Future generation of NHL stars | Slafkovsky and Celebrini take center stage

Juraj Slafkovsky was a National Hockey League draft pick, as were Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid and Connor Bedard. However, the spotlight hasn’t shined as brightly and the level of attention for him in Montreal hasn’t been as high.

“That’s what I like,” Slafkovsky noted.

Regardless of the attention or lack of it, Slafkovsky stands at the forefront of the next generation of hockey stars, along with players like Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, of the San Jose Sharks, JJ Peterka, of the Buffalo Sabers and Luke Hughes of the New Jersey Devils.

“It’s really cool to be part of it, and I hope I will be part of it,” Slafkovsky said two years after the Montreal Canadiens selected him first in the annual auction.

“I hope we can achieve things as the youngest generation. »

Slafkovsky, Peterka, Hughes and Quinton Byfield of the Los Angeles Kings have already had some experience, and the time has come to show that they can be among the best in the league.

Furthermore, newcomers like Celebrini, Smith, Matvei Michkov, Philadelphia Flyers and even Canadian defenseman Lane Hutson rank among the early favorites in the race for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s rookie of the year. .

Macklin Celebrini

The newest first overall pick in the NHL draft doesn’t have the label of “generational talent” like Crosby, McDavid or Bedard, but he still won the Hobey-Baker Trophy last season at Boston University as the best college player in the United States with 64 points in 38 games.

Sharks forward William Eklund wasn’t very familiar with Celebrini’s game before the draft, so he made it a point to check out his highlights.

“I’ve read up on him a little bit and it’s obvious he has a lot of skill,” Eklund said. “He’s a top player, and it will be fun to see.” »

Will Smith

Rivals at Boston-area colleges, Smith and Celebrini are now the faces of San Jose’s rebuild.

“It’ll be a fun relationship,” said Smith, the fourth overall pick in 2023, who decided to turn pro after starring at Boston College last season.

“It’s really cool. We were talking about it earlier, how crazy it is that we’re on the same team. »

Smith, who is a year older than Celebrini, is coming off a 71-point season, helped the United States win gold at the World Junior Championships and competed at the World Championship.

“He’s a kid who has a great future and a lot of talent,” said Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren, who was his teammate at the World Championship.

“He’s a really good guy, too, and I think he’ll play for San Jose this year and do really well. »

Juraj Slafkovsky

The team’s Most Valuable Player at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, a tournament held in the absence of NHL skaters, struggled in his first year.

Last season, he quintupled his production with 20 goals, 30 assists and 50 points and said, “I’m ready to start over where I left off.”

In the spring, Slafkovsky signed an eight-year contract extension worth more than $60 million. Now it’s up to the great Slovak striker to deserve it.

“I just want to show them that they made the right decision,” Slafkovsky said. “I feel like the only way to do it is to show up every day, play hard and be present. »

JJ Peterka

A second-round pick by the Sabers in 2020, Peterka is older (22) but could be called upon to play on the top line this season after establishing himself as a full-time player in the NHL and scoring 28 goals.

The German-born forward is entering the final year of his current contract and will look to get the kind of guaranteed contract that Slafkovsky and others received.

Peterka thinks the key is not putting too much pressure on himself, especially when trying to help the Sabers end the league’s longest playoff drought.

“I want to be put in situations where I’m not too uncomfortable,” Peterka said.

“I want to be more responsible, more consistent. For me, it’s just about taking the next step to grow as a player, as a more complete player. »

Quinton Byfield

The six-foot-five, 220-pound power forward is expected to play center after signing a five-year, $31.25 million contract. He spent the summer working on his shot to be more threatening from distance and prefers to play center offensively and defensively.

“I like to play good defense and shut down opponents’ top lines, so when I can be in my zone and play against close to the net, that’s where I want to be,” Byfield said.

“Also, I don’t want to just play along the boards and skate towards the opponent’s zone. I want to be able to use my speed and demand the middle of the ice. »

Luke Hughes

A left shoulder injury sustained during summer training could cause the Devils defenseman to miss the start of the season. This absence should not prevent Hughes from continuing the momentum of his first year during which he amassed 47 points, which placed him in third place in the voting for the Calder Trophy.

“He’s going to take another step,” said Jack Hughes, his older brother and teammate in New Jersey.

“Luke will show even more maturity this year. He’ll know the league and the players a little better and he’ll know what he can do and where he can capitalize on certain things. I think he’ll have a better year offensively, obviously, and he’ll continue to improve. »

Matvei Mishkov

The 19-year-old Russian winger is the new face of the Flyers, with the weight of their nearly five-decade Stanley Cup drought on his shoulders. Michkov was the seventh pick in 2023, with some teams fearing he wouldn’t be able to leave the KHL or would have watched less than other players due to the war in Ukraine.

The first reactions are positive.

“Everyone is very happy to have him, and when you see him on the ice, it’s pretty special and it gives a positive boost to our team,” said forward Owen Tippett. “He is very skilled. We are all very happy to have him on our side and we can’t wait to see what he can do. »

Lane Hutson

A pass from Hutson during an intrasquad game early in training camp, which landed on the blade of teammate Emil Heineman’s stick, went viral in hockey circles. This is just a taste of what the 20-year-old defenseman could do as he gets used to life in the NHL, but there are already high expectations for him in Montreal.

“I haven’t proven anything yet,” Hutson said. “There are a lot of things to prove before I become a known face in the team. »

Associated Press sports writer Mark Anderson and freelance journalist WG Ramirez contributed to this article.