Juraj Slafkovsky's special request is denied by Kent Hughes, and things are getting heated
Juraj Slafkovsky is already a star in Montreal, and he will soon be one in the NHL. For his country, he is a role model and an idol.
It is therefore very important for him to represent his country at international events, such as the World Championships or the Olympics.
At the end of August, there will be qualification matches for the 2026 Winter Olympics for Slovakia, and Juraj Slafkovsky was of course invited. However, he will not be able to participate.
Kent Hughes is the one who denied this request, as the NHL season is approaching quickly, and an injury could be catastrophic for the Canadiens' season.
There were rumors that the decision came from Martin St-Louis, but he had absolutely nothing to do with it.
Since it's a qualification tournament, we can certainly believe that the outcome might have been different if the competition had been of a larger scale.
Kent Hughes clearly did not make any friends in Slovakia with this announcement, but it is understandable. However, I would be very surprised if he refused to let Slafkovsky go to the Olympics, for example.
| POLL | ||
In your opinion, did Kent Hughes make the right decision in denying Juraj Slafkovsky's request? | ||
| Yes | 231 | 80.5 % |
| No | 56 | 19.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
