Kent Hughes had warned us a few times that he was not there to make the most popular decisions, but those he deemed most beneficial for the organization.
Posted at 7:26 p.m.
He moved from words to deeds. With the very first pick of the 2022 draft, the Canadian selected Juraj Slafkovsky on Thursday.
Shane Wright, a center, has long been seen as the future first choice of this 2022 auction. In the stands before the draft, he was warmly applauded each time he appeared on the giant screen and visibly represented the choice of the public.
But the CH rather lined up behind a giant format winger, who shone on the international scene, but who also had a modest season with the pros in Finland. Slafkovsky, 18, spent the season at TPS Turku, where he registered 5 goals and 5 assists in 31 games. In the playoffs, he was limited to 2 goals and 5 assists in 18 games.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
First round of the National Hockey League draft at the Bell Centre.
At the Olympics, however, the 6’4, 229 lb giant scored 7 goals in 7 games for Slovakia, before adding 9 points (3 goals, 6 assists) in 8 games at the World Senior Championship.
The great seduction
In recent weeks, Wright had been entitled to long phone calls with Martin St-Louis, head coach of the Canadiens, and Vincent Lecavalier, special adviser to hockey operations. Slafkovsky had received no such calls.
On the other hand, Thursday, Slafkovsky met Geoff Molson, the owner of the CH, while Wright was not entitled to this meeting. In Buffalo, at the NHL evaluation camp, Slafkovsky had also met with the staff of the CH.
Read the interview with Juraj Slafkovsky
The Habs therefore let slip Wright, perceived as a very complete center, who scored 94 points in 63 games with the Kingston Frontenacs this season. With Wright and Nick Suzuki, the Habs could have secured two youngsters at the center for several years.
Slafkovsky becomes the first player drafted by the CH at 1er rank since Doug Wickenheiser in 1980.