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Montreal Canadiens: The Case For Juraj Slafkovsky At 1st Overall

By Joshua Rosa

MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JULY 07: Juraj Slafkovsky, #1 pick by the Montreal Canadiens, poses for a portrait during the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 07, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JULY 07: Juraj Slafkovsky, #1 pick by the Montreal Canadiens, poses for a portrait during the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 07, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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MONTREAL, QUEBEC – JULY 07: Juraj Slafkovsky, #1 pick by the Montreal Canadiens. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QUEBEC – JULY 07: Juraj Slafkovsky, #1 pick by the Montreal Canadiens. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

The Good

Juraj Slafkovsky is a good hockey player. Maybe even a great one if everything falls into place correctly. And on a young, exciting team like the Montreal Canadiens, there is a good chance that it could.

If there is a good comparable to Juraj Slafkovsky in the NHL, it might be Evgeni Malkin. Malkin is 6’3″, nearly 200 pound European that went very high in his draft class (2nd overall in 2004 behind Alex Ovechkin). Malkin is a centre, where Slafkovsky is a winger, but Malkin excels at using his large frame to his advantage, as well as possessing a large amount of skill.

Like Malkin, Slafkovsky isn’t just a big body on a set of long legs. A lot of his highlights showcase his stickhandling skills and a sneaky good shot. His body just allows him to muscle his way into the middle of the ice, where he can put those hands to work.

His mentality also seems like a strong point. First of all, he is a magnetic personality off of the ice. Already he is warming on fans that were cold to him to begin with, and he will at least give us some good soundbites in his career.

But this could also help Slafkovsky out on the ice. If there is still a big pushback on his selection come the new season, I am certain that will put a big chip on his shoulder. He also seems like the type of player that will thrive in the high intensity and scrutiny of the Montreal Canadiens.

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