Montreal Canadiens’ Owen Beck will be counted on to provide leadership for Canada at world juniors

Credit: Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff

One minute, Owen Beck was enjoying his New Year’s Eve with some buddies just hours after playing against the Hamilton Bulldogs.

He watched Canada stomp Sweden 5-1 to close out the preliminary round of the 2023 World Junior Championship in Halifax, as were many others across the country.

And then, Colton Dach went down with a shoulder injury. Suddenly, everything changed.

The next morning, Beck – one of Canada’s last cuts from selection camp – was on the way to finish out the World Junior Championship.

“I got a phone call kind of out of the blue, and I was so surprised when I heard it was (Canadian GM) James Boyd,” Beck said with a smile, recounting the experience. “Not a ton of sleep that night, I had to get my stuff from the rink pretty late. Early flight the next morning.”

Four days later, he was wearing a gold medal around his neck.

Beck only played about 13 minutes in three games, but he was there. And with training camp opening up in Oakville, Ontario this week, no other players with previous tournament experience are on the roster. Beck is also one of four players with NHL experience, having been called up on an emergency basis against the Ottawa Senators on Jan. 28, less than a month after helping Canada win gold.

“It’s a unique experience (as a returning player,” Beck said. “It was an older group, a very NHL-ready group last year. So there’s a lot of turnover that comes from that. It’s definitely unique, but I’m really looking forward to this group.”

So, while he didn’t play the whole tournament, you can call Beck a veteran. And the team’s going to treat him like one, too.

“I think you rely on that (experience) a little bit,” said Canada coach Alan Letang. “I think you rely on the fact that he can talk about the intensity in the games, the importance of the little details in the game and we touched on that a little bit in our 1-on-1 meeting. I think he’ll be fine portraying that.”

Beck is currently in his fourth OHL season and his second with the Peterborough Petes. He’s on pace for a career-best 42 goals and 78 points, surpassing his previous best of 66 set last year between Mississauga and Peterborough. Those aren’t mindblowing numbers by any means, but his game goes well beyond offense.

Beck will likely end up in Canada’s bottom six, but that’s where he’s most valuable. A powerful skater, Beck is one of Canada’s best puck distributors and knows something about putting pucks past goaltenders. He’s defensively responsible, he’s a strong skater, and he’s willing to mix it up, too. Beck specifically said his skating and physical play have improved over the past year, and those were already strong points in the minds of scouts beforehand. So that’s saying something.

“He’s an all-around threat,” a scout said. “Beck will never blow you away with flashy moves, but that’s not his game. He’s the type of guy coaches can rely on as a two-way forward, and he was one of the best in his draft class in that regard.”

The Canadiens took Beck with the first pick in the second round in 2022, 32 picks after taking Juraj Slafkovsky first overall. Beck has emerged as one of Montreal’s best prospects quite quickly, but the 2024 World Junior Championship in Sweden might be what really showcases the 19-year-old’s potential to the average fan.

Beck is humble, saying his focus is on just making Canada. But he’s a lock, with the potential to be named to Canada’s leadership team. Even if it was just a few games, Beck’s experience last year could prove valuable, with the pressure of winning at this tournament off the charts compared to anything almost anyone on this team has ever experienced. Mix in Beck’s exposure to the NHL, and you’ve got someone his teammates can lean on for advice – even at a young age.

Canada isn’t the favorite to win gold, but they’re definitely in the medal conversation with the United States and Sweden, among others. With no clear superstar player like Connor Bedard last year, it’ll be more about coming together by committee.

His effort might not always show up on the scoresheet. But if Canada is going to win gold for a third straight year, expect Beck to be a significant reason why.

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Montreal Canadiens’ Owen Beck will be counted on to provide leadership for Canada at world juniors

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