Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck enjoyed a storybook ending to his Canadian Hockey League (CHL) career. Not only did he win a Memorial Cup alongside the Saginaw Spirit, he was also named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player , one of the most difficult achievements in hockey. It’s an honour he now shares with current and former NHL stars, including Leon Draisaitl, Corey Perry, Nathan MacKinnon, Mitch Marner, Scott Niedermayer, and Alexander Radulov, among others.
Winning the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as the tournament’s MVP isn’t something he necessarily anticipated when he started playing in the Ontario Hockey League, and though he recognizes it’s a fantastic honour that he will be able to reference for the rest of his life, Beck points to the first championship in Saginaw Spirit franchise history as the greatest accomplishment this season. You’ll note this is a common occurrence when discussing achievements with Owen Beck. He tends to push the conversation toward team success rather than individual accolades.
“It was great. Especially a Memorial Cup championship, since it’s the hardest trophy to win in Junior hockey,” said Beck. “We know we earned our right to be there, and management did a great job putting together that team.
We were so amped up with the community supporting us, it was a special moment. Everyone on that team can look back in 20 or 30 years and know we were a part of a special run.” To deliver the first championship in Sagi.