Montreal Canadiens fans are known for their passion, but they can also be notoriously difficult to please. A friend once joked that if the Habs went 82-0 in a season, some would still complain that not all wins were shutouts. While that’s an exaggeration, it does highlight the high expectations placed on the team and its players.
A prime example of this scrutiny is the treatment of Juraj Slafkovsky. It’s worth noting that some of the loudest critics today might be the same voices that were adamant about drafting Shane Wright over him in the 2022 NHL Draft. However, player development is far from an exact science, and not all top picks follow the same trajectory.
Development Is Not Linear
Anyone who has followed hockey for a while understands that young players develop at different rates. This is particularly true when it comes to big bodied prospects. Using Slafkovsky’s first-overall status as a reason for impatience ignores an important reality: not all drafts are created equal, and not all first-overall picks are immediate stars. The same can be said for any first-round selection.
To illustrate this, let’s look at some first-round picks—including a few who were also taken first overall—who needed time before becoming key contributors in the NHL:
Juraj Slafkovsky (MTL)
Jack Hughes (NJD)
Tage Thompson (BUF)
William Nylander (TOR)
Aleksander Barkov (FLA)
Mika Zibanejad (NYR)
Mark Scheifele (WIN)
Joe Thornton (BOS/SJS)
Trust the Process
The point here isn’t to compare Slafkovsky’s style, size, or role with these players, but rather to emphasize that many of today’s top NHLers needed time to develop before reaching their potential. Growth isn’t always linear, and setbacks are part of the journey.
Now playing alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, Slafkovsky has shown clear progress since the Four Nations break. That line has been clicking, but there will still be ups and downs ahead. What’s important is focusing on his overall development rather than overreacting to individual games. Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes, Martin St-Louis, and—most importantly—Slafkovsky himself are all invested in that progress.
Former Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin once said, “You have players who help you get into the playoffs, and then you have players who help you win in the playoffs.” Slafkovsky’s pattern over the past two seasons suggests that while he may start slow, he elevates his game when it matters most—just as teams begin their push for the postseason.
That’s an encouraging sign for the future. When the Canadiens are ready to compete for a playoff spot, Slafkovsky could be one of those players who makes a difference when it matters most. Patience now could pay big dividends later.
