Juraj Slafkovsky vs Shane Wright: Kent Hughes and the Canadiens Appear to Have Concretely Made the Right Choice

Throughout that season, Montreal fans dreamed of adding Shane Wright to their lineup. After all, the former Kingston Frontenacs forward had gathered 94 points in 63 OHL games, long considered the future first overall pick in the 2022 draft class.

However, as the season progressed, Juraj Slafkovsky began climbing the ranks in analysts' "rankings." The Slovak right winger, with an imposing frame of 6'3" and 230 pounds, tantalized many teams, so much so that after his performances at the Olympics and World Championship, some saw him as the draft's top player.

Despite this, Slafkovsky was clearly not the favorite among Canadiens fans, notably booed upon his arrival on the red carpet at the Bell Centre around the draft. Therefore, disappointment was palpable when Kent Hughes, assisted by his panel of scouts, announced Juraj's selection with the very first pick of the 2022 draft.

Furthermore, his first season in the NHL was rather challenging. Despite his impressive physique, the young forward, only 18 at the time, often found himself in vulnerable situations, absorbing solid hits game after game. He eventually suffered an injury that ended his season, having only collected 10 points in 39 games.

This immediately led Quebec fans to question the management's choice, especially as Shane Wright excelled in the OHL and AHL, and Logan Cooley dominated in the American college ranks.

However, after a rather subdued start to the season where the forward showed some "offensive flashes," Juraj Slafkovsky has elevated his game to a new level. The Slovak is finally proving why he deserved to be the first overall pick, becoming one of the team's best forwards night after night.

Now playing alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, a combination many eagerly anticipated, CH's number 20 is completely transformed. He uses his size to his advantage, becoming a master at puck retention in the offensive zone.

Moreover, he has excellent game vision and loves to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. Additionally, at the request of his line mates, Juraj Slafkovsky increasingly uses his devastating shot, evidenced by his five goals in the last five games.

It's likely that many fans have already forgotten Shane Wright and Logan Cooley!

Wow! This is simply astonishing, especially considering Slaf has better stats than Wright, even though the Canadian center plays in the American League.

Certainly, it's incredibly encouraging to see him progress in this way. There's now no doubt that the Montreal Canadiens selected the best player available in the 2022 draft. And let's not forget, he's only 19 years old. The future looks very bright for our power forward. It wouldn't be surprising if the trio of Juraj Slafkosvky, Nick Suzuki, and Cole Caufield becomes one of the best in the NHL in the coming seasons.