Canadiens’ Slafkovsky Deserves More Ice Time

The Montreal Canadiens have surprised many people with their play to start the season. Very few thought they had a chance with their young defensive corps and what most figured would be mediocre goaltending. However, 14 games into the season, the Habs find themselves one game over .500, and their young rookies impressing everyone. One player improving with every game is first-overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky. He has improved so much game after game that it is about time Montreal started playing him in the top nine and not on the fourth line. Here is why Slafkovsky should start getting more ice time soon.

Of course, this ice time change won’t come into effect until after he serves his two-game suspension for a dangerous hit from behind on the Detroit Red Wings’ Matt Luff. Slafkovsky received a two-game suspension, and Luff will be out 10-12 weeks after he required surgery. He can return to the Canadiens lineup on Nov. 15 against the New Jersey Devils.

Canadiens Draft Slafkovsky First Overall

General manager (GM) Kent Hughes surprised a few people when he went against the consensus and drafted Slafkovsky first overall over favoured prospect Shane Wright. According to most scouting reports, Wright was supposed to go first, but a few scouts and experts gave Slafkovsky an outside chance based on his performance at the Olympics and World Championship for Slovakia. The Canadiens fell in love with his attitude and outlook on the game; they felt he had all the tools to be a future star player for the team.

Slafkovsky is proving himself with every game and if he can get more skilled linemates, he can enhance his scoring prowess and quickly become the player he was drafted to be. St. Louis still wants to take his time with the young forward and not put him in situations where he could struggle and lose confidence. With a shooting percentage (SH%) of 30% – which will not be sustainable – and three goals in just ten games, Slafkovsky is on a pace to score 23 goals this season, which is the same amount Cole Caufield scored in his rookie season. If he can gain more minutes and play on a line with more skilled players, his goal total could increase even with a decrease in his SH%.

It will be interesting to see where Slafkovsky will draw in when he returns, but don’t expect this increase in minutes to happen immediately. It will slowly increase along with his PP time. When Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson returns, the Habs will have to make a roster move and if they decide to move another forward out, like when they waived Rem Pitlick, it could open a chance for him to move up the lineup and increase his production.