The Montreal Canadiens sent shockwaves through the Bell Center on July 7 when they selected a forward Juraj Slafkovsky with the no. 1 pick at the 2022 NHL Draft.
Forward Shane Wright, who was selected No. 4 by the Seattle Kraken, was the anticipated top pick, but Montreal went with the 18-year-old from Slovakia. Since the draft was held in Montreal, the Canadiens’ first No. 1 pick since Doug Wickenheiser in 1980 became an instant star among the hometown fans.
Although expectations for the Canadiens this season are not high, there is anticipation to see if Slafkovsky was worth the No. 1 pick.
He has played in two of the Canadiens’ three preseason games, but should he start the season in the NHL?
That’s the question before NHL.com writers Dan Rosen and Mike Morreale in this installment of State Your Case.
Rosen: Slafkovsky is 18 years old and he’s 238 pounds. He’s the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. The Montreal Canadiens are rebuilding. They’re in no rush to play Slafkovsky, but he’s built like an NHL player and he clearly has the talent to be one, so why not learn on the job, at least for a little while? The question we’re debating here is should Slafkovsky play in the NHL this season? The answer is a definitive yes, in my opinion. That doesn’t mean he shouldn’t also play for Laval in the American Hockey League. The Canadiens can decide that Slafkovsky belongs in the NHL today and change their minds tomorrow. The proximity of their AHL team to Montreal, right across the Des Prairies River, and the fact that Slafkovsky is allowed to play in that league as an 18-year-old gives the Canadiens the freedom to move him around. I do think there is something to be said for getting to know the NHL game, understanding the nuances, the smaller rink, the physicality and the speed while playing and, yes, making mistakes. Give Slafkovsky a chance early in the season and he may never leave Montreal.
Morreale: Not every No. 1 pick is created equal, and although Slafkovsky has the stature of an NHL player, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s ready for the rigors of an 82-game season. There’s no shame in spending his first professional season in the AHL, adjusting to the smaller ice in North America, building strength, enhancing skills all while gaining more confidence. Sure, he averaged 14:11 of ice time in 31 games last season with TPS in Liiga, the top professional men’s league in Finland, but he didn’t necessarily dominate either (five goals, five assists). The Canadiens are in a youth movement and their best player, goalie Carey Price, is not expected to be able to play because of complications in recovering fully from knee surgery. I feel it would be wise not to rush Slafkovsky into the NHL in 2022-23.
Rosen: All of what Mike says makes sense. The Canadiens are not fooling themselves into thinking they are ready to compete for the Stanley Cup. Slafkovsky doesn’t have to be in the NHL this season. But that’s all the more reason why Slafkovsky should be given a long leash early this season, learning under the tutelage of coach Martin St. Louis, a Hall of Fame player who has the right kind of guiding hand for young players. Look forward Cole Caufield and the progress he made after St. Louis became coach last season. Sure, Caufield is more in line with the type of player St. Louis was and Slafkovsky is not, but that doesn’t mean the coach can’t have the same type of impact on the No. 1 pick. Slafkovsky has played in the Olympics, in the IIHF World Championship and professionally in Finland. He has done well in all those stops. Allowing him the freedom to play his game and make mistakes at the NHL level will benefit him more than allowing him the freedom to play his game and make mistakes in the AHL. And, again, if it becomes overwhelming, the Canadiens always have the option of sending him to Laval, but that’s not where he should start.
Morreale: I agree with Dan that Slafkovsky would be able to learn under St. Louis, similarly to how Caufield progressed under the Hockey Hall of Famer, but the NHL is not a development league. It’s for players already capable of playing big minutes in big moments and in stressful situations, where quick decisions usually determine outcomes. That would be a huge ask of a European player who hasn’t yet experienced the survival of the fittest in the greatest hockey league in the world. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Slafkovsky earn a few games at the start of the season with the Canadiens but, as we know, this will be the first full season of St. Louis and general manager Kent Hughes working together in a rebuild that is expected to take at least two years. Why rush the No. 1 prospect in your pipeline? Instead, have him learn and develop in the AHL and allow his entry-level contract to slide and not start until next season. This scenario would also give the teenager a chance to represent Slovakia one final time at the IIHF 2023 World Junior Championship in December with fellow countryman and Canadiens’ forward prospect Filip Mesar.
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