Who is Juraj Slafkovsky, the number 1 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft? Bio, stats, profile...
The Montreal Canadiens chose an 18-year-old from Slovakia first overall in the 2022 NHL Draft over Canadian native Shane Wright.
The 2022 NHL draft began on Thursday and two players from Slovakia went first and second overall. In a shocking turn of events, the Montreal Canadiens selected Juraj Slafkovsky first overall. The New Jersey Devils selected Simon Nemec second. It was a surprise that the Canadiens picked Slafkovsky, as Canadian local Shane Wright was the clear favorite to go first overall for years before the draft. Wright didn’t end up going until No. 4 to the Seattle Kraken, with the Arizona Coyotes taking Pittsburgh center Logan Cooley.
Who is Juraj Slafkovsky?
The No. 1 pick in the 2022 NHL draft Juraj Slafkovsky comes from Kosice, Slovakia and at just 18 years old, has a list of impressive accomplishments. He played for Slovakia in the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup and gave them nine points, leading them to win the silver medal. He really caught people’s attention when he played at the international level in the Beijing Olympics and won the MVP award. Slafkovsky was the youngest player and scored seven goals for Slovakia, helping them to win the bronze. He caught eyes for his speed, but more than that, his size.
Slafkovsky is listed at 6′3″ and 218 pounds. That’s what the Canadiens need right now - a big power forward with the ability to make above average shots. He is young, but he has loads of potential, and the Canadiens chose to look ahead to the future rather than the immediate satisfaction. We could soon see him playing alongside top Canadien players Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.