Catching up with… Owen Protz

MONTREAL – Forget skill for a moment — if teams drafted for character, Owen Protz would be a lottery pick.

Conversation comes naturally to the Canadiens prospect, whose old-school charm is matched by a colossal frame that anchors the Brantford Bulldogs’ blue line in the Ontario Hockey League.

He’ll shake your hand and look you in the eye — but blink, and you might find yourself on the wrong end of a hip check.

The Canadiens content team caught up with the Habs’ 2024 fourth-round pick to talk Laval Rocket, development, and what makes him one of the most refreshing personalities in the pipeline.

Please note questions and answers have been modified for clarity and conciseness.

You joined the Laval Rocket at the end of this season. What did you learn about being in that environment for the few weeks you were there?

It was probably one of the best experiences I've had so far with hockey. The speed and the maturity of all the players really helped me out, just to see what an AHL team is like in the playoffs. I know they lost to Charlotte, but they did an absolutely fantastic job against all the other teams, so it was pretty awesome to be there.

You played with Florian Xhekaj in Brantford a couple of seasons ago. Were you able to catch up with him and what pieces of advice did he share with you?

Yeah, absolutely, I got to catch up with him. I got to know and talk to everybody on the team. Everyone was so amazing and so welcoming. He kind of just said: You’re here now, but don't stop. It never really stops. Put your head down, keep working and eventually you'll make it here [permanently].

What do you think you’ve learned about yourself in the last year or so, since you were drafted?

To be honest, I think I’ve fallen in love with the game even more since being drafted, and it reignited a spark that makes me want to play hockey even more. Of course, playing was always a big part, but being drafted by Montreal — a team that a lot of my family and a lot of my friends have close connections to and are fans of — it’s an unbelievable situation and a proud moment to know that I could play for them one day.

Physicality is seemingly your bread and butter, but obviously offense is a big part of the modern game. Where do you feel your offensive game stands right now?

Honestly, I think it's getting better; it's improved. I’m not going to say it’s all I’m working on, but it's a big part of what I was working on in Laval — that puck moving mindset and getting ready for that first pass or playing in the offensive zone. Same with getting on the ice in the summer; it's the main focus of what I've been working on. So, I’m really excited to see what happens at development camp coming in July.

You played other sports like volleyball, rugby and football growing up. What did each of those sports teach you that you bring to the ice today?

Vision on the ice: knowing where everything is and seeing what’s happening. The athleticism that comes with it has always been such a big part, too. I love playing every sport, no matter what. It's always been a fun activity for me. I think everything translates to the ice. Well, clearly not offensive ability [laughs] but we’re getting there. But yeah, I would say athleticism and vision.

You mentioned last year in your media availability at development camp that you would watch VCR tapes of old hockey highlights and listen to old-school rock music on CDs. Do you feel like an “old soul” in the modern day, and if so, where does that come from?

I've been called an old soul a lot of times, and I'm not sure to take it as a compliment or not anymore. [laughs] Up at my cottage, that's all we had. We didn’t have Wi-Fi or anything to watch Netflix or anything like that. So, it was VCRs, really: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chambers of Secrets, and Rock’ em Sock’ em Hockey. Those were the movies that I kind of just binged and watched the whole time. So, I think it sprouted from that.

When we reached out for this interview, you mentioned you needed to cut your neighbor’s lawn. That isn’t a typical day for most NHL prospects, so what keeps you grounded like that?

My dad, I guess. I've always cut my neighbor's lawn though. Even through moving, it switched from my old neighbors to the ones I have now. It's kind of just something to do. I get a little bit of money, so it doesn’t hurt too bad. And it's good to get out. You don't always want to stay in a room and stick with hockey. You want to take your mind off of it, and it never hurts to do something for someone else as well.

What does a perfect off-day look like for you when you’re not training or playing hockey?

Hopefully I'll get one this weekend coming up. [laughs] Either going up to my cottage or my buddies' cottages, getting to do some fishing and being around guys that I know that I’ll have a great time with. I still have the same friend group growing up since grade seven. We all try to stick together, and I love those boys. So, yeah, just being outdoors and having a great time.