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Canadiens Player Grades: Slafkovsky Took Next Step In Evolution
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- Canadiens Player Grades: Slafkovsky Took Next Step In Evolution
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Montreal Canadiens placed a lot of faith in Juraj Slafkovsky when they drafted him first overall in 2022. By doing so, they also put the onus on the development squad to ensure he'd find his rhythm in the NHL, after making his debut as an 18-year-old, a rather difficult situation for a rookie.
There were times when the experiment seemed to stall, and there was even talk of sending Slafkovsky back to the AHL to ensure a more stable development.
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But now that Slafkovsky has four NHL seasons under his belt, it's become clear that he's one of the most important players in the lineup. Consistency can be an issue, but when Slafkovsky plays well, the Habs are a very difficult team to beat.
And while there's absolutely no doubt that he performs well when he features on the first line, alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield , we saw significant step in his evolution as a power forward this season, away from his usual linemates.
When Slafkovsky was tasked with driving the offence on the second line, beside rookies Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov , he improved the rate at which he produces controlled entries into the offensive zone, a situation that occurred because he was designated as the puck carrier more often than he had in his previous role.
The underlying numbers suggest the experiment didn't exactly yield a sustainable second line, but it did allow Slafkovsky to stretch his legs a little, improving his confidence once he was returned to the top trio.
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All things considered, it was a very solid season for the 22-year-old Slovak, as he set career bests for goals (30), assists (43), and points (73). His 5v5 production barely increased, moving from 38 points in 2024-25 to 39 points last season, however, it's impossible to ignore his impact on the powerplay.
Yes, Demidov and Lane Hutson are key players, and they're part of the rising tide that lifts all Canadiens boats on the powerplay, but their expertise lies in creating passing and shooting lanes, not scoring goals.
Slafkovsky led all Canadiens players in powerplay goals, with 15.
That's four more goals than the best paid forwards on the team, Caufield and Suzuki. He finished tied for seventh in NHL powerplay goals, not to mention All-Star players such as Connor McDavid (11), Andrei Schevnikov (11), and Nathan MacKinnon (11).
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The Canadiens improved their powerplay efficiency by leaps and bounds, and Slafkovsky was the trigger man, responsible for the finishing touches, not to mention creating chaos in the opposing crease with his 'Clifford The Red Dog' size advantage.
Slafkovsky 5v5 Usage, Underlying Numbers
It was a very interesting year from a usage standpoint.
Head coach Martin St-Louis , in an attempt to spread some of the talent throughout the lineup, opted to try Slafkovsky on the second line, giving a few players an opportunity to test their mettle on the first line in the process.
As previously mentioned, this gave him a chance to lead the way, a confidence-boosting situation to say the least.
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However, the underlying numbers tell us that the second-line experiment was encouraging, but far from ideal when analyzing its long-term sustainability.
I'm of the opinion that Slafkovksy is not the reason the second line failed to control the shots throughout the majority of the season. Their numbers were poor before Slafkovsky was added to the mix, and they were equally bad afterwards.
Simply put, Kapanen's defensive acumen leaves a lot to be desired, as does Demidov's.
However, the narrative that Slafkovsky saved the second line was not exactly based in reality.
Nor was the idea that the first line collapsed without his presence.
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Slafkovsky was better than his counterparts in that respect, but Caufield and Suzuki produced very respectable results while he was playing on the second line.
And it's worth noting he did improve the second line's underlying numbers, though not to the point that they could be counted upon to take important shifts during crunch time. When the game was on the line, St-Louis rarely used his youngest trio.
Player Grade
Given that he set career records in most of the important statistical categories, it's very tempting to give Slafkovsky an A+, similar to the grade handed to Suzuki .
However, we must acknowledge that his playoff performance was far from encouraging. He only managed to score one goal and two assists at 5v5 in 19 games, the epitome of underwhelming.
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The lack of playoff production bumps his grade down a little, but overall, it fair to suggest Juraj Slafkovsky took a significant step forward in 2025-26, a continuation of his slow, but steady evolution into a dominant NHL power forward.
Juraj Slafkovsky Grade : A- (80-84 %)
Montreal Canadiens and Juraj Slafkovsky statistics via Natural Stat Trick .
Previously published Canadiens player grades:
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