The Canadian | Juraj Slafkovsky hopes to finally get going

Jonathan Huberdeau made Calgary journalists laugh a few days ago. Asked about his recent chemistry with center Nazem Kadri, he noted that after an unsuccessful first audition for the duo, he was asked to play “with everyone” for the Flames.

“So I went back to the first one. I completed the cycle,” added the Quebecer.

In Montreal too, an attacker has just “completed the cycle”. After starting the first six games of the season to the right of Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky found his two accomplices last Saturday in Winnipeg.

From October 26 to December 12, Kirby Dach, Emil Heineman, Josh Anderson and Alex Newhook took turns playing on the first line. As for the Slovak, he went through all the available center players: Newhook, Dach, Jake Evans, Christian Dvorak and even Lucas Condotta, albeit for only a few minutes.

Over the past few weeks, Slafkovsky has been primarily paired with Dach and Patrik Laine, without much success. Exciting on paper, this combination did not develop a real bond, and it ultimately spent a lot more time in its zone than around the opposing net. At the end of the match last Thursday, while the Canadian was being steamrolled by the powerful (?) Pittsburgh Penguins, Martin St-Louis brought together what was to be his main unit this season. And everyone, starting with Slafkovsky himself, hopes that this reunion will allow the young man to regain his means.

« [Contre les Jets]I think it was a little better [qu’auparavant]estimated number 20, Monday morning, after CH training. I felt good on the ice, I was moving, I was winning battles… […] Now I have to continue working. »

In two stages

It’s a strange campaign for the Habs’ first choice in 2022. After 13 games, he had 11 points and had a differential of 0. During the following 14 games, he was limited to 4 points with a freezing cold -10. Yet his indicators of puck possession and scoring chances remained essentially the same, whether the points were there or not.

He was also the first to admit, in the first segment of the calendar, that he was not satisfied with his appearance on the ice. Head coach Martin St-Louis proved him right again on Monday.

“At the start of the season, he wasn’t playing very good hockey, but he was going for points,” he recalled. Yet another reminder, in this sense, that “production does not tell the whole story”.

Despite the winger’s inability to increase his offensive record, the pilot believes he has recently seen his protégé “find better consistency throughout a match”, particularly on the defensive level.

It was only one game, of course, but Saturday’s was certainly encouraging for the top line. The presence of a big man like Slafkovsky, especially when he uses his speed and size to win battles for the puck, brings a dimension to this unit, let’s say, different than with Alex Newhook – with all respect for the latter, who also had good times with Suzuki and Caufield.

Against the Jets, Slafkovsky helped his team gain possession of the puck and keep it, an element that the Canadian certainly lacks at five-on-five.

“Was it perfect?” No. But I found that [les deux premiers trios] were better like that,” concluded St-Louis.

Stability

In fact, the training that was deployed in Winnipeg was the one that was expected to start the season last October. However, with the serious injury suffered by Patrik Laine in training camp, and following the failures experienced by several attackers since – starting with Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach – the head coach has had no other choice than to juggle his trios. Today he hopes to find a certain stability within his group.

In the same vein, Nick Suzuki said he wanted him and his companions to “build” on their first match back together. All this begins, of course, with the awakening of the colossus to his right.

“If he can collect points and create plays with Cole and me, that will help him,” said the captain. We just had a good workout together. It’s a matter of time before it explodes. »

There is certainly no one who wants this more than Slakovsky himself.

“Last year, I arrived with them at this time of year, and I had a good season [par la suite]he stressed. I hope to turn the page on my start to the season, get going and play some good hockey. »

Tuesday’s game looks like the perfect opportunity to launch this renaissance in a big way. The Buffalo Sabers, in fact, have lost their last 10 games. They represent vulnerable prey, although one could argue that they are “due”.

The same could be said of Juraj Slafkovsky, when you think about it.

Primeau against the Red Wings? Not so fast…

Despite all the difficulties he is experiencing, Cayden Primeau will have to start a match well one of these four, which has not happened since the 1^is last December in Boston. We would be led to believe that the return of the unfortunate goalkeeper would occur in the double against the Red Wings, whether Friday in Detroit or Saturday in Montreal. However, Martin St-Louis laconically replied “it could be” when a reporter asked him if Primeau would be called upon to see action in one of these matches. “Your idea is not yet made up? », he was asked again. “No,” the coach replied. Perhaps it’s just the exact nature of how the two matches will be split that isn’t determined? Go figure. What is certain is that it did not look like a vote of confidence in Cayden Primeau.