Montreal Canadiens

"I played like crap": Juraj Slafkovsky doesn’t mince words
Charles-Alexis Brisebois
"I played like crap": Juraj Slafkovsky doesn’t mince words
Credit: X

Juraj Slafkovsky has come under criticism in recent days.

Let's just say his start to the season hasn't lived up to expectations. He's capable of giving more on the ice, and what we've seen over the past month isn't enough.

And he knows it. After all, he said it himself after yesterday's game: he's been playing like crap lately.

He said it after a game where everything fell into place for him. And he said it with the candor that has defined him since his arrival in Montreal more than four years ago.

Slaf's a funny guy.

There's obviously a direct link between Nick Suzuki's presence in the lineup and the fact that the Slovakian had a game that lived up to expectations. It's no coincidence, let's say.

Nor is it a coincidence that Slafkovsky played well because he was involved in the game. That became clear when analyzing his performance beyond just his assist.

In fact, he recorded two hits. That might seem like a small number, but he had only 10 in 15 games since the start of the season. So that's three times his usual pace.

An engaged Slaf makes all the difference. And he knows it.

“My feet were moving, I won battles, I protected the puck well, and I took shots.” — Juraj Slafkovsky

As noted in an article by Dave Lévesque, Nick Suzuki is also well aware that his linemate wasn't doing all that in the six games when #14 was out.

#20 will need to keep it up going forward.

In a Nutshell

– Still.

– Logan Cooley and the big breakout. [RG Media]

– Note.