On July 7th, 2022, the Montreal Canadiens were in a rare spot for the franchise. They owned the first overall pick in the NHL Draft a year after reaching the Stanley Cup Final. This was also the first draft selection of the Kent Hughes, Martin St. Louis era. Not only did the Habs have the pressure of picking first overall with a whole new regime, but the draft was also being held in Montreal for the first time since 2009.
The Canadiens had to get this pick right and were expected to select forward Shane Wright who had been penciled in as the number one pick in the 2022 class ever since gaining exceptional status to enter the OHL at 15 years of age.
Instead of going with the "safe" option, GM Kent Hughes and his staff decided to shock the hockey world by picking big-bodied Slovak winger Juraj Slafkovsky.
After a disastrous rookie season in the 2022-23 season that was cut short due to a shoulder injury where he recorded 4 goals and 6 assists in 39 games.
Slafkovsky over the second half of his sophomore season has taken his game to a whole another level where he has arguably been the best or second-best forward on the team behind captain Nick Suzuki. And even though he has enjoyed much more success this season, it has not been all smooth sailing for the 20-year-old winger.
Slafkovsky started the season with 4 goals, and 9 assists for a total of 13 points from October through December. But, 2024 is when it all started to flip for Slafkovsky. Since the calendar turned in January, he has scored 11 goals and added 18 assists for 29 points which puts his season totals up to 42 points in 74 games played. Including a period in March where had the longest point streak of his career by finding his name on the score sheet in 8 straight games.
He has also shown the ability to use his 6'3, 230-pound frame to create more space and absorb more contact, where he can be the physical player Montreal envisioned him to be on a line with Nick Suzuki and sniper Cole Caufield.
Has he been the best player from this draft class? No, that award likely goes to Arizona Coyotes forward Logan Cooley, but Cooley was never really in the discussion to be the first overall pick when the Canadiens won the #1 pick in 2022.
Because of his strong play and going into the offseason, Slafkovsky has put him into a position where he has leverage over Habs management. Does Montreal want to pay him now based on potential, which could lead to his number being a team-friendly deal if his play improves? Or does Slafkovsky bet on himself and try to earn an even bigger payday in the summer of 2025?
Either way, Kent Hughes and Martin St. Louis have to be happy with the strides Slafkovsky has made in 2024, and it appears they made the correct decision at the top of the 2022 draft.
By: Aaron Silcoff
Comments