The next Kirby Dach could already have been acquired by Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens
PUBLICATION
Wilson Salaun
April 11, 2023 (2:00 PM)
Kent Hughes has expressed his intention to make a deal similar to the one that brought Kirby Dach to Montreal several weeks ago. He wants to make another such deal this summer, which would be fantastic, but the solution may already be with the Canadiens.
Imagine if the next talent of Kirby Dach's caliber was already on the Montreal Canadiens' roster. It would be a milestone for the team's success, and perhaps we have the answer to that possibility.
Juraj Slafkovsky had an inconsistent season with ups and downs. Many expected more from the young man who was selected first overall in the 2022 draft. Unfortunately, an injury ended his season, leaving him no opportunity to make up for it in the second half of the campaign.
It is important to consider that the Slovak player is only 18 years old. The fact that he recently joined the North American field hockey team after playing on Olympic rinks in Europe last season makes his transition more difficult. This season, we have seen him get hit hard by opponents on many occasions.
Stéphane Waite recently pointed out in a segment of the RDS Antichambre that it is essential to be patient with Slafkovsky. The former Chicago Blackhawks and Canadiens goaltending coach even drew a parallel between the young man's situation and that of his new teammate, Kirby Dach.
The former goalie coach said he hopes the CH does not make the same mistake as the Blackhawks. Kent Hughes will have to learn from the mistakes of the Illinois-based team.
This season, we've seen Dach improve significantly under the tutelage of Martin St. Louis. However, it took until his fourth full season with the team before we saw his full potential, despite his status as the third pick in the 2019 draft. So it's important to be patient with Slaf, as some of the questions surrounding him today were also present early in Dach's career.
During his slow start in the NHL, Slafkovsky managed to score 4 goals and give 6 assists, giving him a total of 10 points in 39 games. By comparison, Dach had 23 points in 64 games in his first season in the league, so Slafkovsky's performance was slightly lower in proportion. One can only speculate on how the Slovakian player's season would have turned out.
Maybe the next Kirby Dach is already in Montreal: Juraj Slafkovsky. To be continued!
| POLL |
11 AVRIL | 290 ANSWERS The next Kirby Dach could already have been acquired by Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens Where do you see Slafkovsky in 3 years? |
| Like Dach | 96 | 33.1 % |
| Lower than Dach, but still solid | 90 | 31 % |
| Way better than Dach | 74 | 25.5 % |
| Very much inferior to Dach | 30 | 10.3 % |
| LIST OF POLLS |
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