When the Canadiens stepped up to the podium with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, GM Kent Hughes made it clear: this wasn’t just about who looked best at 18. It was about projecting who could become a franchise cornerstone by 22, 23, or 24. Fast forward to now, and it’s looking more and more like they nailed it with Juraj Slafkovsky.
Montreal had three big names on the board: Shane Wright, Logan Cooley, and Slafkovsky. Wright was the top-ranked North American skater, Cooley was right behind him, and Slafkovsky led the international class. The debate was fierce, but the Canadiens went with the 6-foot-3 Slovakian winger, betting on long-term upside over immediate polish.
That bet is starting to pay off.
Slafkovsky’s first few years in the NHL weren’t without growing pains. Adjusting to the speed, physicality, and consistency of the league takes time, especially for a teenager jumping straight into the deep end. But now, at 21, he’s starting to look like the player Montreal envisioned-one who can drive offense, play with power, and make those around him better.
Heading into Thursday night’s matchup against the Sabres at the Bell Centre, Slafkovsky had already posted 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 points in 50 games. But the real story is what’s happened since he found chemistry on a line with rookies Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov.
In just 21 games together, Slafkovsky has racked up 10 goals and 14 assists-24 points. That’s not just a hot streak; that’s a player coming into his own.
Projected over the full season, he’s on pace for 31 goals and 66 points-numbers that would blow past his previous career highs of 20 goals and 50 points. And he’s doing it with a blend of size, skill, and vision that’s tough to defend. At 6’3” and 225 pounds, Slafkovsky isn’t just imposing-he’s learning how to use that frame to dominate.
Through 250 career games, he’s accumulated 61 goals and 90 assists for 151 points. That’s a solid foundation, especially when you stack it up against the other top picks from his draft class.
Shane Wright, who went fourth overall to Seattle, has 7 goals and 10 assists in 49 games this season, and 68 points over 144 career games. Logan Cooley, taken third by Arizona (now the Utah Mammoth), had 14 goals and 9 assists in 29 games this season before suffering a lower-body injury in early December. Cooley’s career numbers-59 goals, 73 assists, 152 points in 186 games-are impressive, but he’s currently sidelined until after the Olympic break.
The Canadiens have taken the long view with their rebuild, and Slafkovsky is starting to validate that patience. His development hasn’t been linear, but that’s often the case with young power forwards. What’s important is the trajectory-and right now, his arrow is pointing straight up.
Montreal didn’t just draft for today-they drafted for who a player could become. And with Slafkovsky, they might just have found the centerpiece they were looking for.