When the Montreal Canadiens drafted Juraj Slafkovsky with the No. 1 pick in 2022, they didn’t wait long to add his best friend to the mix, selecting fellow Slovakian forward Filip Mesar 26th overall.
Slafkovsky’s road to becoming a full-time NHLer was rocky at first, but an impressive 2023-24 campaign solidified his spot in the team’s top six.
Mesar, on the other hand, is still waiting for his chance.
While they currently play in different leagues, Mesar and Slafkovsky still hang out whenever they can. And despite the Montreal winger recently signing a massive eight-year extension, their dynamic has remained the same.
“It’s the same like it was before. We’re best friends. Growing up, we played together on the national team, on the same line like every year,” Mesar told Daily Hive, reflecting on their bond. “Nothing’s changed. He’s the same Juraj. If there’s a day off for both of us, we’ll for sure go for dinner.”
Speaking of dinner, when Mesar first arrived in Montreal in August, he turned to his trustworthy buddy for recommendations on local eats.
“I texted him to give me some ideas for restaurants around here. He gave me a lot of options. He already feels at home,” Mesar explained.
Since then, the two old friends seem to have developed a taste for Montreal’s Italian food scene as the Spisska Bela native name-dropped a couple of places they frequent.
“We went to La Medusa together. And Moretti,” he explained. “Fish Bone is pretty good too, I like all of them. I don’t really have a favourite.”
Good food aside, Mesar is beginning to find his way around town too, revealing that he temporarily moved in with Canadiens blueliner Jayden Struble before finding an apartment of his own.
“I texted him to see if I could stay with him. He had one extra bedroom. We’re good friends,” Mesar shared, adding that he has since moved into a place near the Rocket’s home rink.
After logging an excellent World Juniors performance and spending the bulk of last season lighting it up in the OHL, Mesar rejoined the Canadiens’ training camp this fall, determined to prove himself. Though he earned an AHL spot with the Rocket, the young forward’s sights remain firmly set on the NHL.
“It was a big motivation for me,” Mesar said, recalling being sent down after two AHL games last fall. “I was coming back to prove I’m not only good enough to play in this league but to play in the NHL in the future.”
The 5-foot-10 winger is off to a promising start, netting five points in four games with the Rocket so far this season.
With solid connections off the ice, only time will tell how Mesar’s chemistry with teammates translates once he finally gets his shot at the next level.