“From the Slovakian national team…” Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said as he announced the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NHL Upper Deck Draft at the Bell Center on Thursday.
A loud mixture of gasps and cheers immediately followed. The home fans knew that meant the Canadiens were selecting forward Juraj Slafkowski over center Shane Wright, the most anticipated player.
Slavkovski knew it too.
“I didn’t even hear my name,” he said. “I heard ‘Slovaks’.”
He saw his face on the big screen and got goosebumps. Soon after, he walked out beneath the Canadiens’ Stanley Cup banners and retired numbers to pull on the blue, white and red — to take the torch from frail hands, suddenly his to hold aloft.
Asked if he was surprised, he said: “Shane was designed as No.1 [for years], so yes of course. I’m really happy about that.”
[RELATED: Complete coverage of 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft]
That moment alone would have made this project unforgettable for Montreal. However, Hughes, less than seven months after being appointed on January 19, had another surprise.
The Canadiens traded defenseman Alexander Romanov and the New York Islanders’ No. 98 pick for the No. 13 pick, then flipped the Chicago Blackhawks’ No. 13 and No. 66 picks for center Kirby Dach, who was the no. 3 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.
Montreal also drafted forward Filip Messar, another Slovakian and friend of Slafkovski’s, at No. 26.
Wright, ranked as the No. 1 skater in North America by NHL Central Scouting, appeared to be the popular choice entering the draft. Some booed Slafkowski as she walked the red carpet Thursday. At least one wore a Canadiens “Wright #51” jersey at the arena. At least three wore T-shirts that read “RIGHT CHOICE” with the letter “C” made from the Canadiens logo.
The Canadiens didn’t make the Wright pick, but they may have made the right one.
“I just hope so [the fans] will like me too one day and will do anything [to show] that I’m a good player and that I’m actually making history with Montreal,” Slafkowski said.
Slafkovsky, ranked the No. 1 skater in Europe by NHL Central Scouting, is a 6-foot-4, 229-pound forward. He was the most valuable player at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, despite being the youngest in the tournament at 17 at the time, scoring seven goals in seven games to help Slovakia win bronze.
Video: Montreal Canadiens pick LW Juraj Slafkowski #1
The 18-year-old impressed Hughes at the 2022 NHL Scouting Combine when Hughes asked him about leaving home at 15 to play in Finland.
“I asked him if he lived in a dorm,” Hughes said. “He said no.” And I said, “So one of your parents moved in with you?” He said no. Then I asked, “How did you cook?” And he said, “With a stove.”
“He’s very independent. He’s confident without being cocky, and we think that’s a kid who not only has the mindset we’re looking for, but we also appreciate where he is in his game, what he has in terms of natural ability and where he could be , if we help him in this process.”
Hughes said the Canadiens are inclined to take Slafkowski on Wednesday morning but want to meet him one more time. Hughes, executive vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton and others were joined by owner Jeff Molson when they met with him Thursday morning. Slafkovksy didn’t read much into it.
“I didn’t know if Shane had met the owner as well, so I thought, ‘Maybe he has [a meeting with Molson] also it doesn’t mean anything,” Slavkowski said with a laugh. “Yeah, but it actually meant something.”
Video: Slafkowski on No. 1 pick in 2022 NHL Draft
Hughes said the Canadiens don’t want to give up Romanov, a 22-year-old who averaged 20:24 in 79 games for them last season. But they wanted to get bigger and faster in the middle of the ice and added another 6-foot-4 player with potential.
Dach has 59 points (19 goals, 40 assists) in 152 games for the Blackhawks over three seasons, but is still only 21. He can grow with the Canadiens core.
“We’re going to invest money in the development of hockey players and try to get the most out of their potential, and we believe Kirby has significant potential,” Hughes said. “And we’re hoping that with the Montreal Canadiens in that environment, we can take him and get him to a point where he’s a pretty special center.”
Expectations will be high, the pressure intense. But if they reach their potential, they will be loved in Montreal.
Fans had already begun to embrace Slafkowski about 90 minutes after his selection, when he climbed off the stage through the bleachers before sitting down for a televised interview in front of the crowd. People rose to their feet and cheered him, slapped him on the back, took pictures. Finally they serenaded him.
“Ole! Ole-ole-ole! Ole! Ole!”
Slafkowski seemed determined to justify it.
“First overall is something and you have to prove it,” he said. “So yeah, I’m just going to think about getting better every second I live on this earth.”
Add Comment