Juraj Slafkovsky
NHL — MONTREAL CANADIENS
2022 First Overall Draft Pick, NHL Entry Draft
2022 Olympic Bronze Medalist
2022 Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey MVP
2022 Slovak Player of the Year
2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Silver Medalist
Social Followers: Instagram, 277,000; TikTok, 249,600
Hometown: Košice, Slovakia
Selected first overall in the 2022 NHL Draft?
A dream come true.
Selected first overall by one of the six original NHL teams in their home rink?
You couldn’t script it any better.
For Juraj Slafkovsky, July 7, 2022 was a summer blockbuster.
That night, he made history as the highest Slovakian-born player chosen in the NHL Draft representing the future promise of the iconic Montreal Canadiens.
A left winger born in the small town of Košice, Slovakia, Slafkovsky grew up hockey-obsessed.
His commitment to the game has always been clear: At age 14, he made the decision to move to Finland seeking higher-calibre competition.
His dedication paid off.
First Slafkovsky, at just 17, led the Slovakian Men’s National Team as the tournament MVP to an historic Olympic bronze medal.
From there, the draft buzz started to build and in true Slafkovsky fashion, he relished it – smiling, laughing, and keeping things light every step of the way.
At six-foot-four and 238 pounds, Slafkovsky is described by teammates as ‘hard to miss and easy to like.’
His endearing personality, dynamic skill set, and drive to make a difference on the ice every play makes him one of the most unique young prospects in hockey.
Now, as part of a young and exciting new era of Montreal Canadiens, Slafkovsky is ready to play for one of the most storied franchises in professional sport.
And, more importantly, he's ready to show the Canadiens' fans why he deserved that first overall selection.
Prêt à écrire encore plus d'histoire.
