An analyst makes an important statement regarding Juraj Slafkovsky's real potential as a player
Several Canadiens fans were quick to label Juraj Slafkovsky as a flop due to his difficult first season in the NHL.
However, it's important not to forget that the first overall pick in the last draft was only 18 years old this year. Moreover, forwards with a larger frame often take more time to reach their full potential. That's why patience is needed in the case of the Slovak, who could become a formidable forward in the coming years.
Anthony Martineau notably addressed the situation during his appearance on the « JiC » show on TVA Sports last night. The journalist compared Slafkovsky's first year to that of several dominant players in the Bettman league, demonstrating that the forward's statistics are not at all concerning.
In his first year in the NHL, Leon Draisaitl, who is now considered one of the best players in the league, collected 9 points in 37 games. As for Juraj Slafkovsky, the Canadiens' forward gathered 10 points in 38 games while playing approximately 12 minutes per game on the third line.
This comparison clearly demonstrates that it is still far too early to abandon the project and that the Slovak could easily become a top-tier forward for the Canadiens.
Many scouts also shared this opinion prior to the 2022 draft:
The Canadiens' rookie was also very impressive during last year's World Hockey Championship. Juraj Slafkovsky finished as the leading scorer for Slovakia with three goals and six assists in eight games.
On the other hand, Adam Fantilli and Leo Carlsson, who are regarded as the top two prospects of the 2023 draft class after Connor Bedard, have been unable to maintain a point-per-game average in the World Championship thus far.
Credit : TVA Sports
| POLL | ||
How many points will Juraj Slafkovsky collect next season? | ||
| Less than 30 points | 11 | 12.1 % |
| 30 to 40 points | 51 | 56 % |
| 40 to 50 points | 22 | 24.2 % |
| More than 50 points | 7 | 7.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
