Juraj Slafkovský explains why he needs to lead his own line

Félix Forget
Juraj Slafkovský explains why he needs to lead his own line
Credit: Getty Images

Over the last few games, we've really felt that Juraj Slafkovský is reaching another level. The young Slovak, more than ever, seems to be taking his place in the show… and we feel more confident than ever.

This is the player Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton had in mind when they selected him in 2022.

Interestingly, this blossoming began when Slaf left the first line. At that point, he was placed on the wing of Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov, and suddenly he was the veteran on his line.

And Slafkovský talked about all this in his blog for the NHL website, where he explains that this change helped him understand a few things. Among them: the importance of taking control and carrying the puck.

And the Slovak admits: it's something he does less of when he plays with Nick Suzuki, as the latter likes to have the puck.

These comments shouldn't be taken as a dig at Suzuki, far from it. That said, they do illustrate an interesting point: Slaf himself explains why he needs to lead his own line.

It's not for nothing that we've been seeing him create so much for a while: it's now up to him to create things offensively on his line.

Obviously, this is a stage that the vast majority of young players go through. It's easy for a youngster to lean on his veteran linemate (especially when he's the club captain, you know), but that doesn't encourage him to take charge.

Even if he can. The proof: watch Slaf's latest games and you'll see a guy perfectly capable of creating things.

Of course, this doesn't mean that Slafkovský must never return to the first line again. That said, this change has taught him a few things, including the importance of taking control with the puck.

And if he can maintain that mentality and confidence, his blossoming won't just be temporary.


In Overtime

– Kevyn Adams could lose his position as GM of the Sabres soon.

– Wow.

– It's true.

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