The dry spell of Juraj Slafkovsky worries me.

Dose
Crédit: Juraj Slafkovsky is going through tough times.

There has been a lot of talk about Kirby Dach’s struggles since the start of the season.

A year and a half ago, we were wondering if Kirby Dach had what it takes to “steal” the first center position from Nick Suzuki…

But now, a year later, we’re more curious about how he manages not to feel a sense of urgency.

Dach has only two goals and seven assists in 28 games this season.

Before finally finding the back of the net (a desert) on Monday night against the Ducks, he had gone 19 games without scoring a single goal. All this while playing on the bottom six, now alongside Juraj Slafkovsky and Patrik Laine…

It must be said that the knee operation he underwent is enough to scare for the rest of his career.

It’s essentially the same operation that Dvid Reinbacher had… and that Patrik Laine was able to avoid.

However, Kirby Dach is not the only player currently causing concern in Montreal. Juraj Slafkovsky has only one goal in his last 21 games. #DrySpell

Yet, Slaf is still playing in the top six alongside talented players.

Elliotte Friedman told us in August that Slafkovsky was starting to look massive. Has he become too massive?

Two days later, Slaf was named Player of the Year in Slovakia, where he is a true star.

It should be noted that we also learned over the summer that he was in a relationship with a Quebecer: Angélie Bourgeois-Pelletier (whose Instagram account is now public, by the way).

However, since then, things have not been going well for Slafkovsky.

He has been benched by Martin St-Louis…

He admitted that he is not the easiest player to coach…

He was spoken to harshly by Kent Hughes…

And he had a long discussion with Martin St-Louis yesterday after practice.

On Monday, Slafkovsky did not register a single shot on goal. And he didn’t even spend 15 minutes on the ice…

Logan Cooley and Shane Wright, both selected after Slafkovsky, are currently having great moments. And what about Lane Hutson, selected 61 ranks after the first overall pick (Slafkovsky) in 2022?

Juraj Slafkovsky is going through tough times.
(Credit: Getty Images)

It is time to see Slafkovsky start to play like a first overall pick. Especially since he will start his eight-year contract valued at $7.6 million per season next season!

And he will earn no less than $10 million in 2025-26!

No, Slafkovsky is not playing like a $10 million guy right now. Not at all…

But he is now considered a star player. He must deal with the pressure and expectations that come with it.

Kirby Dach is a guy making less than $4 million…

Alex Newhook? Less than $3!

But Slafkovsky is one of our leaders in offense. When you are rebuilding, you must ensure that your highest-paid young forwards develop properly.

Yes, the Slafkovsky situation is starting to worry me.

If I were him, I would find a way to score tonight at the Bell Centre or next week against the Sabres or the Red Wings. Because after that, it’s going to get even more complicated…

Overtime

A bit earlier in the 2nd season of Stanley25, Jean Trudel raised the hypothesis that playing for the Montreal Canadiens means “constantly being in adrenaline”.

And when you don’t feel it – and you need it – you just have to post a photo on social media to get it back.

Unlike “playing for the Panthers, Ducks, Kings, Sharks, or the Lightning,” let’s say…

Does Slafkovsky get his adrenaline fix too easily by being a star in Montreal and Slovakia? It’s possible…

But we must not underestimate the impact of criticism on players, especially on social media. A guy like Andrei Markov never let himself be affected by people’s comments, and it helped him achieve long-term success in Montreal.

A guy like Kirby Dach seems – just like Mika Zibanejad, by the way – to care too much about what people think of him.

I dealt with that for a few years (career in the music industry and the start of my journey in the sports media universe), but I realized a few years ago that I couldn’t control what people think of me and that very often, what they think is far from reality.

Let’s hope that Dach and Slaf will find a mental place to retreat to in order to find success again in a market like Montreal.