Juraj Slafkovsky is one of the most polarizing players, while being a bit of a question mark at the same time. He is infamous for cold streaks, and his hot streaks tend to come more in the final 41 games of the season.
Before he was drafted, general manager Kent Hughes and Canadiens VP of Hockey Operations Jeff Gorton did thorough research on Slafkovsky, and his scoring potential and raw athletic traits were too good to pass up.
The Canadiens' two roster builders were counting on Slafkovsky developing into a power forward who can score 65-75 points while maintaining a strong two-way presence. To this point, his 51 points in 2024-25 are a career-best.
With the Olympics on the horizon, many are questioning whether the Canadiens will regress in 2025-26 or start a streak with consecutive Stanley Cup playoff berths. The Canadiens are a motivated group, and Slafkovsky's play has the potential to add 10 or 15 goals to the team's overall goal output next season.
How Slafkovsky and the top line start will set a standard for the Canadiens' season. In the same way, if they struggle out of the gate, some of the second-level, support scoring will have to come through, which should only bring the group together even more.
The pressure is going to be there, and the top line has always embraced that, but having Slafkovsky realize his potential and perform through the season with consistency should make a dramatic impact on the Canadiens' offensive output, and especially production on the power play.
Slovakia has already leaned on Slafkovsky on the international stage, so all signs point to that fact carrying over to Italy 2026, as the talent pool is rather lacking in recent years. A perfect opportunity to shoulder some heavy responsibilities, and potentially shock the world with an upset.
Slafkovsky has dominated in stretches and then gone cold, but the work ethic throughout the dressing room should put him and the Canadiens in a nice spot to establish higher point totals come season's end.
It isn't all about production for Slafkovsky, because the way he impacts the game with his physicality doesn't always equal an assist, though it may be the main reason why the puck ended up in the back of the net. Slafkovsky retrieves pucks, disrupts zone exits and excels in havoc, creating quick-strike offense, which shouldn't be overlooked.
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