Introduction
It’s almost remarkable to think that Owen Beck is just entering his first professional season. It’s even a bit weird to think that he was only drafted in 2022, and ranks third in this ranking amongst players from that draft.
The reasons it feels weird are two-fold. The first is that he just plays a very mature game. Most people are pencilling him into a third-line centre spot, where he will be a reliable penalty-killer and contribute offensively. Surely it is an important role, but not quite a role that many players start their career with. The second is that he has basically been a hired gun in the CHL for the last two seasons.
In 2022-23, he went from Mississauga to Peterborough on their road to an OHL title and a Memorial Cup appearance, and then last year was traded from Peterborough to Saginaw as they prepared to host the Memorial Cup, a tournament they eventually won. Beck scored two goals in the 4-3 championship game win.
The question surrounding Beck, even in his draft year, was whether or not he would score enough to turn himself from a surefire bottom-six centre to a potential top-six option. It is likely what kept him out of the first round in 2022, after 51 points in 68 games (0.75 points per game) in his first OHL season. He answered those questions around his offence with a resounding yes. In his second OHL campaign, he scored 66 points in 60 games (1.10 ppg), before improving yet again to 81 points in 57 games (1.42 ppg) last season.
His playoff production also saw an increase from 0.60 ppg to 0.73 to 0.82 in those same three seasons.
Beck also played at the last two World Junior Hockey Championships. He was an injury replacement in the 2023 tournament before being a full-time member on the 2024 team for which he was a part of the leadership group.
Voting
There seems to be a consensus surrounding this tier in the ranking, which Beck finds himself in. Most voters agree he’s not part of the elite portion of the under-25 pool, but three voters had him exactly at his spot at #12. The community had other players ahead, with one of the lower rankings of Beck, but still ahead of two individual voters.
Some community members had Beck as high as the top 10, but some had him even outside the top 20. The majority had him in the 11-15 range.
Top 25 Under 25 History
| 2023: #10 | 2022: #14 |
Beck’s ranking is consistent as the prospect depth changes around him. He entered the rankings at #14 after the 2022 Draft, rose to #10 last year, but dropped two spots this year. I don’t want to speak for all voters, but I think it’s fair to say that Beck’s drop had more to do with other players impressing more than Beck disappointing.
History of #12
| Year | #12 |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Adam Engström |
| 2022 | Jesse Ylönen |
| 2021 | Jan Mysak |
| 2020 | Noah Juulsen |
| 2019 | Cale Fleury |
| 2018 | Jake Evans |
| 2017 | Victor Mete |
| 2016 | Martin Réway |
| 2015 | Artturi Lehkonen |
| 2014 | Magnus Nygren |
| 2013 | Michaël Bournival |
| 2012 | Michaël Bournival |
| 2011 | Michaël Bournival |
| 2010 | Yannick Weber |
Strengths
Make no mistake about the strength of Beck’s game. He’s just a consistent player. He has been a coach’s dream wherever he has played, and there’s no reason to believe that won’t continue at the NHL level. When you have a player who is reliable and has offensive skill, you have an NHL player. He plays like a veteran even though he’s only 20 years old.
Despite playing on three teams over the last three seasons, Beck has fit in seamlessly at every stop. He can play with skilled players, and he can play a shutdown role. He just understands hockey and what he is asked to do at a high level, and you know what you are getting when he gets on the ice.
This was even more evident when he was a late injury replacement at the 2023 World Juniors. He joined the team mid-tournament and started as the 13th forward before quickly taking a regular shift by his third game. To earn a coach’s trust and find a role for yourself surrounded by other talented players is a true skill and one that makes it very easy to project success at the next level.
To put it simply: Beck helps teams win hockey games. From transition play, to defensive responsibility, to clutch goal-scoring, to faceoffs, he can do it all. It’s not a coincidence he finishes his Junior career with a Memorial Cup, an OHL championship, a World Junior gold, and two OHL All-Star Team appearances where two teams acquired him specifically to help them win. Oh, he was also MVP of the Memorial Cup.
You only have to watch the first 30 or so seconds of this highlight video to see why.
Weaknesses
By this point, you probably know where I’m going with this. The issue with Beck’s game and upside is simple: How much can he score? After all, while all championship teams need a player like Beck, it’s not exactly something that brings the most excitement when your role is to be on the third line.
The thing that turns Beck from a good prospect into a great one, and could drastically affect how you view him, is how much will he provide offensively. His offensive output improving over his OHL career shows you that there might be top-six upside in his game. If you think Beck will become a second-line centre, then you’re probably a lot more likely to consider him a top prospect and at the high range of the voting spectrum. If you think he tops out as a third-liner, then you’re likely to be closer to the lower end, even if you fully understand the importance of a player in that role.
At 6’0″, 190 pounds, Beck is not the biggest player, so even if he has all the tools there is the question of whether he has the physicality and strength to play the shutdown role at the next level. It’s not necessarily a weakness, but it’s something to monitor as he makes the transition to professional hockey.
Projection
Despite having an NHL game under his belt, Beck will be hard-pressed to make the team to start the season. Unless there are more roster moves or injuries, the centre position is likely too full for him to sneak into a spot. It would not surprise me, however, to see Beck take over the number-one centre spot in Laval while waiting for an NHL opening.
I’ve already mentioned why it will be easy for new Rocket head coach Pascal Vincent to lean on Beck. With Brandon Gignac, Lucas Condotta, Filip Mešar, and Laurent Dauphin the most likely competition, it probably won’t take long for Beck to have some power-play time, some penalty-kill time, and a chance to showcase what he can do offensively.
At the NHL level, he won’t likely be on a top power-play unit, but he does have a knack for scoring big goals when it matters most. Former general manager Marc Bergevin didn’t draft Beck, but his saying that there are some people who get you in the playoffs and some people who get you through seems right up Beck’s alley. In fact, that might even be underselling his offensive potential and what he brings over an 82-game season.
There’s enough skill in Beck’s game that it wouldn’t surprise me to see his offensive game improve when he’s surrounded by better players. His shot has improved considerably, and can be a legitimate added weapon to his toolbox.
The bottom line is, Owen Beck might only project to be a third-line centre on a good team, but he’s also slated to be the kind of third-line centre that most championship teams have.
Lauren Kelly from EP Rinkside joins the podcast to talk about Owen Beck. Lauren predicted alot the whole season last year, what does she think of the result?
2:15 – Owen Beck’s season.
6:30 – The WJC line up and loss in the quarters.
11:30 – Maturing as a player over the season.
12:30 – Untapped NHL offence?
13:45 – NHL or AHL next season?
16:55 – Commercial Break
17:00 – With Lauren Kelly’s insights OHL what can she tell us about Owen Protz?
