Juraj Slafkovsky’s line has the makings of a top line

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Juraj Slafkovsky’s line has the makings of a top line
Credit: Getty Images

At practice camp, Oliver Kapanen wasn't guaranteed to make the club.

From the way he was playing, it quickly became clear that he had a chance of breaking into the NHL line-up. But when he showed up at camp, nothing was guaranteed.

Right now, he deserves every second of playing time.

Logically, we can expect a slowdown at some point. But for now, the Canadiens are making the most of every game in which their line dominates the ice.

Yesterday was another example.

The center picked up an assist and his wingers (two goals and an assist for Juraj Slafkovsky and a goal and an assist for Ivan Demidov) took control of the game.

We've said it before and we'll say it again, but Slaf is a transformed player these days. He wants to make a difference and it shows.

Slaf has eight points in his last four games and ten points in his last seven games. Kapanen has four points in his last four games… and Demidov has seven points in his last five games.

Demidov (32 points) is the only rookie with at least 30 points in the NHL and Kapanen is in the top-5 (20 points) among rookies.

Right now, with Slaf carrying the load, this line is often the difference-maker on the ice. This line seems to have taken on the air of a first line in recent days.

Will the guys keep up the pace? That remains to be seen, but it's possible that Slaf will continue to progress. He seems to be on another planet at the moment, which is why he was chosen first overall.

While Nick Suzuki's line has its struggles at times (but still manages to produce), it's not uncommon to see Kapanen's line take matters into their own hands.

This is what keeps a club like the Canadiens in the standings. After all, for years, if the captain was quieter, the Habs would lose.

We agree that if the Kapanen – Demidov – Slafkovsky line wasn't so unbreakable, one of the two wingers (surely #20) would go and give Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield a hand. The guys played with Alexandre Texier in third yesterday.

But breaking up the club's best line isn't an option right now. #Logic


overtime

– Wow.

– The Habs deserved to win, but lost. The opposite also happened this year.

– Patrick Roy in defense of Mathew Barzal.

– Big decision: Jake DeBrusk won't be playing tonight. He's one of those guys who doesn't deserve to play in Vancouver.

– A real machine.

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