Canadiens put Juraj Slafkovsky to the test on Saturday.
The Canadiens put their disappointing first overall pick to the test on Saturday night.
It is no secret that 19 year old Juraj Slafkovsky has not developed into the player the Montreal Canadiens were hoping he would be just yet, but on Saturday night Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis will be taking a gamble in an effort to light a fire under the young forward.
Slafkovsky, who was selected first overall at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, has just one point this season, an assist, through 10 games played and has recorded just 11 points over his 49 game NHL career so far. When you consider the kind of expectations that tend to surround first overall picks in the draft, the reality is that Slafkovsky simply has not delivered what the fans or the team were expecting just yet.
On Saturday night however the young Slovak will get the chance to shine on the team's top line with St. Louis placing him alongside two of the organizations top stars. Slafkovsky will be joining both star forward Cole Caufield and Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki on the team's top line as St. Louis looks to get one of the organization's most important prospects going.
While this is a big opportunity for Slafkovsky it will also likely prove to be a big test, and now we get to sit back and see how he will respond.
Update: Slafkovsky answers early with his first goal of the season.
