Owen Beck – 2022 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

by

Owen Beck

2021-22 Team: Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
Date of Birth: Feb.30, 2004
Place of Birth: Port Hope, ON, CAN
Ht: 6-feet Wt: 190 pounds
Shoots: R
Position: C
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2022 first-year eligible

Rankings

Many players in the Ontario Hockey League didn’t benefit from any play time in 2020-21 as it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Drafted in the second round of the OHL Priority Selection Draft by the Mississauga Steelheads in 2020, Owen Beck was one of the players, who didn’t see any action. 

Related: THW 2022 NHL Draft Guide

For OHL players that are up for the 2022 draft, there was a sense that it might be difficult to get a read on players in that league due to minimal play time and ability to scout. However, that notion seems to be out the window in regards for some players, including Beck. He’s formed a solid tandem up the middle with fellow teammate and 2022 eligible prospect, Luca Del Bel Belluz.

Beck is a smart and agile two-way centreman with a high-end offensive skillset. He thinks the game at a very high pace and is able to make decisions in a split second. He plays with a high compete level and he’s always one or two steps ahead of the competition as to what his next decision will be. This alone is his biggest strength, being able to outsmart his opponent and be deceptive with his choices. He makes great reads on every play as he’s able to catch them off-guard with his patterns, hands and pace of play as he’s always in control of a situation.

Owen Beck Mississauga Steelheads
Owen Beck, Mississauga Steelheads (Robert Lefebvre/OHL Images)

Beck is a very strong skater, as he has great movements, speed and agility. He’s able to generate a lot of speed through the neutral zone and has great edgework to weave through traffic, which allows him to make sharp turns and avoid any pressure. He’s great at breaking through a defensive setup to enter the zone quickly and effectively and is tough to contain when he’s leading an attack in transition. 

Beck has very strong hands, being extremely creative and shifty. He does a great job at maintaining control of the puck when he’s driving in transition, cycling on the attack or weaving his way through traffic. He has the ability to fool his opponents with his stick handling as he always attacks with force, driving them to push back. This plays into his wheel house to set up his teammates as he’s able to open the game up extremely well and make pin point passes.

He does possess a good shot and release, but he could work on his decision making when shooting. He does a great job to open himself to receive a pass and get into the shooting lanes, especially when he acts as the trailer. While he ranks in the top-15 among OHL rookies in goals with 18, I feel that there are times where he can pass up a shooting opportunity in order to make a play. He still remains a versatile threat as a shooter and passer, but he could be just a tad bit more selfish.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Owen Beck- NHL Draft Projection

Despite not seeing consistent play time last season, Beck has made his mark as a top prospect for the 2022 NHL draft this season with his consistency and production on the Steelheads. Where he may land on draft day is anyone’s guess as he can go anywhere from the 20’s to being a mid-second round selection based on the draft rankings. It wouldn’t be a shock to see him push and make his way into the first-round if he continues to display the strength and skillset that he has. 

Quotables

“He is like a Swiss army knife. He can play (and excel) in all situations and has an extremely well-rounded skill set. This includes being one of the draft’s most dynamic skaters. Beck’s ability to create separation with his feet makes him extremely dangerous in transition, however he shows an ability to make sound decisions and skilled plays at full speed, a trait that not all draft eligible speedsters exhibit.”– Brock Otten, McKeen’s Hockey

“In the offensive zone, he takes intelligent routes when hunting space and has a tendency to stay inside checks to increase the likelihood of receiving a pass. Beck is a technically sound skater who employs good posture and clean crossovers to generate speed in transition. If opposing defenders don’t respect his speed, he has the hands to play pucks through or around them and the ability to do so with pace.”– Nick Richard, Dobber Prospects

“I think the most underrated part of his game is his puck skill. He’s able to manipulate defenders with his speed and lateral mobility, and is able to get around defenders both in tight area situations and when given a soft cushion by a defender.  His ability to get around defenders with toe-drags, putting pucks underneath sticks, or between legs and continuing to move play to dangerous areas of the ice is impressive for a draft eligible player.”– Austin Garrett, SMAHT Scouting

Strengths 

  • Strong two-way game
  • Hockey IQ
  • Work ethic and compete
  • Skating and edgework
  • Hands and puck handling

Under Construction- Improvements to Make

  • Work on strength
  • Shot selection and decision making

NHL Potential

Beck has the capabilities to be a very strong and impactful centreman at the NHL level. He projects, at best, to be a second line centre with the ability to be on the power play and penalty kill. If he continues to improve on his offensive production, he will definitely hit his potential as he has a lot of promise as a well-rounded centreman.

Risk- Reward Analysis

Risk- 2/5, Reward 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense- 6.5/10, Defense 7.5/10

Awards/ Achievements

Beck was named OHL Rookie of the Month for November after posting 11 points in 11 games. 

Owen Beck Statistics

Videos