By general manager Kent Hughes' own admission, the Montreal Canadiens' young first overall pick, Juraj Slafkovsky, may not be having a camp that lives up to expectations so far.
Other youngsters drafted in 2022 by Montreal, like Owen Beck and Filip Mesar, are having a better camp. That doesn't take anything away from Slafkovsky.
The goal in drafting Slafkovsky was never to get your hands on the best 18 year old, but to get your hands on the one who will be the best in 4 or 5 years. And, at times, we have seen the tremendous potential that Slafkovsky has.
You absolutely have to be patient with the kid, and it will pay off, but we have to admit that for now, he makes the decision of his bosses as to whether he should start the season in Laval or Montreal a little more obvious.
On this subject, Olivier Primeau, who is also a fan of the Canadiens, launched a debate on social networks.
See the result of his poll, which leans heavily in favor of Laval, as of this writing:
We insist. No one here is saying that Slafkovsky is a "flop" or a disappointment, only that he could benefit from a few games (or weeks) in Laval, in order to develop better, and in order to come back to the NHL being more dominant.
POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 30 | 242 ANSWERS Olivier Primeau launches a debate about Juraj Slafkovsky on social media Where do you think Slafkovsky should start? | ||
Montreal | 87 | 36 % |
Laval | 155 | 64 % |
List of polls |