One of the biggest pieces of the Montreal Canadiens rebuild is management's inaugural first-round selection, Juraj Slafkovsky.
Slafkovsky's potential is sky high and that is why Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes decided he was their guy with the 2022 first overall selection. The total package of size, strength, skating and high IQ was too tantalizing to pass up. Out of the gate, although he made the team out of training camp for the 2022-23 season, there were some significant kinks to work out.
It's especially difficult for fans to be patient when a team is mediocre for so long and nothing is done to fix it. So, although the rebuild is in full force, many still wanted for Slafkovsky to jump in and make an immediate impact. It was rather disappointing that he didn't have the year he wanted, but it was merely the beginning and gave him something to build on.
Build on it is precisely what he did, to start the 2023-24 season he still seemed jittery and unsure of himself. But when he hit his stride, he never looked back, those shades of 2021 Olympic success were on full display. The physical presence was a weapon for the habs top line and he regularly dominated shifts, forcing turnovers and creating offense, either with an array of shot options or brilliant passing plays.
50 points is just a start, right?
20 goals and 30 assists was an impressive stat line for Slafkovsky, but the confidence in puck retrievals and handling the puck was where he stood out most. I'm not a betting man, but I would like to think that Slafkovsky finding out how to use his physical tools last year, paired with the confidence that he will carry over should translate to more points. Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki are still growing and year one together as a line with Slafkovsky was just the start.
With a full offseason for each player to get stronger and improve on different areas that they feel need work, it could be a fun year. Slafkovsky will likely shoot the puck way more and I expect that Caufield will be keeping an eye out for some feeds from him. But that one-timer is something that should be used at every possible chance, he can fire the puck with such velocity that goalies don't seem to react on time.
I also didn't mention that Suzuki has shown he is more than just a playmaker, but a threat to put the puck in the net. The fact that each member of the top line is an excellent shooter and passer, it makes it hard to predict how much Slafkovsky will score. But it does create intrigue, because you know that there is so much potential for growth and improvement.
With improved awareness and ever-growing chemistry with his linemates, Slafkovsky is in for another year of increased production. 30 goals? maybe. I also think that he could add 40-50 assists without hesitation. A point-per-game season might not be out of reach, but for sure 75-80 points is attainable.