In the 2023-24 season, Montreal Canadiens left winger Juraj Slafkovsky showed significant signs of improvement. From a rookie season in which he only collected 10 points in 39 games before an injury ended his season, he had a sophomore year in which he played all 82 games and gathered 50 points.
The table was set for another year of improvement, and the youngster fell a bit short of his own and fans' expectations. When asked if he had reached the objectives he had set for himself before the campaign, he replied, “What do you think? Of course not.”
Apr 25, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky (20) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Washington Capitals during the third period in game three of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre. Photo Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Even though he has played 200 NHL games already, the Slovak is still only 21 years old, and people tend to forget that, probably because he joined when he was just 18. But that doesn’t mean his development is over; far from it.
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The youngster is and has always been his harshest critic, and for him, the 51 points obtained in 79 games are a disappointment. But Slafkovsky was not a generational talent, nor was he drafted to be just a point producer as Kent Hughes said himself in his end-of-season press conference, and the sooner he understands that and makes his peace with it, the better.
After the 4 Nations Face-Off break, the hulking forward came back and stated he wanted to play more like Brady Tkachuk, and that’s absolutely what he needs to do. He has a huge frame, and he needs to use it. When he comes in with speed, defenders must brace themselves for impact and are more likely to cough up the puck, leaving Slafkovsky free to feed his linemates.
He's done it quite a few times towards the end of the season, but to achieve his potential, he had to do it consistently. That’s not an easy way to play; it’s an intense and tiring brand of play, but that’s still what he needs to commit to.
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For all these reasons, and because he’s very much a work in progress, Slafkovsky gets a B for his work this year. There’s still plenty of room for improvement, but the fact he’s acknowledged what he must do is huge and as he said it himself at his end-of-season presser, he needs to start playing in October and not in February.
The big Slovak might be pushed to work harder sooner with Ivan Demidov now being in the fold, if Slafkovsky’s contribution isn’t significant enough to please Martin St-Louis, the coach will have options, internal competition is a must to build a contender.a
