As was the case last night, the Montreal Canadiens were the first team to step onto the podium to begin the second day of the NHL Entry Draft. With their first of two picks in the second round, they went with Owen Beck of the Mississauga Steelheads.
Beck is a player with some similarities to Shane Wright in that he is not a pushy player but has a very well rounded game. It’s the little things in his game that make for a very intriguing addition to the Habs prospect pool, and he has a very high floor, thus likely to eventually become an NHL regular.
The Mitch Brown Tracking Project
A second-round pick in the OHL draft, he was never drafted, but his work ethic, hockey IQ and defensive responsibility made him a key player on a surprising Steelheads team. Despite missing his debut season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he stepped into a big role with them in 2021-22 and scored 51 points in 68 games, adding six more points in 10 playoff games.
He is an above-average skater with great top-end speed that gives him a high-level transition game. The defenders have to give him distance to avoid him getting past them, and when they don’t, he sends them scrambling to catch up.
He’s also a monster in the faceoff circle, posting a 60.6% winning percentage, far more than any of his peers who have taken at least 500 draws in the OHL. He was the player they would send on whenever possible for key matches, and not just because of his power.
He is also a very capable defender. Scouts tout his positioning and hockey IQ as some of the best in this draft class, and he never changes a shift or cheats to try to create an offense. It’s as close as you can get to a junior level suspension center. There were even a few games where I watched him this season and had glimpses of Philippe Danault. In a league where defense is second fiddle to scoring, he takes the former very seriously.
Brock Otten of McKeen’s praised Beck, saying, “He’s like a Swiss army knife. He can play (and excel) in all situations and has an extremely well-rounded skill set. This includes being one of the most dynamic skaters in the draft. Beck’s ability to create separation with his feet makes him extremely dangerous in transition, but he shows an ability to make smart decisions and skill plays at full speed, a trait that not all draft-eligible speedsters exhibit.”
The playmaking would be the biggest area of improvement in his game. His skating makes him a threat in transition, but he can sometimes struggle to finish plays under pressure or in the rush. He tends to attempt low-percentage shots where the pass would be the better option. It’s something he’ll need to work on before he gets to the next level.
That being said, it packs a heavy punch with great accuracy. It makes sense that he relies on that shot, albeit more than he should, and it could suggest that there is more offensive potential to be unlocked. Unlocking that potential is exactly what could propel him to a top-six future at the NHL level instead of a bottom-six rotation.
His production definitely leaves something to be desired at the OHL level, but he was a rookie on a Steelheads team where their leading scorer had just 77 points. If his true rookie season in 2020-21 had actually happened, we could have seen more enticing numbers from Beck, but then he probably wouldn’t have been available for Montreal on day two.
Elite prospects
The great news is that even if he doesn’t develop any more offensive flair, his floor looks to be that of a reliable bottom-six center in the NHL, so anything beyond that is gravy for the Canadiens.
You’re far from guaranteed NHL players outside of the first round, sometimes even in the top 10. Beck has as good a chance as almost anyone in this draft to become an NHL regular, and that makes him a solid second round pick.
Given that 2021-22 was technically Beck’s minus-one draft season, it would be pretty premature to expect him to make the Canadiens’ lineup next season. He should be expected to return to Mississauga and continue his development there with a bigger role on an improving team.
He could work his way onto the radar for Team Canada at next year’s World Junior Hockey Championship. His responsibility and defensive positioning would make him an excellent candidate for this team, and with a jump in offensive production to be expected next year, it may be difficult to leave him at home for this tournament.
I absolutely love this pick for Montreal. Myself and my colleague Jared Book both took him in our recent mock drafts, and he was a first rounder in the SB Nation mock, so there’s reason to be excited about this pick. He could very easily reach a top-9 role for the Canadiens, and if his playmaking skills can be further developed before that happens, this could end up being a pick we view as a steal.
Great start for Montreal on the second day of the draft.
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