NHL Hall of Famer sounds off on Juraj Slafkovský
From one Slovakian native to another.
The Montreal Canadiens were able to get one particular silver lining out of their miserable 2021-22 regular season that saw them fire head coach Dominique Ducharme and general manager Marc Bergevin, earning the 1st overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft.
However, they legitimately surprised many when they elected not to take Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL forward Shane Wright with the 1st pick, the player that was widely regarded as the consensus 1st overall selection. Instead, they went with Slovak winger Juraj Slafkovský from HC TPS of the SM-liiga. He also represented his native Slovakia during the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and the 2021 IIHF World Championship.
He also recently earned Hockey Slovakia Player of the Year on Thursday at a ceremony in Bratislava. Needless to say, the Habs are hoping that he will play a key role in their hoped ascent from the NHL's basement.
He's also caught the attention of his fellow Slovakian Marian Hossa, who played 1,309 NHL games and winning three Stanley Cup championships while a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. Hossa believes that Slafkovský will make the jump immediately to the NHL and immediately begin helping the Habs:
"The first overall picks usually go straight to the NHL. I'd be surprised if that wasn't the case with Juraj," Hossa told the Sport.sk reporter. I think they'll be patient with him, but I'd be concerned if he didn't make the roster right away. In my opinion, he is ready to play with the best players in the world. As the season goes on, he will learn and improve. I don't see any problems in his game. I think he's going to adapt right away to the NHL."
How will Slafkovský's career in North America begin?
