Oliver Kapanen is eager to sign with the Canadiens, and GM Kent Hughes is working on it. Kapanen has been in excellent form recently, following an impressive series in Finland with 14 points in 13 games, and he’s now excelling at the World Championship with six goals. Patrik Bexell, who closely follows the Canadiens’ prospects in Europe, notes that Kapanen has significantly improved in 2024.
Despite his stellar performances, Kapanen, the Canadiens’ second-round pick in 2021, hasn’t yet secured a contract with Montreal for the upcoming season. He has, however, signed a two-year deal with a Swedish team, where his father is involved, but he could potentially join Laval in 2025-2026. If he performs well in the Canadiens’ next camp, he might make his NHL debut this fall.
Kapanen is keen on signing his entry-level contract, according to Luc Gélinas on Twitter. Although he’s currently focused on the World Championship, discussions about his contract will resume afterward. Kent Hughes has already met with Kapanen’s agent in Helsinki during the World Juniors and plans to continue negotiations post-tournament.
Entry-level contracts are usually straightforward to negotiate, as they have fixed parameters. Both the player and the team generally find common ground, making it likely that Kapanen will sign with the Canadiens soon.
