Juraj Slafkovsky knows he needs to be better

It's easy to forget that Juraj Slafkovsky is only 20 years old, though it feels like so long ago, it's just his third season.

Historically bigger players take longer to develop, sometimes they explode offensively and then go quiet. The nice thing with Slafkovsky is that he plays a strong 200-foot game, so if the points aren't coming, he isn't hurting the team. But lately, it feels like something is off, perhaps he is playing through an injury or something, but it's hard to say.

As you can see during the post-game celebration, Slafkovsky isn't acting like himself at all; especially when you consider the circumstances. Montreal is playing quite well and just defeated one of the best teams in the league. But he isn't playing great, and his demeanour and lack of a smile in the Canadiens social media video is very telling.

Coming off a 50-point season, Slafkovsky would have plenty of confidence going into the offseason. His eight-year deal worth $60.8 million should also have him feeling pretty good, but one thing that's been obvious since he arrived with the Habs, he hates to lose. But a win where he isn't playing well isn't good enough for him.

I think that he is as frustrated with his play as the fans are, and the fact that he is wired in a way where he wants to win and put the team on his back is encouraging. But a feeling seems to have emerged that Slafkovsky can't drive his line, he is more of a complimentary player. Now, I'm not sure about all of that, but I do think that when he is on his game, the top line looks dangerous.

With Slafkovsky struggling, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield are still playing well; but you can tell something is off. With a strong and steady Slaf, the line balances out and becomes a true threat. I think that leaving him in that spot and hoping the trio can get through his funk, is best.

St. Louis never demoted Slafkovsky when he struggled last season, and I think the importance of his growth comes from playing against the best. Like a rebuild, player development isn't linear, and there are bound to be hiccups, but I think patience will pay off in the end. He didn't accidentally score 50 points or dominate on the forecheck, that is because he is a talented player.

Line changes could provide a spark

For my money, the Canadiens are still missing two pieces to their top six puzzle of the future. So, with Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach struggling, and Ivan Demidov and Michael Hage still developing there's plenty of hope for the future. We also have to consider that Patrik Laine could very well be in the mix.

Should Laine decide to stick around after this season, then the Canadiens have four pieces for their top six. I think logically Demidov slots into the mix and Slafkovsky is already there, but in my opinion, Hage and Dach should be in consideration over Alex Newhook. There is a fair chance that Dach and Newhook aren't top-six players when the team is competitive.

I would like to see Demidov play with Suzuki and Laine, and Caufield with Hage and Slafkovsky. There is a balance of size, playmaking and a natural shooter. I think Dach and Newhook playing with Owen Beck would be a wicked third line.

At this point, the team could make some real noise, and we haven't even considered the blueline group.