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If the Canadiens fans don’t like Slafkovsky, trade him to my team
DansLesCoulisses.com
If the Canadiens fans don’t like Slafkovsky, trade him to my team
Credit: Getty Images

The relationship between Montreal Canadiens fans and Juraj Slafkovsky is one of love and hate. When he produces, he’s a future elite player in the NHL. When he’s having a tough time, fans think he didn’t deserve to be a first overall pick.

This is the reaction of people who watch him play every game. When you always watch someone play, you focus a bit more on their flaws than their qualities. You always want a little more.

However, people who are not part of the Canadiens’ entourage and watch him play from time to time would be willing to pay a high price to acquire him.

This is the case with Ray Ferraro of TSN, who didn’t hide his opinion in the latest episode of the Ray & Dregs Hockey Podcast.

“If the Canadiens fans don’t like Slafkovsky, trade him to my team.” – Ray Ferraro

What Ferraro wants Canadiens fans to understand is that Slafkovsky is still very young and is producing despite his age. He hasn’t reached his full potential yet and is still learning how to use his physicality to his advantage.

It’s precisely this physicality that will help him dominate in the NHL, according to Ferraro. Slafkovsky will be able to make plays that only a handful of other players in the NHL can make. He’s a good mix of talent and imposing size.

Ferraro even compared Slafkovsky to a player like Valeri Nichushkin.

Finally, a realistic comparison after hearing comparisons to Mikko Rantanen for so long.

Nichushkin is an imposing player who knows how to use his size to his advantage. He also has excellent offensive talent, which allows him to find the back of the net multiple times.

Ferraro’s prediction is that Slafkovsky will become a 35-goal scorer per season. That’s excellent considering he brings more than just goals to the ice.

When Slafkovsky plays with grit, his opponents have no chance. His goal against the Canucks on Tuesday night was a great example. He pushed the puck towards the opponent and then went to retrieve it to score.

He’s the kind of unique player who may not be the best player on your team, but will be one of the most important cogs when you need a win.

Since the return of the Four Nations faceoff, Slafkovsky has been playing like the player he should be, and that’s exciting for his future in Montreal. He has scored six goals in nine games, which puts him fifth among NHL goal scorers since the return from the break.

The development of a special player like Slafkovsky can take time, but he’s already proving he’s on the right track. He needs to maintain the same intensity and continue to produce to convince all Canadiens fans that Kent Hughes made the right choice in 2022.


Rapid Fire

— That’s a lot of nicknames.

— Two-game suspension for Zary.

— A playoff goal for the Canadiens’ prospect.

— A great day for the Quebecer.

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