Habs Star Forward Talks Future Success, Summer Plans, 2024 Euros
After signing an eight-year $60.8 million contract extension with the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, Juraj Slafkovský addresses the media at a press conference over Zoom on Tuesday.
Questions and answers have been edited for clarity.
Q: What did you expect in the long run? Do you expect this team to be great in the future?
A: Yeah, for sure. I like Montreal and I feel like we are on a good path. I feel like we're building something very special and I just want to be part of it as long as I can.
Q: Was it a long contract negotiation or did things move pretty quickly?
A: It went by pretty quickly and there wasn't much talk. I mean, there was a lot of talking around it but I knew I wanted to resign and if there would be a chance. For me, it's not about money so I will take everything I just want to stay.
Q: I'm curious to know what was the key for you, was it the term with eight years or looking for money-wise?
A: If I wanted more money or something else I could wait or I could think about all these other things but I feel like it's done now and it's out of the way and I don't have to think about it. I can just focus on playing and focus on winning and that's the most important thing to me.
Q: Where are you now and did you do anything special to celebrate yesterday after signing the contract?
A: I'm back home in Slovakia and yesterday—I couldn't believe how fast it happened—and I was just in shock… I'm here with my family and with my friends and everyone important around me… I'm home and no celebration yet but maybe during the weekend.
Q: What has the journey been like for you?
A: It's going pretty fast. Pretty much a couple of years ago I just left home, played a few years in Finland and then got drafted. After the first three years signing a big deal, it's more like a dream but that's what I was like working for my whole life.
Q: I'm wondering how it was like what it was like watching the Slovakia-England match in the Euros.
A: It was a tough game because one minute to go we were still up and I was already celebrating that we were going in the next round. England is good and it's just us Slovakians, I don't know… I also remember some games when we played and we were winning and then a in like five minutes the whole game changes… I'm not watching any other games anymore. All right thank you you're I enjoy your summer.
Q: I know you're a player that's always believed in himself. How much is that belief reinforced with the Canadians being willing to commit to you the way they have even though you're still pretty young and you've only got 130 games under your belt in this league?
A: I believe in myself even more and when I see that other people trust me and trust my skills and trust me as a person, that's only helping me and I feel like it's been like that ever since I came to Montreal. Everyone around me was trusting me all the time and wanted to make me better and everything. So yeah it's just even bigger now and I want to give back and I want to perform and do everything so they know that they made the right decision.
Q: What does your summer sort of training look like? I guess there's an Olympic qualifying tournament coming up in August are you planning to play in that for Slovakia?
A: I took some time off because the season was pretty long. I played a lot of games. I just started training and I don't know about the qualification. I'm not sure what Montreal is going to decide because it's close to the season. I'll do whatever they feel is best for me to do… I mean for sure I always like to represent my country and yeah we want to get to the Olympics. So for sure but yeah I don't feel like that's my call.
