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Montreal Canadiens: Slafkovsky’s Increased Shooting Will Open Up Space For Caufield

By Tyler Major-Mcnicol |
Montreal Canadiens v Washington Capitals
Montreal Canadiens v Washington Capitals / Patrick Smith/GettyImages
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The Montreal Canadiens have been ridiculed for their choice to select Juraj Slafkovsky first overall at the 2022 NHL Draft. 

He has been called a bust and many have questioned his decision-making. I suppose they are the same ones that wrote off Quinton Byfield and many other bigger forwards. You shouldn’t need to be patient with the first overall selection. 

I call it all silliness, look at the Buffalo Sabres - Owen Power was selected first overall and he didn’t play in the NHL right away. I don’t recall anybody calling him a bust, although he was playing against lesser competition with the University of Michigan. Power is a defenseman, but because of his large frame, the Sabres felt an extra year away from the NHL was best.

It has worked out quite well and the same thing can be said about Tage Thompson. There are countless examples of players that need time to grow into their frames. And patience has paid off each time. 

Slafkovsky is no exception and fans seem to forget that Hughes wasn’t picking for the best player on draft day. He was transparent about his belief that Slafkovsky would grow into the top player of the draft. I don’t try to play general manager, that is way above my pay grade, but it makes sense that he was very raw and needed some guidance to unlock his true potential.

And writing off players before giving them a fair chance is just as nonsense as being a couch GM. We have all been disappointed by picks and we have questioned whether or not it was the right decision. That's all right, but the guys who were put in charge are there because they know what they’re doing, so giving them a little confidence should be well warranted. 

Scouting is a very tough gig, many players are underhyped or overrated - take for example Cody Glass. Marc Bergevin reportedly asked about Cody Glass' availability when dealing former Habs captain Max Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas refused to trade Glass but was willing to move Nick Suzuki - who we all know now is having a better start to his career than Glass.

That's not to say that Glass won't develop into a great player, but simply that some players develop at a slower pace. Which results in them hitting their strides a little later than the best of their draft class.

When Slafkovsky Shoots, Teams Are Left Surprised

Montreal Canadiens v Pittsburgh Penguins
Montreal Canadiens v Pittsburgh Penguins / Justin Berl/GettyImages

On Tuesday night against the Washington Capitals, the Canadiens made sure to stay in Ovechkin’s grille. The Capitals did the same with Cole Caufield, which left them vulnerable to Slafkovsky. They watched tape of the powerplay and deemed that No. 20 wasn’t a shooting threat.

Well, boy were they left stunned when he decided to show everybody that he isn’t just a playmaker. He fired a nasty slapshot one-timer glove side on the left catching Charlie Lindgren. It was the type of shot that will undoubtedly draw the attention of opponents from now on.

That’s fine, NHL players adjust and Martin St. Louis made a career out of making doubters look silly. And the best part of all is that he has a shooter on each side of the powerplay. Once Slafkovsky realizes how fun it is to score, the Habs one-dimensional scheme will be a thing of the past.

With the University of Wisconsin Badgers, Caufield was underrated as a passer. Simply because he very seldom had to set up plays, since his shot is devastating. But if he can feed passes back-and-forth with Slafkovsky, while taking turns shooting, it will open up more offensive zone chances. 

The one-timer goal Slafkovsky scored is one that nobody else on the team is scoring. In the organization only Emil Heineman, Joshua Roy and Jared Davidson can beat goalies clean like that. His second goal showed that he has the hands and confidence in tight to fake out goalies. 

He joked in an interview after the game about his shot finally going in, but there is some truth to the fact that his shots hit the net. As his confidence grows, the speed and velocity of his release is sure to get quicker. It would be a very good idea if he continued shooting, his energy is infectious and the whole team appreciated seeing his gleaming grin after scoring.

I think it's safe to say, that while his numbers might not leap off the chart, nor sit atop the list of former first overall selections. But to say he has underperformed or disappointed, would discredit the 19-year-old for all the hard work he has undergone since he was selected in June 2022. Slow and steady won the race for the tortoise over the hare, and Slafkovsky is following that trajectory.

With Top Line Secure, The Second Line Needs Attention

Ottawa Senators v Montreal Canadiens
Ottawa Senators v Montreal Canadiens / Minas Panagiotakis/GettyImages

It’s obvious that the Canadiens offense is going to rely heavily on the top line. But if Caufield and Slafkovsky can be legitimate scoring threats, it will be huge for the team. It’s a start and with the top trio together, focus can shift to the second half of the top six. 

The 2024 Draft should answer who will fill out the second line with Kirby Dach. Alex Newhook is certainly one option, but he will need a larger sample to determine where he fits. Apart from No. 15 and 77, there are no guarantees in-house to play in the top six. 

With two picks in hand for the 2024 Draft as we speak, there are a plethora of different scenarios that can play out. All of this should result in the Canadiens improving their offence. The top selection should be used on the top forward that is available, but the late pick from the Jets is very intriguing.

Hughes has shown a willingness to acquire under 23 players, who can help sooner rather than later. It could be a great story if the second line were to be made from trade acquisitions. Dach, Newhook and Trevor Zegras? Haha, that would be pretty cool. 

Packaging the late first with another prospect and young defenseman could be enticing for general managers throughout the league. Whether the package is to bring in a player or move up in the draft, Hughes has once again put the team in an enviable position. Because of his ability to make great trades, the Habs are on the right track. 

Now we wait to see what happens before the Trade Deadline, then of course at the draft.

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