Why the Blue Jackets should consider drafting Juraj Slafkovsky, a skilled powerhouse
Juraj Slafkovsky is an NHL scout’s dream and, potentially, a goalie’s worst nightmare.
Those paid to say or spell his name a lot may also have drawbacks, but there’s not much to dislike about Slafkovsky otherwise. The massively built Slovakian shot up draft rankings last season while carrying his country to a bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in February and reaffirmed his ability by putting Slovakia's team on his back at the men’s world championships too.
Slafkovsky’s skill, at his size, makes him the most impressive specimen in the draft — and that’s taking into account a low offensive output (five goals) for TPS in Finland’s elite league (Liiga).
The only thing keeping Slafkovsky from being a lock to go first overall on Thursday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal is his position. He’s a winger instead of a center, which may be the reason the host Montreal Canadiens take the Canadian, Shane Wright, over Slafkovsky.
NHL draft: Everything you need to know about the Blue Jackets at the 2022 NHL draft
If the decision were based on physical measurements and high-end skill, it would be Slafkovsky and his tree trunk legs by a mile.
“He’s the most physically mature,” said Dan Marr, director of NHL Central Scouting. “He’s (also) a player that figures the game out. He’s played against older players. He’s been doing that for a couple years now, but you could see at the Olympics, more so, and then at the world championships again ... he adapts to the game quickly.”
The Blue Jackets hold the sixth and 12th overall picks, so they’ll probably need to move up if they want a shot at Slafkovsky.
In the event they do, here’s what to know about Slafkovsky, who ranks first on NHL Central Scouting’s list of European skaters:
Position: RW
Height, weight: 6-4, 229
Shoots: Left
Birthdate: Mar. 30, 2004
Birthplace: Kosice, Slovakia
Team (League): TPS (Liiga); TPS (Finnish junior U20); Slovakian Olympic, men's world championship and U18 world championship teams
2021-22 point totals: Five goals, five assists and 10 points in 31 games (Liiga); 6 goals, 12 assists and 18 points in 11 games (Finnish junior U20); 21 goals, nine assists and 30 points in 34 international games for Slovakian national teams
What are Juraj Slavkofsky's strengths?
It starts with an impressive combination of size, skating, shot, vision and hands that allows Slafkovsky to excel inside the offensive zone.
He can shield defenders from the puck with ease, hang onto pucks for long stretches and scan the ice while doing it to spot scoring opportunities for teammates.
Slafkovsky's brute strength also gives him a hard, accurate wrist shot to use after gaining scoring position in dangerous areas. There is also no lack of confidence with Slafkovsky, whose success was against grown men and seasoned professionals.
“I’m pretty confident,” Slafkovsky said at the NHL scouting combine in May. “I knew I could play (great) hockey already, but I just didn’t show it (until last season). … I (just) needed to trust myself more and just try those things, what I do.”
Slafkovsky’s confidence spilled over to the combine in Buffalo, where he told reporters that Montreal should select him with the No. 1 overall pick instead of Wright — who’d already stated the same opinion of himself.
“That’s what he thinks,” Slafkovsky said. “I think something else.”
What are Juraj Slafkovsky's weaknesses?
The biggest warning light is about Slafkovsky's lack of offensive output in Finland.
He finished with a scoring line of just 5-5-10 in 31 Liiga games, which isn’t an impressive total for a candidate vying to be the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft. Scoring in Finland is often lower than other leagues because of the strategies employed by coaches — offensive and defensive — but Slafkovsky's output for TPS still stands out as a potential concern.
“I think it’s all about the trust and the freedom, like what I get from the coach on the (Slovakian) national team,” said Slafkovsky, who was asked at the combine about his scoring struggles in Finland. “In TPS, it’s a lot about the style. If you watch our games in TPS, it’s a lot of defending. It’s also, like, boring to watch. But it’s not an excuse, so yeah, I should score more. But I’m OK with how my season ended and I think I can build from that to be a solid hockey player.”
How would Juraj Slafkovsky fit in the Blue Jackets' system?
Should they get Slafkovsky, the Jackets will add an NHL-ready power forward they simply don’t have right now.
They do have Patrik Laine, an elite scoring forward with a similar frame and build, but Slafkovsky is more of a bull who engages physically more often. They also have speedy Eric Robinson, whose size isn't indicative of his speed-based playing style.
Forwards like Slafkovsky just don’t come along often and NHL teams aren’t always in position to add a player with his size, strength and skill through the draft. Slafkovsky is practically a lock to play in the NHL next season, which would make him a key part of the Jackets’ roster immediately.
Will Juraj Slafkovsky still be available for the Blue Jackets?
It’s not likely without general manager Jarmo Kekalainen swinging a deal to move up.
Slafkovsky might slip as far as third, but watching him tumble any farther would raise eyebrows. Kekalainen told the Dispatch he’s not expecting to move up from the sixth pick because it would likely require the Jackets to use the 12th pick as part of their offer, which he doesn’t want to do.
How long until Juraj Slafkovsky is ready for the NHL?
Slafkovsky thinks he’ll make an impact in the NHL next season and NHL Central Scouting's Marr agrees.
“He quickly finds out the way in which he can play his game and play it well to get things done out there,” Marr said. “So, he’s got a very good chance to make that jump because he’s had more professional experience at this point in his career. He’s better suited and prepared to manage the transition.”
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Why the Columbus Blue Jackets should consider drafting Slafkovsky
