Juraj Slafkovsky’s best version finally showed up last season, and the Canadiens got a real glimpse of what their former first-overall pick can do when everything clicks.
The big Slovak winger crossed two major thresholds for the first time in his young career, finishing with 30 goals and 43 assists for 73 points. But the numbers only tell part of the story. What stood out most was how Slafkovsky started to define himself on the ice.
A few stretches alongside Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov helped him see that he can drive play on his own instead of simply filling space next to Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. He began using his speed to hunt pucks, throw his weight around on retrievals and make life miserable in front of the net.
At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, he can clog a goalie’s sightlines, bang bodies with the defence and stay planted around the crease long enough to cash in on rebounds. That’s where his scoring took off.
There’s still a warning label attached, though. Slafkovsky has to keep his head up and avoid getting too caught up in admiring his own game.
His fight with Brandon Hagel was a clear example of what Montreal does not need from him. Hagel challenged him, Slafkovsky answered, and he wound up taking a haymaker that dropped him to the ice.
That kind of impact isn’t the one the Canadiens are looking for.
Consistency remains the real test. Last season brought another slow start, and it took him time to find his rhythm. The expectation now is for a stronger opening, especially with a chance to rebound from underwhelming playoffs.
For now, unless Montreal adds outside help before the season begins, Slafkovsky should still be on Suzuki’s and Caufield’s wing. The difference is that he now looks like a player who understands how dangerous he can be when he leans into his own strengths instead of trying to mirror what Caufield or Demidov do. That opens the door to new career highs in both goals and points for the Canadiens’ big winger.
In Other News...
Canadiens Blue Line Logjam Just Cost Them Another Young Defenseman
The Canadiens defensive depth has become one of the more persistent talking points around the organization, and William Trudeaus latest move is another sign of how crowded that lane has become. After several seasons with the Laval Rocket and only limited NHL opportunities in Montreal, the former Canadiens defenseman has moved on to the New York Rangers organization, where he sees a clearer path to the league.
Trudeau said the depth chart in Montreal was part of the equation, even as he spoke respectfully about his time with both the Canadiens and Laval. For a young blue-liner trying to turn steady development into an NHL look, the appeal of a fresh start is obvious, and his departure adds one more name to the list of prospects who found the road blocked before it ever really opened. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Big Bolduc Decision Next To Suzuki And Caufield
Zachary Bolducs first season with the Canadiens offered both encouragement and frustration, which is usually how these things go when a player is trying to establish himself in Montreal. Acquired from the St. Louis Blues, he opened fast enough to make people notice, then settled into a more uneven stretch as the year wore on, with his production cooling off and his role shrinking at times.
Still, Bolducs playoff play gave the Canadiens something to think about going into next season, especially with the possibility of him being asked to skate in a far more prominent spot alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. For a team looking to sort out the best version of its top end, his progress in the spring matters almost as much as the uneven regular season that came before it. [Read more 🡒]
Kent Hughes May Be Ending The Canadiens Quiet Summer Soon
The Canadiens have spent much of late summer in a holding pattern, but that quiet stretch may be nearing an end. Montreal is expected to make at least one official announcement soon, and the buzz around the team has centered on Kent Hughes possibly closing the book on a relatively uneventful offseason with a late move or roster update.
The exact nature of the news remains unclear, with no confirmations yet from the club. Still, sources indicate something could break early in the week, giving Canadiens fans a fresh point of attention before the calendar turns fully toward the next phase of team business. [Read more 🡒]