The Montreal Canadiens recent signing of Joe Veleno practically eliminates the possibility of any players from last season’s Laval Rocket roster earning a spot. A young player will need to force management’s hand to move a veteran or wait for an injury to obtain an opportunity.
There are five Rocket forwards to watch closely as potential first call ups to the National Hockey League (NHL) when needed. We will use our roster projection from early July as a starting point with the exception of Veleno replacing Oliver Kapanen.
Oliver Kapanen
Kapanen got an 18-game look with Montreal last season before heading to Timra IK in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He earned two points in a bottom-six role with the Habs. In the SHL, he added 35 points in 36 games. After Timra’s elimination, he returned to North America. He played three playoff games for the Canadiens, replacing the injured Patrik Laine. The 21-year-old joined the Rocket after the Canadiens were eliminated to extend his season. He had a prominent role playing on the top line and first power play unit, totalling six points in 11 games. His two stints with the big club and playing professional hockey overseas should give him an advantage.
Joshua Roy
After obtaining nine points in 23 games in 2023-24, Joshua Roy had a spot to lose entering last season’s training camp. Unfortunately, he dropped the ball. It led to an assignment in the AHL. The Canadiens recalled him twice last season, and Roy scored two goals in 12 games. With Laval, he scored a personal high 20 goals and 35 points in 47 games. His focus over the summer is pace and his defensive play. Roy’s inconsistency is another reason he hasn’t held on to a regular NHL spot. When he’s on his game, the 21-year-old is an offensive threat. Last season, he led the Rocket with seven game winning goals, just one shy of leading the league.
Owen Beck
Owen Beck is a reliable 200-foot player projected for a bottom-six NHL role, strong at the faceoff dot. He wrapped up his rookie pro season with 44 points in 64 games in Laval. The Canadiens recalled the Port Hope, Ontario native twice where he obtained two points in 12 games. In the final games of the regular and during the playoff run, coach Pascal Vincent slotted Beck on the right wing. The motivation of the move was to give him more reps at that position as that is how Martin St. Louis used him in Montreal.
Florian Xhekaj
Florian Xhekaj is in the long shot category of an early recall by the Canadiens, but not impossible. He surprised many fans and observers by scoring 24 goals and 35 points in his rookie season. Similar to his older brother, Xhekaj did not hesitate to use his body as a weapon by delivering hard hits and dropping the gloves when needed. He set a single season franchise record with 175 penalty minutes in 69 games. Vincent increased Xhekaj’s role over the year. He became a threat on the penalty kill, scoring four goals. The 21-year-old was discreet in the playoffs, collecting three points in 13 games, and less visible physically.
Jared Davidson
Jared Davidson joins Xhekaj in the long shot category. It was his first full year as a professional after missing significant time during his rookie season due to injuries. He scored 24 goals and 45 points in 69 games playing primarily in a bottom-six role. Davidson scored seven times on the power play, one behind Roy and Alex Barre-Boulet for the team lead, while playing on the second unit. His one-timer is a weapon and his grit can potentially earn him an opportunity to play in the NHL down the road.
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