When the Montreal Canadiens drafted Juraj Slafkovsky first overall in the 2022 Draft, general manager (GM) Kent Hughes stated they were not drafting the best 18-year-old now but the best player from the draft in five years. Montreal is in Year 2 of having Salfkovsky and, production-wise, things have been underwhelming.
With only 10 points in his rookie campaign and two points this season, fans have been uneasy about whether this controversial pick was the right choice, but with the Habs in a rebuild, management does not see any rush to have Slafkovsky be a solid producer. Instead, they are trying to develop him into a better player overall and the best player from the draft five years from now.
Canadiens Want Slafkovsky to Succeed
When drafting first, the management team wants to ensure it picks the right player. In some drafts, it’s pretty obvious who the best player is, and the first-overall pick is a sure thing, like Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews. In other drafts, several players could be drafted first overall and each has a unique skill that has them in the running. The Canadiens wanted a big, power-forward winger, so they chose Slafkovsky over Shayne Wright or Logan Cooley. Both Wright and Cooley are centers, and even though Montreal needed center depth, they fixed that problem through a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks for Kirby Dach. The trade justified the Habs not drafting a center but also put them in a spot where the pick will be questionable if they fail.
It may look like the Canadiens are doing everything wrong with their first first-overall pick since 1980, but they are doing everything they can to help him succeed and have a great career. The coaching staff is just doing it in a way that allows him to develop all aspects of his game. Head coach Martin St. Louis has stated that they already know what Slafkovsky can do offensively, and they are trying to develop his play away from the puck. This development away from the puck has some fans and media wondering if Slafkovsky will be an NHL player. Statistically, it looks like he will be a huge bust, but if you watch him play, you can see a vast improvement in his ability. Last season, he had an issue getting to his spots on the ice, keeping his head down and not using his large frame properly. This season, he usually keeps his head up, knows where to go on the ice, and uses his body to win puck battles, screen goalies, and lay hits.
Dach’s Injury Plays a Huge Factor in Lack of Production
In the first game of the season against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the second line of Dach, Slafkovsky, and Alex Newhook was probably the best for Montreal. Newhook scored two goals, with Dach getting helpers on both and Slafkovsky getting one assist on a beautiful pass. The Canadiens lost the game in overtime, but the excitement and chemistry that line created had all of Quebec buzzing. Halfway through the second period of Game 2 against the Blackhawks, Dach, who centers the second line, has a season-ending knee injury, and all of a sudden, the Canadiens’ second line is in turmoil.
Related: Canadiens’ St. Louis Explains Slafkovsky’s Promotion to Top Line
After Dach’s injury, St. Louis moved Newhook to center and had Josh Anderson and Slafkovsky play the wings. The line didn’t look terrible, but Newhook could not lead the line like Dach. The offence struggled to generate any scoring and got pinned in their zone for long periods. During this period, both Slafkovsky and Anderson had chemistry, and Slafkovsky set Anderson up twice or thrice a game for a good scoring chance that never ended up happening. Anderson was snakebitten and couldn’t buy a goal, and Slafkovsky was starting to lose some of the confidence he had at the start of the season. With the loss of confidence and no production, Slafkovsky sometimes looked lost and often tried to find a pass when he could shoot. This resulted in turnovers or killing a good offensive rush.
Canadiens Feel Comfortable with St. Louis Developing Slafkovsky
With the lack of production and what seems to be a dip in confidence, even the fans and media who were adamant about Slafkovsky staying in Montreal started thinking maybe a trip to the American Hockey League (AHL) to play for the Laval Rocket wouldn’t hurt anything and help him to at least regain his confidence. Dominating in a lesser league has helped many players, and the Canadiens did this with Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Cole Caufield. There’s no reason they couldn’t do it with Slafkovsky, either.
Many speculate that the ego of management has kept them from doing this; having their first overall pick go to the AHL would be an embarrassment. If anyone pays attention to GM Hughes, you could quickly put that rumour to bed; if anything, he has no inflated ego. There is, however, a considerable factor in why they are keeping Slafkovsky in Montreal.
Montreal is very content with having Slafkovsky train and develop under head coach St. Louis. Every day, the coach and player review situations from previous games and discuss what to do in each one. They work together on the ice and devise plans to help him improve his overall game. St. Louis has often commented that the team knows what Slafkovsky can do and wants him to get better at what he struggles with. His overall game has improved, even though the production hasn’t been there yet. Both Slafkovsky and St. Louis are very comfortable with each other and work very well together.
Slowly but surely, Slafkovsky’s development is coming along, and he is starting to show signs of why he was drafted first overall. His defensive play has improved: he creates open ice and has raised his hockey IQ, he is starting to shoot more, and has been rewarded by getting chances on the first line with Nick Suzuki. He had his best game of the season recently, recording six shots and two hits plus creating many scoring opportunities in a 5-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. The scoring will come, and his game will keep improving, but patience is needed. His development may not look exciting, but it’s working; it just takes time.
