Juraj Slafkovsky comments on the Canadiens trade for Patrik Laine

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Daniel Lucente
August 21, 2024 (7:32 PM)

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Patrik Laine was Juraj Slafkovsky's idol, so now that both players will be teammates, the excitement level he's feeling is completely off the charts.

The Montreal Canadiens acquired Patrik Laine on Monday when GM Kent Hughes made a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets that sent Jordan Harris the other way. Laine is a three-time 30-goal scorer and is joining a Habs team that has a good young core with the likes of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach, and of course Juraj Slafkovsky.

«I just landed in Prague and it popped up on my phone and I was so happy,» Slafkovsky said from the NHL European Media Tour in the Czech capital, according to NHL.com. «In 2016, I was probably 13 or 14 at that time, and I was a big fan of his, waiting to see whether he or [Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston] Matthews would go first (in the NHL Draft), so I was a fan of his back in the day.»

Patrik Laine only played in 18 games last season due to a shoulder injury and he also spent time in the NHL, NHLPA's players assistance program. Juraj Slafkovsky said that a change of scenery could be just exactly what Laine needs to get his career back on track.

«It's good to see him join our team and hopefully he's excited too,» Slafkovsky said. «I'm sure he wants to come and restart his career, and I feel like Montreal is a great place for him to do that.»

The upcoming season could be a big one for Juraj Slafkovsky as he looks to build on last season's career year. The first-overall pick in 2022 set career highs in goals with 20, assists with 30, and points with 50, and managed to appear in every single one of his team's 82 games.

With all the recent activity surrounding him, Juraj Slafkovsky says he can't wait to get the season going.

«I'm excited about the season, especially with the Patrik Laine trade,» Slafkovsky said. «I wish we would could skip training camp and just start the season, because I'm excited to play games that mean something.»

This season will be the final one of Juraj Slafkovsky's entry-level deal, at which point his eight-year, $60.8 million extension will kick in beginning at the start of the 2025-26 season.

Source: Sportsnet
Canadiens' Slafkovsky 'so happy' to team up with idol Laine

Source: Hockey-Reference
Juraj Slafkovsky Stats