Leaner Slafkovsky ready to explode in year three?

It's not as though the Montreal Canadiens needed more reason to be excited about Juraj Slafkovsky, but he appears to be looking leaner.

Video from the Canadiens' social media team via X (Formerly Twitter) shows a lighter Slafkovsky. Considering that he was strong and fast last year, the prospect of him improving athletically over the summer is excitement-inducing. Slafkovsky has just begun finding his game, merely a season into developing into what all Habs fans hoped for when he was drafted.

His footspeed wasn't exactly a strength of his game, but his weight allowed him to handle the battles that come with the NHL game. Now, if he is lighter on his feet, I fully expect that he is going to catch many defenders off-guard with quicker feet. His hands will only improve as his confidence grows, so if expectations were already high, Slafkovsky being more nimble is a scary thought for the rest of the league.

Lean, mean Slaf machine loading..

Something that intrigued fans was the way Slafkovsky flipped a switch and suddenly his hockey IQ was off the charts. His puck skills and skating just clicked and began to look so in sync together, like he was always thinking a few steps ahead. With a lighter stride, Slafkovsky could be poised to make the opposition look pretty silly and put those one-on-one puck skills to good use.

More rush chances could also play into Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield's hands, both of which have a killer instinct with the puck on their stick. Caufield has become famous for his quick and accurate release, while Suzuki has a great shot, but has used it with more frequency. It's likely the line will remain intact since it was one of the brightest spots for the 2023-2024 Habs, but if not, Slafkovsky will be just fine wherever he is slotted.

There have been suggestions of stacking a line with size - Slafkovsky with Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine, which could be a fun experiment. But I think balancing out the size would be a more ideal option. Regardless, though, I think Slafkovsky is poised for a big year and the Canadiens just might surprise some people.