Rookie winger’s high hockey IQ is obvious, but Habs head coach Martin St. Louis wants him to work on his confidence with the puck.
The 21-year-old forward made the Canadiens out of training camp, and after being a healthy scratch for the season opener has played in every game since. Heading into Tuesday night’s game against the Seattle Kraken at the Bell Centre, Kapanen had one assist in eight games and was still looking for his first NHL goal.
“I’ve said it before, he’s an intelligent player,” head coach Martin St. Louis said about Kapanen after the Canadiens’ morning skate Tuesday.
If you watch Kapanen closely on the ice, his high hockey IQ is obvious. It’s also what has allowed him to play on the wing with the Canadiens when his natural position is centre.
“I still haven’t got that many games as a winger compared to centreman,” Kapanen said after the morning skate. “It’s more natural at centre, but I think I’m getting better as a winger and getting used to it. I want to be a centreman … that’s my natural spot.”
Kapanen’s not complaining about where he’s playing now, but his future is probably as a centreman.
For now, St. Louis wants Kapanen to work on his confidence.
“I feel maybe his confidence is not at the level that I would like it to be for him and you can see that because I feel he gets touches, but I don’t think he’s as efficient with his touches that I’ve seen in the past when his confidence is higher,” St. Louis said. “So to just keep working on his confidence in practice when he touches the puck, treat it like a game. Because I feel once his confidence goes up again I think he’s a player that can be productive.”
The Canadiens didn’t have the option of sending Kapanen to Laval at the end of training camp. He has a Swedish Hockey League contract that stipulates he must play this season for Timra IK if he’s not in the NHL. St. Louis said the fact the Canadiens believe the NHL is the best place for Kapanen to develop at this point in his career was part of the decision to keep him.
The general manager of Timra IK is Kapanen’s father, Kimmo. Kapanen said his father was very happy he made the Canadiens, even though he could have helped Timra IK.
“He was pretty confident that I would make the team, so it wasn’t that big of a surprise for them,” Kapanen said. “He was happy for me and I’m glad he made it to my first (NHL) game, too.”
Hockey is a big part of the Kapanen family. Kapanen’s father was a goalie in the Finnish Elite League, his uncle is former NHL forward Sami Kapanen and his cousin is current St. Louis Blues forward Kasperi Kapanen. His grandfather, Hannu Kapanen, was a forward for Team Finland at the first Canada Cup tournament in 1976.
“My grandpa and uncle and cousins, everyone is involved in hockey, so it’s been great,” said Kapanen, adding that he talks with his grandfather almost every day. “Every time we meet it’s all about hockey and that’s all we talk about. I don’t take that as pressure …. I just enjoy it and I want to show everyone that I can play, too. If I need anything I can just call them or text them and ask them for help.”
Teammate Joel Armia has also helped Kapanen adjust to life in the NHL and Kapanen said it’s nice to have a teammate to speak Finnish with.
Kapanen is focusing now on taking things one day at a time with the Canadiens while trying to get better every day.
“Of course, it’s lots of new stuff to me, but I think I’ve handled it pretty well and no big issues so far,” he said. “It’s just being in the moment and trying to learn everything that I can.
“I maybe haven’t even realized yet where I am, but it’s pretty damn cool to be here,” Kapanen added while looking around the Canadiens’ locker room. “Just come to the games and see the full house and all the (different) cities. It’s pretty unreal … I’m enjoying it.”
He’d enjoy it more if he wasn’t living in a hotel room, but Kapanen isn’t going to complain.
“That’s maybe the next call that I’m waiting for, when I get to move into a place,” he said.