Juraj Slafkovsky looks better than ever since moving to the Canadiens’ second line

Juraj Slafkovsky’s breakout season has not been directly translating to his stat sheet, but he has been playing better than he ever has as a member of the Montreal Canadiens. It might be shocking to say that, considering he only has 10 points through 21 games, but the way he has been playing, the puck luck is bound to fall his way.

He was an afterthought playing alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, designated to be the physical presence on that line, rarely the creator. Now playing alongside Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen, Slafkovsky has looked more like the player we saw in his draft year with Slovakia.

Just trying to fit in

In his first couple of seasons, Slafkovsky was trying to find his footing in the NHL. He drew lots of criticism after his first season for not being physical enough, and playing on a line with Suzuki and Caufield, they needed him to be that physical presence.

While that is a huge element of his game, it was not the only reason why the Canadiens believed he was the best player in the 2022 NHL Draft. It was the combination of his size and his ability to move with the puck that had scouts thinking he could be a force in the NHL.

Carrying the puck into the offensive zone was an element of Slafkovsky's game that was all but lost playing alongside Suzuki and Caufield. Now, playing on a line with Demidov and Kapanen, the Slovakian winger looks like a player reborn.

Opportunity created through injuries

It is probably the only positive that came from the Canadiens battling through injuries. Through necessity, the Habs may have found the perfect way to balance their first two lines.

Putting Zachary Bolduc on the first line still gives you that physical presence it needs, and if they can unlock the Quebec native’s best attribute, his shooting ability, it could give the team two very dangerous offensive lines.

The Canadiens shuffled their lines before the Columbus Blue Jackets game, and it was evident pretty early on that the link-up play between Slafkovsky and Demidov is something the Canadiens should consider keeping together for the long haul.

Demidov’s playmaking ability has been on full display this season, as he makes defenders look foolish with his stick handling. Slafkovsky's ability to create plays for teammates has gone under the radar, mainly because it does not always show up in the stat sheet.

When he was on the top line, he would help generate offence with his physicality. His ability to win the puck battles along the boards has been one of his strengths, but he would not get credited with an assist because he was the third or fourth pass before the puck hit the back of the net.

Glimpse of Slafkovsky's true ceiling

Now, on the second line, his creativity is a lot more noticeable.

The best example of his creative ability came in the Canadiens' last game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Slafkovsky receives a pass in the neutral zone and, as he enters the offensive zone, stops and quickly accelerates to the middle of the ice.

He drags all the defenders toward him, leaving Demidov and Dobson free on the right-hand side for a quick one-two pass as the defender fires home the Canadiens' third goal of the game.

This was the element lost in Slafkovsky’s game. The combination of size, speed, and playmaking ability that we rarely saw from him when he was playing with Suzuki and Caufield.

Slafkovsky is looking like an entirely different player since he moved to the second line. He looks more like the player the Canadiens thought they were getting with the first overall pick than ever before, and it could not have come at a better time for the franchise.

He was doing all the little things right, but was struggling to get his name on the scoresheet. With the way he is playing right now, the points will come, and he might just be beginning to show how high his ceiling truly is.