Beck striving to build on NHL debut, stick with Canadiens

BROSSARD, Quebec -- Now that he has had an opportunity to play in an NHL game, Owen Beck is even more driven to make it back to the Montreal Canadiens.

Selected by the Canadiens in the second round (No. 33) of the 2022 NHL Draft, the center made his League debut with 9:48 of ice time in a 5-0 loss at the Ottawa Senators on Jan. 28 after being recalled on an emergency basis from Peterborough of the Ontario Hockey League, one week prior to his 19th birthday.

"It's something that I tried to draw from every day I went to the rink," Beck said during Montreal development camp last month. "I have my sights set on the NHL, obviously, and I kind of know what it takes to get there now. So I want to push myself every day to get to that level as soon as possible."

Beck won a gold medal playing for Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, had a combined 66 points (24 goals, 42 assists) in 60 regular-season OHL games for Peterborough and Mississauga, then had 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 22 playoff games to help Peterborough advance to the Memorial Cup.

"Whenever you get a taste like that, and you get to see where the NHL guys are, you get a little self-evaluation of where you need to be," Canadiens director of player development Rob Ramage said. "So he's hungry. He's going to push at (training) camp, for sure."

Taking part in his second development camp, Beck was happy to have the opportunity to reconnect with Montreal coach Martin St. Louis.

"He definitely knows what it takes to get there, and he's more than happy to work with all the players and get them to where they need to be," Beck said of St. Louis. "It's been awesome so far, just that he takes the time to come and talk to the guys at development camp, and see how we're doing and give us some advice on what it takes, and how he managed to scratch and claw his way to the NHL."

Though he's ambitious, Beck is also realistic about his short-term goals. The Canadiens have substantial depth at center with Nick Suzuki, Kirby Dach, Sean Monahan, Christian Dvorak, Jake Evans and Alex Newhook on the roster.

"Trying to make this team as a 19-year-old is no easy challenge and that is something that I want to strive for," Beck said. "If not, it's getting there the following year, and having another successful year in junior and working to get there next season."

Moving forward, Beck said the message he got from Montreal is "trust your identity."

"They want to see me keep playing the same way I have," he said, "and use what has gotten me to this point in order to get to that next step. They just say, 'Keep building on your game, don't change it. Just keeping adding to it, and it will come.'"

Ramage has no doubt about that.

"He's a coach's dream," Ramage said. "He's a leader, very, very serious, conscientious. You know, this guy's going to play."