Juraj Slafkovsky says he was sometimes lost on the ice last season

Last season, many fans were quite worried about Juraj Slafkovsky and his development.

He clearly wasn’t playing/performing at the level expected of a first overall pick, which disappointed and worried many Montreal fans.

The young Slovak struggled to establish himself and gain confidence on the ice, prompting many analysts and fans to call for him to be sent to Laval to play with the Rocket for the sake of his development.

Finally, while this debate was in full swing in Montreal, Slafkovsky was injured and missed the rest of the 2022-2023 season.

He ended the season with ten points, including four goals, in 39 games, a point total that left many disappointed and worried.

But it wasn’t just Slafkovsky’s production that was worrying, but also the way he played.

He couldn’t stand out, and worse, he seemed lost on the ice.

In fact, Slafkovsky himself stated in his recent blog that he was sometimes lost on the ice last season.

Indeed, that’s what we read in Juraj’s excellent blog, reported by Jean-François Chaumont, who now works for the NHL website.

In the first half of the blog, Slafkovsky recounts his stay at home in Kosice, Slovakia, during the All-Star Game break, a stay that did him a lot of good.

Then, in the second half of the blog, the young Slovak spoke openly about his hockey progress.

Well, he simply said what everyone in Montreal has been thinking for several weeks now: that he has reached another level in his development, and that he now has a great deal of confidence on the ice.

“Hockey-wise, I’m feeling really good. I’m gaining in confidence and putting my name on the scoresheet more often.” – Juraj Slafkovsky

The Habs’ number 20 says he’s very happy right now, as he finds himself on the right path to becoming the best possible version of himself.

And that’s when he added that there’s nothing comparable between his current season and his rookie season.

He said that in his rookie season, he was sometimes lost on the ice, whereas this year, he’s having a big impact on the team’s success, and helping his team a lot.

The game has clearly slowed down for the young Slovak, and he’s noticed it himself.

This is a good thing, as he now seems to have more time to execute his plays and make the right decision.

In short, Slafkovsky’s development is very encouraging at present, and we’re a long way from the days when many wanted to see him sent to Laval.

In Bursts

– Big three-point performance from Owen Beck last night.

– Indeed.

I feel like Usher is the least expected performer in history on the eve of a Superbowl halftime show.

– Louis-Philippe Guy (@LPGeek) February 10, 2024

– Incredible.

– Read more.

– Coming up.