Kent Hughes just targeted an NHL star you know well to inspire Juraj Slafkovsky

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Julien Trekker
April 13, 2023 (9:42)

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Back on skates after more than three months of absence, Juraj Slafkovsky seems to be slowly recovering from the left knee injury that abruptly ended his season in January.

This first campaign was mainly a learning season for the 19-year-old Slovak. He learned the hard way, and he will need to learn how to protect himself on the ice to avoid further injuries.

On this subject, journalists Arpon Basu and Marc-Antoine Godin, from The Athletic, recently revealed that the Canadiens' management has identified an NHL star player they want Slafkovsky to emulate.

Even during his absence, the team's Director of Hockey Development, Adam Nicholas, reportedly sent him numerous images to analyze and study.

And who is the targeted player? None other than Matthew Tkachuk!

"The Canadiens had devised a plan with him to gradually integrate new concepts into his game. It was a plan that spanned more than one season but was short-circuited by the left knee injury he suffered on January 15."

"That being said, instead of twiddling his thumbs waiting for the day he could jump on the ice - which he did on Monday - Slafkovsk� spent time analyzing videos of Matthew Tkachuk that Canadiens Director of Hockey Development Adam Nicholas sent him. The Florida Panthers' star winger is one of the best in the NHL at combining the physical aspect of the game with offensive skills, and Nicholas invited him to watch what Tkachuk was doing well."

After all, Tkachuk is the perfect model for what the Canadiens want to see in Juraj Slafkovsky. A big guy who uses his physicality to create space and take advantage of his offensive abilities.

These skills have allowed him to reach the 100-point mark for a second consecutive year this season.

While not saying that Slafkovsky will become a 100-point scorer, he does have an enormous amount of talent and could become a significant threat if he learns to use his physical attributes like Tkachuk.

At 6-foot-3 and 238 pounds, it's fair to say that Slafkovsky has everything it takes to achieve this level of performance. Patience will be the key in his case.

Credits: Marqueur