The Next Step For Top Montreal Canadiens Prospect Owen Beck

Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck couldn’t possibly have finished his CHL career on a higher note.

The 20-year-old centre set the tone in the Memorial Cup final, scoring twice to lead the Saginaw Spirit to their first championship in team history. His four goals during the tournament were enough to secure All-Star team honours, not to mention the Memorial Cup’s Most Valuable Player trophy.

MUST READ: Highlights – Canadiens Prospect Owen Beck Shines As Memorial Cup MVP

There was already very little doubt as to Beck’s graduation to professional hockey next season, but despite his penchant for constantly rising to the occasion no matter the assignment, there are some fans and analysts who aren’t convinced he’s ready to take the next step in his career.

The truth of the matter is that Beck has been ready for every challenge he’s faced, and if we dig beyond the surface, it is evident that his production was directly tied to his usage during his time in the OHL. Playing in a shutdown role is not conducive to putting up elite numbers, but it will serve Beck well as he tries to carve out a spot with either the Canadiens or their AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.

The recent production surge was once again driven by usage, as the Saginaw Spirit put Beck in a position to flourish in the offensive zone. And while the driving force behind the change in numbers is rather evident, heading into training camp as the reigning Memorial Cup MVP will certainly give him a leg up on the competition.

Tough Road Ahead

Jake Evans was recently voted as the most underrated player in the lineup thanks to his high-end work ethic and affability, and yet some are already eying his spot in the lineup as an opportunity that could lead to Beck’s breakthrough into the NHL.

There’s merit to the logic.

Beck is a smart, hard-working centre who can play key shutdown minutes at 5v5 and the penalty kill, and is the type of player that doesn’t necessitate much coaching. A high-output, low-maintenance player.

In other words, he’s a coach’s dream.

However, you could replace Beck’s name in that sentence with Evans’, and the statement would still hold true.

And though Evans is yet to crack the 30-point mark in his career, you’d be hard-pressed to suggest reaching 28 points while playing in the bottom-six of a bottom-five team is an underwhelming result.

Simply put, it won’t be easy for Beck to usurp Evans’ place in the lineup. At least not immediately.

The grass could always be greener, but for now, it’s in good shape and doesn’t require re-sodding.

Great individual effort by Jake Evans to score a shorthanded goal and make it 5-2 #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/a9V9ZuV1eD

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) April 3, 2024

Owen Beck Strengths

If the Canadiens end up moving centre Christian Dvorak, then the odds of Beck playing in Montreal next season suddenly become a lot better.

But even if there is a spot in the lineup available, we should be careful when it comes to suggesting it’s Beck’s for the taking.

Having a storybook ending to your CHL career is entertaining, but rather meaningless when it comes to earning a job in the NHL.

Fortunately for Beck, he has a few things working in his favour.

He already possesses the type of skillset that usually takes young players a few years to fine-tune. His defensive prowess is fantastic, his skating is top-notch, and he gives a Gallagheresque effort every shift.

His offensive potential, while somewhat limited, is boosted by his deceptive release and his elite anticipation in the offensive zone.

And yet, the asset that will likely garner him the most attention from Martin St-Louis or Jean-Francois Houle is his astounding faceoff proficiency. He won’t always win nearly 80 percent of his draws, as he did during the Memorial Cup final, but he is easily one of the best players outside of the NHL when it comes to taking faceoffs, as evidenced by his 58.5 win rate this season.

Combine his faceoff excellence with his ability to quickly absorb information handed down by the coaching staff, and you can see why Beck is already well-tailored for the professional ranks.

He’s also built a nasty streak into his game, yet another feather in his cap when it comes to playing in the pros.

Owen Beck won’t necessarily start the season with the Montreal Canadiens, however, when it comes to his NHL aspirations, it’s not a matter if, but when.

It’s… beautiful.

After scoring the first goal of the game, #GoHabsGo prospect Owen Beck obliterates #GoLeafsGo prospect Easton Cowan with a huge hit. #MemorialCup pic.twitter.com/gkjlJHhZk2

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) June 3, 2024