With an assist in Tuesday night’s win in Colorado, Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky became the first and only teenager in franchise history to score 40 points in a season.
But rather than celebrating his new record with the NHL’s most storied franchise, the Canadiens winger told reporters he would much rather see success on a team level.
“People are talking about it around me. I’m happy about it but I just wanna keep playing, keep getting wins,” the 19-year-old said after the game. “I’d be much happier if we were going to the playoffs at the end of the year.”
Since being drafted first overall in 2022, the Slovakian has been under the microscope of both the Habs’ fan base and media. With that said, he has yet to experience the electric postseason atmosphere Montreal is known for, with the team entering their third consecutive finish toward the bottom of the standings.
Winning, above all else, remains Slafkovsky’s priority.
“That’s the main goal for me — to win something,” he added. “Obviously, it’s nice to get your own accomplishments but I want to win something with this team, not on my own.”
And while it takes four good lines (at least) for that to happen, Slafkovsky is keen on keeping up the pace as a member of Montreal’s first (and most productive) line alongside Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki.
“I just want to keep building my game, keep working and hard, and build the chemistry between me, [Caufield] and [Suzuki],” he said
With 11 games remaining on the Canadiens’ schedule, Slafkovsky, who will turn 20 on March 30, has the opportunity to further boost his point total before his breakout season concludes.
But as the Habs remain in the race to win the NHL draft lottery, they might want to hold off on a winning streak… for now.
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