Oliver Kapanen is off to a good start in the SHL.
Oliver Kapanen is a fun player to watch. His uncle is Sami Kapanen who was a fine NHL player. He’s a 6’1” center who is going to be 22 in July. The clock isn’t ticking on him yet.
He was drafted 64th overall in 2021. Things started to pick up for him in 2022-23 while in Liiga. He had 12 goals and 15 helpers in 55 games. Kapanen scored a point in seven playoff games.
The next season saw the Finnish prospect improving his numbers in the same league. He had 14 goals and 20 assists in 51 games. When the playoffs rolled around, he was a factor. Kapanen had seven goals and seven assists in 13 games played.
His skating is good, I like is edgework. He plays the give-n-go well and isn’t afraid to go to the net with speed.
Kapanen has good hands. His stickwork is good and the weave that he’s able to do gets past defenders.
Kapanen is very active in the offensive zone. He has a lot of torque on his wrist shot. He is eager to follow up his shots and it’s hard to get the puck away from him in the offensive zone.
In the SHL so far, he has six points in 8 games. He’s off to a good start and he’s gaining momentum. Loaning him to the SHL was smart and Kapanen will continue to develop. It’s a top league and he won’t be targeted physically which happens in the AHL.
I think he needs to get stronger. He’s a solid passer, he’s good on the power play and he’s shooting over three shots per game. As that rises, so will his points. He’s on a good path at the moment.