When you think of the best hockey players to come out of Slovakia, Marian Hossa, Miroslav Satan, Pavol Demitra, and Marian Gaborik are just a handful of those names. Within the next decade you’ll be able to add another name to that list, Juraj Slafkovsky.
Juraj Slafkovsky is a 17-year-old centerman and top draft eligible prospect from Kosice, Slovakia. He currently plays for TPS Turku in Finland’s highest division, SM-liiga.
Many people outside of Europe or NHL front offices may not have heard about Juraj Slafkovsky prior to his incredible performance at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. NHL Central Scouting has Slafkovsky listed as the number two prospect among International skaters for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, which will be held in Montreal, Quebec in July.
At Beijing 2022, Slafkovsky played a major role in helping Slovakia secure their first ever Olympic medal, bronze. In their opening game against Finland, he scored twice, becoming the first 17-year-old to score in an Olympic tournament since Eddie Olczyk at Sarajevo 1984. Slafkovsky led the Olympics in scoring with seven goals in seven games, earning himself tournament MVP honours.
The last ten months have been busy for Slafkovsky on the international stage. He was selected to represent Slovakia at the 2021 IIHF World Hockey Championship in Latvia. He didn’t record any points in six games, but he left a lasting impression on general manager Miroslav Satan.
Three months later, Slafkovsky was selected once again for the national team, this time to help them qualify for the Olympics. In three games at the Final Qualifying Tournament, he had one assist while they defeated Austria, Poland and Belarus to reach their eighth consecutive Winter Olympics.
He also participated at the 2021 World Juniors and 2022 tournament, before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 outbreaks among a couple teams. Last July, one month before playing at the Final Olympic Qualifying Tournament, he played at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, winning the Silver medal, recording nine points in five games.
Slafkovsky possesses a lethal shot, which mixed with his strong vision and hockey IQ, makes him a dangerous offensive threat to any team he plays against. He also plays a physical game, which can help create offensive chances for his line mates. The only real weakness in Slafkovsky’s game is his skating, which he is working on and has gotten slightly better at over the last several months.
I’ve been watching Slafkovsky for a couple of years now and seeing how he’s played against men at the 2021 World Championship, Olympic qualifying, and the 2022 Olympics, this is a player who is close to being NHL-ready and could make an impact in the NHL in his rookie season. His strong play at Beijing 2022 has certainly closed the gap between him and Shane Wright, the projected first overall pick this summer.
To conclude my report on Juraj Slafkovsky, I’m going to provide you with list of different aspects of his game and rate them on a scale from N/A or limited viewing to 10. I will be using the NHL Central Scouting checklist as a guide. The rating scale as follows:
N/A, LV: Not Available, Limited Viewing; 1-2: Poor; 3-4: Average; 5-6: Good, 7-8: Very Good; 9-10: Excellent.
Skating: Acceleration (6), Speed (5), Balance (7), Mobility (6), Backwards skating (6).
Puck Skills: Shot accuracy (9), Shot strength (8), Shot release (8), Possesses multiple shot types (7), Puck protection (7), Face offs (6), Giving a pass (7), Receiving a pass (8), Scoring touch (7).
Competitiveness: Scoring drive (8), Work ethic (7), Attitude (6), Consistency (Rated 1 out of 5: 2), Forechecking (7).
Physical Play: Board & Corner play (7), Physical presence (7), Conditioning (8), Hitting (8), Fighting (N/A).
Hockey Sense: Playmaking (8), Anticipation (8), Discipline (5), Decision making (7), Play under pressure (8), Versatility (7).
Defensive Play: Defensive anticipation (7), Positioning (8), Backchecking (7), Defensive reliability (6).
Psychological Factors: Leadership (6), Communication (6), Confidence (8).
NHL Comparable: Blake Wheeler.
NHL ETA: 2022-23. Slafkovsky is close to NHL ready, and will make an impact to the roster of whoever selects him.
Potential: First line centerman.
Draft Projection: Second overall.
Juraj Slafkovsky. Born: Kosice, Slovakia. March 30th 2004 (17 years old). Position: Center. Height: 6’4″. Weight: 218. Shoots: Left.
2021-22 statistics
TPS Turku (SM-liiga): GP: 24. Goals: 1. Assists: 3. Points: 4. Penalty Minutes: 31. Plus/Minus: +/-0.
TPS Turku U20 (U20 SM-sarja): GP: 11. Goals: 6. Assists: 12. Points: 18. Penalty Minutes: 6. Plus/Minus: +6.
Slovakia (Olympics): GP: 7. Goals: 7. Assists: 0. Points: 7. Penalty Minutes: 0. Plus/Minus: +5.
Awards
International: 2022 Winter Olympics MVP, Olympic All-Star Team, Olympic Bronze Medal.
Statistics from: https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/527423/juraj-slafkovsky