Montreal Canadiens : Juraj Slafkovský, futur superstar

Juraj Slafkovský has been progressing game after game in front of our eyes. The first obstacles he encountered when he came to North American ices are behind him, and we can now turn to the next stages of his brilliant progress for the next nine seasons.

Juraj Slafkovský was chosen first overall by the Montreal Canadiens on July 7, 2022, and has since received significant attention in Montreal, as would any first-round pick in Montreal. After all, he is one of the key parts of the team's rebuild, and his selection was one of the first major decisions under Kent Hughes management. 

Given his current status and the anticipated role in a future Stanley Cup contending team, Slafkovský faces high expectations for his development. His remarkable progression since his draft has left both the Habs management and the passionate Montreal Canadiens fans yearning for more.

Indeed, since his first season, Slafkovský has had high expectations placed on him by both the Habs leaders and the Montreal Canadiens supporters. We wanted to see him acclimate to North American ice while starting to score points. 

For some, these expectations were right: he was a first overall pick ahead of Shane Wright, Logan Cooley, or Simon Nemec. For others, the expectations were too high; after all, he was only 18, and players of his size typically take time to showcase all their abilities. 

Ultimately, at the age of 18, Juraj Slafkovský 's first season did not meet expectations due to challenges adapting to the pace and physicality of the NHL. In the 39 games he played before seeing a lower body injury cut his season short, the young Slovak scored 10 total points. However, most of his draft class played in the juniors or AHL, leaving him the only NHL regular.

It wasn't these statistics that made the first season of Slaf disappointing. It was rather because of his game that he was struggling to stay steady on his skates, struggling to protect himself from hits, and struggling to be effective in the offensive zone or in transition. 

Basically, the game was going way too quickly for him. While his acclimatization was not flawless, it's important to acknowledge that playing only 12 minutes per game and occupying an ineffective third line for the Habs did not provide him with optimal conditions. 

The results were therefore not radiant at the end of the 2022–2023 season, but the hopes of the organization towards their young player did not diminish, and Juraj had returned for another round in September 2023, having benefited from a full summer after healing his injury. The rookie year is in the mirror, except for the acquired experience, of course.

The story of this past season? You probably already know it. With his impressive stature of 6 feet 3 and 238 pounds, the 19-year-old Juraj also had a poor start to the season, both on the scoreboard and during the visual test. `

The young man still seemed a little lost in the big league; he didn't seem to be quite in his place yet, and even though he showed flashes in his game of what he could do, the opinion in the media and among the fans at that time was quite clear: it was necessary to send Slafkovský down to Laval to refine his game a little more.

According to several sources, Slaf should have been relegated to Laval after about a dozen games similar to his rookie season, but Martin St-Louis, his coach, did not want to hear it.

He seems to have insisted on keeping him with the big club, and he was quite right, because since November, Slafkovský has transformed himself before our eyes and has gone through several stages of his development already. 

Slaf changed greatly in November and the first half of December, but statistics don't show it. In 18 games between November 7 and December 13, Slafkovský scored 5 points, but his impact in the game was quite different. Slaf had transformed himself through puck protection, use of his build, relentless forechecking, play creation, hockey IQ, and passion.

This brilliant progress coincided well with several things, including his first-line positioning with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, but also the increase in his level of play. Slafkovský exemplified this version of himself in his December 9, 2023, game against the Buffalo Sabres. Despite not scoring any points, he left his mark, particularly in the shoutout, where he secured the Habs' victory with a superb move.

Since this match, it's been the opposite; the points have been following Slaf since mid-December. In the last 55 games of the season, Juraj has accumulated 18 goals and 25 passes for 43 points, for a production rate of 64 points over 82 games. He also scored 35 points in his last 40 games, for a 72-point average out of 82. 

He also maintained, on two occasions, a series of eight consecutive games with at least one point scored. The sample of Juraj's performance data is now large and consistent enough to prove that Slaf has reached the next stage in his career. 

He is now an impact player who complements Suzuki and Caufield very well, and they have also benefited from Slafkovský's progress to play better.

Given the Slovak's resume thus far, it makes sense that his advancement has given hope to many CH fans who were dissatisfied with his first season and had already drawn hasty conclusions. That is very clear. 

The Slovakian is on the right track. He effectively utilizes his size, speed, puck-handling skills, and vision to win battles, create scoring chances for teammates, and maintain a strong defensive presence. 

He has also become a major piece of Montreal's powerplay, as well as an important piece of Caufield and Suzuki's game, with whom he appears to have developed a real alchemy.

A key challenge for Slaf to conquer next is refining his shooting, whether it's his wrist shot or his one-timer, to elevate his game. As of today, Juraj is a pass-first player, and we cannot blame him; he is a talented passer, and he plays with Caufield and Suzuki, two players who are able to put it in. 

Having said that, he must take the initiative much more often to shoot as the first intention; he needs to look less for Caufield and Suzuki and rather try to put the puck himself in the back of the net. 

I don't think it's all about confidence; we've seen him throw real lasers in recent months, but rather go against his own desire to pass first or find the perfect play. Then the second point for his development lies in his play-creation for himself and how much he can be an impact player with the puck, no matter who he plays with. 

We should therefore see him take more initiative with the puck in zone entry or transition, even if it leads to a few more turnovers. After all, if he can become the Habs' next superstar capable of changing a game alone with a beautiful action, the Montreal Canadiens reconstruction will take a new step forward.

Finally, the last point coincides with the first two and relates primarily to the this season and Kirby Dach's return to the formation. I'd love to see him grow and stay productive with other talented players like Dach or Newhook. 

The lofty goal is to play well with Dvorak and Anderson and improve their game, which has been muddied but I'm asking for miracles. I'm just hoping that he can be the main playdriver, creating chances, and be a prolific scorer. 

In the end, the next step for Juraj Slafkovský, will simply be to progress and have effective and consistent scoring. In fact, this season will subject him to closer scrutiny and new challenges. Stagnation would be a disappointment for both him and the CH, even though it wouldn't be catastrophic.

Furthermore, the 8-year contract extension worth $60.8 million, which will bind him to Montreal for the next 9 years, serves as strong evidence of Montreal's confidence in Slaf. This move is a strategic investment for the club, with the potential for Slaf to follow a trajectory similar to Mikko Rantanen, who became a superstar in his third year of North American professional hockey. 

Slaf also unambiguously demonstrates his desire to continue playing in Montreal by signing this long-term contract. He signed for less than Suzuki and Caufield, and he didn't take a bridge deal, as many expected. 

He wants to win, and he wants to do that in Montreal. I believe this will be a fantastic result for everyone.

Nevertheless, I am quite convinced that Slafkovský will succeed in achieving all the following points in the coming months, especially at the beginning of the season. His ultimate goal is to shatter all the barriers and expectations placed upon him by fans, the media, and the Montreal Canadiens organization. 

The goal is to see Slaf become, in the next few years, a dominant player, able to drive his own line, able to be the leader of the orchestra, and all this by being a regular scorer of 80 points and more in the league. 

He has already conquered the hearts of Montreal fans; he has already closed a lot of mouths this season in Quebec; it is now time to close more lips around the league...