The Montreal Canadiens started the season with Juraj Slafkovsky on the second line alongside Ivan Demidov, but that changed during Tuesday night's game. Slafkovsky was moved up to the top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, reuniting a combination Montreal has used before.
That brings up the question of whether the Canadiens should leave him there or eventually move him back to the second line. There is a pretty good argument for both sides, especially with Demidov now expected to miss two-to-four weeks.
Juraj Slafkovsky should get a chance on the Montreal Canadiens' top line
The biggest issue with keeping Slafkovsky on the top line is his consistency. There are games where he looks like exactly the type of player Montreal wants playing alongside Suzuki and Caufield, but there are also games where he doesn't have nearly the same impact. That makes it difficult to rely on him in that role every night.
At the same time, Slafkovsky was put on the second line for a reason. Montreal wanted to give Demidov another talented player to work with, and moving Slafkovsky down allowed the Canadiens to spread some of their talent throughout the lineup. With Demidov now out, though, that reason isn't really there for the time being. Montreal could keep Slafkovsky on the top line and move Chris Kreider down to the second line, giving the Canadiens another experienced player to help fill the hole left by Demidov.
There is also a chance that playing with Suzuki and Caufield could help Slafkovsky get going. He has the talent to play with those two, and having two players who can create offence could give him more opportunities to get involved in the game. That said, Slafkovsky needs to show more consistency if he is going to stay there long-term. Montreal can't afford to have its top line disappear for stretches because one of its players isn't bringing enough to the line.
For now, though, there is a pretty good reason to give him another chance. Demidov's injury means the Canadiens have to adjust their lines anyway, and keeping Slafkovsky with Suzuki and Caufield while moving Kreider down could make sense.
Worse comes to worse, Martin St. Louis moves Slafkovsky down and continues give Kreider the run on the top line. However, it shouldn’t be forgotten what Kreider can bring to the Canaidens top-six no matter where he plays. Whereas, Slafkovsky at times, depends a lot on his linemates for him to be productive.
So, yes, for right now, they should move him up. Especially after the spark that he added to the top line Tuesday night against the Carolina Hurricanes. If he can help spark things and allow the Canadiens to continue to bank points early in the season, that is a major plus. It may also lead to tougher decisions being made when Demidov returns from his injury, which again is a major plus for a team that has Stanley Cup aspirations.
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