Montreal Canadiens take Juraj Slafkovsky with No. 1 pick in 2022 NHL draft

MONTREAL — Slovakian left winger Juraj Slafkovsky was selected No. 1 overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft on Thursday.

Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes announced the surprising pick before a packed house in Montreal’s own rink. It was the first time since 1985 the NHL draft’s host city has also held the first selection. The news of Slafkovsky being chosen was met with visible shock — and some resounding cheers — from the assembled fans.

The New Jersey Devils used the second pick on defenseman Simon Nemec. Logan Cooley of the U.S. National Development Program went to the Arizona Coyotes with the No. 3 pick, and the Seattle Kraken took Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) center Shane Wright with the fourth pick.

Slafkovsky was on Hughes’ shortlist at No. 1, along with Wright and Cooley. Wright had long been considered this draft’s top prospect, but Slafkovsky’s status began surging in recent weeks.

At 18, Slafkovsky already has the size (6-foot-4, 218 pounds) of a power forward to complement his finesse as a highly skilled offensive player. Slafkovsky developed his reputation as a hard-nosed, competitive skater with TPS of the Finnish League; last season he produced five goals and 10 points in 31 games.

Unlike some of his peers, Slafkovsky has experience playing with and against men internationally. He was just 17 when named to the Slovakian Olympic team in 2022 and excelled beyond expectations. Slafkovsky led the Olympic field with seven goals in seven games to help Slovakia take home bronze — the country’s first-ever Olympics medal in ice hockey — and earn tournament MVP honors.

Slafkovsky is now the highest-selected Slovakian-born player in NHL history. Marian Gaborik (3rd overall in 2000) previously held that mantle.

While Slafkovsky enjoyed a history-making year personally, Wright took a costly stumble last season.

The COVID-19 pandemic shuttered OHL operations in 2020-21 to leave Wright and hundreds of others without much opportunity to play competitively. Wright’s return in the OHL’s 2021-22 season was underwhelming to start as he produced just 22 points in the first 19 games. Wright’s performances picked up in the second half, as he finished with 32 goals and 94 points in 63 games, but some scouts felt he’d opened the door for others to unseat him as a consensus top prospect.

That’s exactly what Slafkovsky did. Now the Canadiens have a potential top-line player to groom for the future.