Juraj Slafkovsky’s Canadiens Surprising Potential in 2024-25

Slafkovsky’s performance with the Canadiens has been impressive.

In just 40 games from January to April, he scored 16 goals and made 35 points, averaging over 19 minutes of ice time per game. Despite being picked first in the 2022 NHL Draft and facing criticism for being chosen over Shane Wright, Logan Cooley, and Simon Nemec, Slafkovsky is proving his worth. His expected goals percentage at 5-on-5 was nearly 50%, placing him fourth among regular Canadiens forwards during that period.

Looking ahead to the new season, Slafkovsky is set to be a key player for the Canadiens. He finished last season with a pace that could see him scoring up to 80 points if things go well . However, the team needs more than just his talent to climb past teams like the Senators and Sabres in their division. The good news is that Montreal has other promising forwards ready to step up.

Team Dynamics:

Nick Suzuki had an amazing year with a career-high of 77 points. Cole Caufield aims for a comeback after scoring only 28 goals last season post-shoulder surgery. Kirby Dach’s potential remains largely untapped due to injuries but could be exciting alongside Slafkovsky on a line. Fans might think this duo could become one of the most thrilling combinations in recent memory.

If players like Alex Newhook and Joshua Roy can solidify their roles, Montreal’s forward lines will be strong contenders in their division. Unfortunately, some young talents like Ivan Demidov and Michael Hage are still not ready yet.

Defensive Prospects:

David Reinbacher might play his first NHL games this season, but it’s uncertain if he will become the top defenseman Montreal hopes for. The current defensive lineup beyond Mike Matheson and Kaiden Guhle is quite mixed up. Reinbacher’s offensive skills could complement Arber Xhekaj’s rugged style well.

If any among Lane Hutson, Justin Barron, Logan Mailloux, Jordan Harris or Jayden Struble emerge as standout defenders this year, it would greatly help Montreal compete better without having made any big defensive additions recently.

Sam Montembeault had an outstanding year as goalie despite a shaky defense line-up; he ranked tenth in goals saved above expected last season according to Evolving-Hockey stats.

Montreal isn’t fully ready for a major turnaround after three years focused on draft positioning but with stars like Slafkovsky rising they might start making things tougher for their rivals soon enough!

What do you think? Will Slafkovsky lead them into playoff contention?