Becoming the first overall pick in an amateur auction certainly puts an extra burden on a young player’s shoulders, even more so when it takes him longer to reach his full potential. This is the case of Juraj Slafkovsky, who was the first player called up during the 2022 amateur auction. Since then, he has been playing with this first-class status, slow to explode his full potential.
On this subject, Patrik Laine came to the defense of his teammate and friend, comparing his situation to that of Jack Hughes, who had a start to his career below expectations. Hughes, after two seasons, exploded in his third year, but an injury slowed his process. In short, today, he remains a player who can approach 100 points season after season.
That said, here are Laine’s words, as collected by Anthony Martineau (TVA Sports):
“When you get drafted early, people expect you to be dominant and consistent quickly. But look at Jack Hughes. He needed time to become a star. Juraj is an animal. He will be a centerpiece of the CH for several seasons. – Laine
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For several matches, we have felt that the Slavs of the second half of the 2023-24 calendar is just re-emerging, like a lion. We feel him hungrier, more abrasive and more physical, which brings him closer to the identity he demonstrated during the last 40 games last season. Let’s not forget that he is only 20 years old and is starting his third campaign in the show.
Remember that, since the start of the campaign, Slavs has a total of 25 points in 43 games, having scored two goals in his last three games. The recipe is simple, in this case, it must darken more in the fillet and it will be ketchup!
