Owen Beck: The Calm After the Storm

PETERBOROUGH | There are small pubs, restaurants and photos of the Petes players on George Street. In this city of 80,000 inhabitants northeast of Toronto, Scotty Bowman, Jacques Martin, Bob Gainey, Steve Yzerman, Mike Ricci and Chris Pronger have in turn built their legends.

A good hope of the Canadian now wears the colors of the Petes. Traded from the Mississauga Steelheads on January 7, Owen Beck will seek in his own way to follow in the footsteps of the other greats of this organization. But it is still far from this reputation.

The heart of this city remains the Peterborough Memorial Centre, an old arena built in 1956 which can hold 4,300 people. This is where the Granby Predators won the Memorial Cup in 1996. Inside the building, it breathes hockey. And there is also the smell that comes with it. In this imperfection, we are not far from perfection.

“You have to look at the corners, they’re almost square,” warned an NHL scout. The puck can jump all over the place. »

Madness

On Thursday, February 16, the Petes host the Ottawa 67’s for a clash between the top two teams in the Ontario Junior League East Division. Three hours before the match, Beck climbs into the press room to meet the author of these lines.

The 2nd round choice of CH (33rd overall) took a breather to offer a summary of the last months of his life as a hockey player.

“The best way to describe my last six or seven months is in one word: amazing. I did not expect to realize so many dreams in such a short time. I still don’t fully understand. It’s just crazy. I can say quite humbly that I had an eventful year! »

“I will need a step back to understand everything that happened. It will probably hit me a little harder this summer. I got fished out; I participated in a first camp in the NHL; I won the gold medal with Team Canada; I played my first game in the NHL; and I now play for my boyhood team in Peterborough. »

In his list, he forgot his excellent rookie tournament in Buffalo with the CH, his dismissal from the Canadian team at the start and his emergency call-up a few days later to replace Colton Dach who was injured.

Dinner in Ottawa

Of the last seven months, Beck will not forget the date of January 28. With many injured and the Laval Rocket traveling to Cleveland, the Habs issued an SOS to him for a rare emergency recall. At 18, he played his first big league game in a 5-0 loss to the Senators.

“I loved the experience,” he replied. The Canadian had so much class with me. The day before the game, Nick Suzuki invited me to dinner in Ottawa. I shared a meal with Suzuki, Hoffman, Wideman, Allen, Dvorak and Anderson. I found myself at the table with half a dozen NHL players. »

“The next day I went to morning practice, I did an NHL player’s routine. The CH had made me a nice surprise by placing the pucks in a way where you could read my last name for the warm-up period. They welcomed me with open arms. I did my rookie lap without my helmet. Despite the end result, it was truly an awesome day. »

A message from St. Louis

Beck picked up the pace for a player breaking the ice in a new league.

“I didn’t feel too far from the NHL,” he replied. I played just under ten minutes, had two chances and did pretty well defensively. Overall I was happy. My style of play fit well with that of the NHL. It’s not unattainable for me. »

Sent back to his junior team the next day, he received a message from Martin St-Louis.

“Martin texted me the next day telling me I could be proud of myself. He reminded me that I hadn’t had much time to mentally prepare myself and that I had to discover a new system in less than 24 hours. He told me that I had assimilated the essentials quickly to know a good meeting. »

Simple words, but words that still resonate in his head almost a month later.

“Owen is very smart”

• Petes head coach Rob Wilson predicts bright NHL future for 18-year-old

PETERBOROUGH | Owen Beck is always described as a smart center. He has this quality on the ice, but also at school. Last year, he won the student player of the year trophy in the Canadian Hockey League.

“If I wasn’t playing hockey, I would have wanted to be a doctor,” Beck said in an interview with Log. There is no doctor in my family, so I would have liked to be the first. We never know. But for now, my focus is on hockey. »

Beck took a break from school this year, but plans to enroll in classes probably in the summer. When he was younger, he also studied French immersion from kindergarten to sixth grade. He did the interview in English since he has largely lost his French, but once he settles in Montreal, he is hopeful of making up for lost time.

Like Nick Bobrov, Martin Lapointe, Kent Hughes or Martin St-Louis, Rob Wilson lists intelligence as his player’s first quality with the Peterborough Petes.

“Owen is very smart,” Wilson said. He is also a very good young man, really respectful. He has the respect of his teammates and coaches. He is a player who is dedicated to his team. »

“On the ice, he’s dogged, he’s strong in the face-off circle, he’s a good skater and he’s not afraid to rub his nose in hot places. He reads the game well with or without the puck. He will still grow as a player. He really has great potential because of his toolbox, but especially his intelligence and his vision of the game. I imagine him as a very responsible center at the NHL level. »

Inspired by Bergeron and Danault

In 46 games this season in the OHL, Beck has had 52 points (20 goals, 30 assists). But he is not talked about because of his personal figures.

“I take great pride in playing the right way on the ice,” Petes No. 16 said. I pay attention to details. I always wanted to become a complete center. I had the same mentality in Midget AAA. I often got the role of the second center who took care of several face-offs in defensive territory. I devote a lot of energy to my game in my territory. »

“I look at Phillip Danault, Bo Horvat or Patrice Bergeron. They’re never the most attacking guys on their team, but they have great value. I don’t watch footage of them, I prefer to watch matches. You don’t realize the importance of a Bergeron or Danault just by following highlights. You have to follow a game to see how they play in their territory, how they deal with transition and how they win face-offs.”

An ambitious goal, but above all not impossible

PETERBOROUGH | Owen Beck said so when he returned from the Junior World Championships where he won gold with Canada. For next season, he imagines himself in the uniform of the Montreal Canadiens.

“Yeah, I still believe it,” Beck replied. I still need to develop as a hockey player, but I don’t think that goal of playing in the NHL next year is unattainable. It’s my goal. I’ll see if I can do it, but it’s clearly in my head. »

Aged 19 since February 3, Beck could return to the Peterborough Petes, a team a 30-minute drive from Port Hope, his hometown in Ontario.

Rob Wilson, the head coach of the Petes, did not dare to venture into this terrain.

“I have no idea of ​​the Canadian’s plans for next year,” replied the 54-year-old. If Owen wins a job in Montreal next fall, the entire Petes organization will rejoice for him. But if Owen returns to Peterborough, the entire Petes organization will be happy. We will encourage it. »

“Owen is still a young player,” he continued. He will play his 19-year-old season next year. I can’t predict where he will play next season, but I can get wet thinking that the Canadian will watch him very carefully at the next camp. He has a very bright future. Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes won’t want to shake things up with him. They’ll let him into the NHL when they feel he’s ready. And it could be next year. »

A slowdown

Since arriving in Peterborough, Beck has amassed 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists) in 16 games. He is not riding at the same pace as with his former team in Mississauga (41 points in 30 games).

“Yes, it’s a bit slower for me offensively,” he admitted. I needed time to learn the new system and adapt to new teammates. »