in competitive games against a complete NHL roster.
As reported by Jean-Francois C., the Canadiens could technically send Kapanen to the AHL immediately. However, under IIHF transfer regulations, his Swedish team would have the right of first refusal and could bring him back to fulfill his contract before the 60-day period ends. Many consider the AHL to be a stronger league than the SHL, making it more beneficial for the Canadiens to keep him within their organization and have the option to assign him to Laval in a few months.
With the season still in its early stages, Kapanen has the opportunity to demonstrate that he deserves a permanent place in the NHL, though he would need to take the spot of either Emil Heineman or Alex Barré-Boulet.
