Juraj Slafkovsky may not start the season in Montreal according to Jeff Gorton

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Jeff Drouin
August 10, 2022 (8:54)

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Even though he was the first pick in the last draft by the Habs, Juraj Slafkovsky will have to prove himself to start the next season in Montreal.

At least that's what CH vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton said on an episode of The Bob McCown Podcast, and he didn't hesitate to compare Slafkovsky's situation with last year's first-round pick, Owen Power.

"Owen Power was picked first overall and returned with [the University of] Michigan. We will make the best decision for him. I'd like to think he'll be ready, we'll give him every opportunity, but if he's not ready, we can react."

However, Gorton says that the young Slovak has everything it takes to help the Habs as early as this year, but he mentions in passing that he is still very young and still has a lot to learn.

"Slafkovsky has a profile that is very hard to find with his size, his power and his skating stroke. When you look at him, you think he's a big guy, but when you see his face, you'd think he was 16 years old. There's a lot of room for improvement."

Even though the team is rebuilding, Gorton believes the Habs could improve faster than expected, adding that he and Kent Hughes would like to make Montreal a popular destination for free-agent players.

"We're trying to look at the positive. We got the first pick, we were able to make some trades and add some young players. I think we're starting to turn the corner.

"When I was in New York, there were always players who wanted to come to New York. In Boston, we also had people who wanted to come. That's what we have to do. We have to create that environment."

Let's just say that Gorton's statement is likely to please some Habs fans, but let's face it, it's probably not going to be next fall that we're going to see much improvement.

To watch the clip from The Bob McCown Podcast, click below.