Owen Beck is a 20-year-old center playing in the AHL. That’s not easy to do. So far this season, he has nine goals and 16 assists in 37 games. The Canadiens haven’t been using Michael Pezzetta much. He only played 2:58 against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the loss, so bringing up Beck makes complete sense.
Related: Canadiens: Owen Beck Receives Two Rings
I’m not sure if Canadiens coach, Martin St. Louis will use Beck as a center. Part of being a good center is a player’s versatility. He can play on the wing for sure but there might be another strategy. They can play him in the middle but not have him take all the face-offs. I’ve seen that too with younger players.
How many minutes will Beck get? This year, the Canadiens have an outside chance of making the playoffs so I don’t think he will get 15 minutes. Because he’s a good two-way player, I can see him getting 10 minutes a game on average. That’s enough so you don’t have to juggle your lines too much in any game.
Beck last played for the Canadiens in 2022-23. The Canadiens lost a 5-0 game against the Ottawa Senators. He logged 9:16 that game. He’s older, stronger, and faster so he has a chance to have a bigger impact this time around.
Beck could stay up for a while. It would be great experience for him as he draws closer to being an NHL regular. I think he can be a good second-line center. I’m just not sure when he will be ready to make the jump permanently.
