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Canadiens’ Prospect Owen Beck Leads Saginaw to Memorial Cup – Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens

The London Knights were honored to win the Memorial Cup last night, especially since they knocked off the reigning team, the Saginaw Spirit, en route to the Ontario Hockey League championship. The Knights also booked a place in the finals from the start by beating everyone in the round robins, but there is no competition on paper or based on past results. You have to be the best team on the day, and last night, London wasn’t there. They gave Saginaw a good scare, but the team’s game-winning goal with 22 seconds left sealed their fate. It wasn’t the game-winning goal scorer who stole the game, it was Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck.

Beck Shoves Out Both Knights and Maple Leafs to Expect Easton Cowan

Moya came out of the gate like a rodeo bull, fast and furious. In amazement, Dale Hunter’s men could only watch as Spirit flew through the snow. Acquired by Saginaw earlier in the year, Beck scored the game’s first goal just nine minutes into the game. Meanwhile, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) champions looked nervous.

At that time, the Canadiens prospect was so hot, that he ended the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan. It’s not like Beck is that big, but those three inches he had on Cowan seemed like three feet when he bullied him.

Not content with his accomplishments yet, Beck continued and with less than a minute left in the first period, scored his second of the game in time-out on the power play, putting his team up by two goals. At that moment, it must have felt like he was being punched in the gut.

Beck Is More Than Just Points

Beck didn’t get a goal or an assist until the end of the game, but he didn’t stop contributing until the final buzzer. When the Canadiens drafted him in the early second round of the 2022 Draft, we were told he was a great hockey player and a faceoff wizard. If anyone had any doubts, last night’s finale should have convinced them it was true.

Related: Canadiens’ prospect Owen Beck Gets Another Shot at Memorial Cup

Last night, Beck took 24 faceoffs and won 19, for an 80% success rate. Matyas Sapovaliv, the second player who took the most faceoffs for the Spirit after Beck won 13 of 21 duels, for a success rate of 62%. Beck won so many faceoffs that the Knights never had the puck, which explains why they only had six shots on goal early in the third frame.

Owen Beck, Saginaw Spirit (Eric Young/CHL)

Beck’s awareness in the faceoff circle allowed him to open the scoring last night. After the puck bounced a little in front of players on both teams, he skated toward it and took a shot that Michael Simpson never saw coming.

Beck Named Memorial Cup Tournament MVP

For his performance not only in the finals but throughout the tournament, Beck was awarded the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player of the Memorial Cup. In the five games we played, this center scored three goals and added two assists. Furthermore, he stepped up when his team needed him the most. When they needed a leader to stand up and take them to the finish line, Beck was there.

Over the years, some of the NHL’s most successful players have been awarded the Memorial Cup MVP award: Mitch Marner, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Huberdeau, Taylor Hall (twice), Corey Perry and Scott Niedermayer all claimed it. Not a guarantee of success but certainly not a bad sign.

What’s Next for Beck?

Since Beck will still be 20 when the puck drops next OHL season, he could actually play one final season, but it would be shocking to see the Canadiens move him back. In the 2022-23 season he won the league championship with the Peterborough Petes, and this past season, he was the champion of the Memorial Cup. It just doesn’t sound like he has much left to learn or prove at that level.

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After his first training camp, general manager Kent Hughes was so impressed with the guy that he immediately signed him to an entry-level contract, just a few months after drafting him. The contract has been loose since then, but it shouldn’t be this year. I’m not saying Beck will make the NHL right away, but he should start his first professional season in 2024-25.

Don’t expect Beck to be in the Canadiens’ top six, either. When he was drafted, his floor was considered a third line center and I believe that is exactly what he will be on a contending team. You will be able to fill in at times when there is a lot of damage. His 81 points in a season with Peterborough and Saginaw doesn’t herald top-six power, especially since the level of difficulty rises a bit when you step up to the pros.

Still, I believe it makes sense to pencil Beck in as the Canadiens’ third-line center sooner rather than later. He’ll be a better fit for Jake Evans, who could fit in well on the fourth line. Beck’s evolution will be one of the most interesting stories to follow in the next training camp and wherever he ends up, it should be very exciting to watch for Montreal (or Laval) fans.


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