Montreal Canadiens forward Oliver Kapanen has received a well-earned promotion in recent hours. Though it went largely unnoticed, Kapanen was moved to the Canadiens’ second line alongside Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook during the final moments of last night’s match against Patrick Roy and the New York Islanders. This change, made by head coach Martin St-Louis, is a fitting recognition of Kapanen’s efforts.
A Rise for Oliver Kapanen
It seems likely that Kapanen’s ice time will increase quickly in the upcoming games, as indicated by his and Emil Heineman’s shorter ice times in the shootout against the Islanders—Kapanen played 11:32 minutes and Heineman 10:38 minutes, making them the only Canadiens players to score in the shootout.
Both Players Deserve More Time on Ice
It will be intriguing to see if Kapanen can bring new energy to the second line, particularly since the line led by Dach has struggled early in the season, especially considering Dach is recovering from a significant injury.
Dach, 23, has recorded just 1 point in 6 games and has a minus-8 rating, while 23-year-old Newhook has also tallied 1 point in 6 games with a minus-7 rating.
Could Oliver Kapanen be the catalyst needed to revitalize Martin St-Louis’ second line? If the second line finds its rhythm and the first line continues to contribute crucial goals, it could significantly impact the team’s performance.
