TSN Analyst Frankie Corrado praises Juraj Slafkovsky
Frankie Corrado praised Juraj Slafkovsky for his fight against the Leafs, stating that it shows to the team how he will stand up for himself and his teammates.
The Montreal Canadiens and the fanbase have the luxury of watching Juraj Slafkovsky grow into a very good National Hockey League power forward.
His first big steps came last year after he found his footing and confidence to play in the NHL, after a frustrating rookie season. This was a big step forward because he proved that he had the vision, awareness and skating to compete against the opposition's best players. He then showed that he has the quickness and strength to win foot races and 50/50 puck battles and contribute to the offense, as a creator and distributor for his linemates.
There were also flashes of his physicality, where he outmuscled opponents and skated away with the puck. Often he would beat opponents, and then set up plays that nobody expected, because he gained confidence and his poise improved in leaps and bounds. But he would also throw hits and drive the opposition crazy with heavy and aggressive forechecking and backchecking.
TSN’s Frank Corrado is a Juraj Slafkovsky Respecter 🫡
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) September 29, 2024
“I love it if I’m a teammate of his (to see him get in a fight). I see a guy who wants to be a leader on this team, who wants to keep evolving his game…not everybody is built like Juraj Slafkovsky. If he’s gonna be able to… pic.twitter.com/t8igJU66Ux
But fighting is something that wasn't expected from Slafkovsky, nor is it something that anybody wants him to be doing. But like TSN Analyst and former NHL player Frankie Corrado pointed out - Slafkovsky wants to be a leader, and he is doing what he can to show that. If fighting to stand up for himself is what it takes, then he has no issues doing so.
Another step towards becoming a star power forward
The fight doesn't mean that Slafkovsky is going to drop the mitts every other game, but it does mean that he isn't afraid to throw his weight around. A big step in the right direction for a successful power forward is when they learn to use their physical traits to their advantage. Slafkovsky knows that he is a powerful skater and he has good reach to keep the puck between himself and the opposition, and that is just another notch in his belt.
Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki have already benefitted a ton from Slafkovsky's forechecking ability, but I think that he has barely scratched the surface. The duo are capable of many positive things in the offensive zone, but separating players from the puck isn't what they are famous for. Enter Slafkovsky, whose bread and butter is overpowering opponents and making quick, smart plays.
Some added chippiness and aggressive play in the corners and after the whistles should do wonders for his already sky-high confidence.
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