SUNRISE | Juraj Slafkovsky never doubted. Even though he seemed dazed after Stefan Noesen’s check, he was convinced that he had not suffered a concussion.
• Read also: “When a guy is lying on the ice, I think it’s worth checking him out”
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“The referees told me he hit me in the chest,” Slafkovsky said sarcastically. So, I guess I was ready to play.”
A sign of a healthy player, Slafkovsky participated in the Canadian’s training the day after this 5-3 loss against the Hurricanes in Raleigh. The top of the class for the 2022 draft still had the end of the meeting on his heart.
“The worst part for me was that they took me out of the game for no reason. I missed important minutes at the end of the game, the last five. I wanted to play. And we didn’t benefit from a punishment to the Hurricanes. But there’s nothing I can do now.”
A scout (spotter) located in the stands of PNC Arena required Slafkovsky to pass the concussion protocol. Despite the 19-year-old winger’s dissatisfaction, it is a wise decision. But we understand and welcome the competitive side of the main person concerned.
“We knew since last night that he was going to jump on the ice this morning,” said Martin St-Louis. It’s a check that we’re trying to eliminate, but it’s still a fast game. It is impossible to eliminate them 100%. This is a situation that can happen. I’m just glad to see Slaf is okay.”
Slafkovsky will therefore continue his long audition at the right wing of the first line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. For the visit to Sunrise, Florida against the Panthers, he will be playing his eleventh straight game in this position. He hasn’t just gained confidence since his time on this unit, he’s also found ways to contribute offensively.
An upcoming debate?
Josh Anderson said it in the opposing team’s tiny locker room at PNC Arena. He would like referees to be allowed to review head hits without having to hand out a five-minute penalty on the spot.
“When a guy is lying on the ice, I think it’s worth checking him out,” Anderson said Thursday evening. They don’t necessarily have to punish, but at least look in case there was a blow to the head. That’s just my opinion.”
St. Louis added his voice to Anderson’s.
“I think the referees should be able to review the play, absolutely,” said the head coach. It’s happening quickly. I wasn’t sure after the fact and I saw it live. On the restart, it’s one frame at a time and you can see where the point of impact is. Referees have a difficult job. They need to make a decision directly. I don’t blame the referees. The NHL already does a good job of limiting hits to the head. If we go back 15 or 20 years, it happened every game. And more than once per match.
If he voted “yes” to the possibility of seeing a blow to the head again, St. Louis would hesitate to imitate the International Hockey Federation which automatically punishes all blows to this fragile region of the body.
“We have to be careful on this subject since there are occasions when the blame goes to the one who takes the blow,” he replied. A player can lose his balance before being hit. There are gray areas. But we are looking at this gray area today, unlike another era when head checks remained legal.
On another note, St-Louis confirmed that Jake Allen will be its starting goalie on Saturday against the Panthers.