As December approaches, the Montreal Canadiens will soon need to focus on a matter concerning Juraj Slafkovsky, their first overall pick in the 2022 draft.
In a few weeks, the World Junior Championship (WJC) will begin, and it could technically be Slafkovsky's last chance to participate. The WJC is a legendary event for young players, having significantly contributed to the development of many key prospects. The Canadiens' management has the opportunity to correct last year's decision and let their young talent play a leading role for his country.
Regarding the possibility of participating in this tournament, the Canadiens' general manager, Kent Hughes, has spoken about an upcoming decision for Slafkovsky.
However, Hughes' view may not align with others. While it's true that it's only a few weeks of hockey and it doesn't make a career, seeing Slafkovsky potentially make an impact in the tournament could be a turning point for his development and confidence.
Many fans hope the team management will dare to give Slafkovsky the chance to excel among his peers and play significant games with Slovakia's intriguing team. He could join his good friend Filip Mesar from the Canadiens and other promising Slovak prospects like Dalibor Dvorsky, Adam Gajan, and Simon Nemec.
After all, he would only be away for about three weeks, which wouldn't be dramatic for the Canadiens.
