Juraj Slafkovsky was an NHL draft decide, identical to Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid and Connor Bedard. The highlight, nevertheless, has not been fairly as shiny or the hype prepare as robust for him in Montreal.
“I prefer it that method,” Slafkovsky stated.
Whatever the consideration or lack thereof, Slafkovsky is on the vanguard of hockey’s subsequent era of stars, together with the likes of San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, Buffalo’s JJ Peterka and New Jersey’s Luke Hughes.
“It’s actually cool to be part of it, and I hope I can be part of it,” Slafkovsky stated two years after the Canadiens took him at No. 1 in 2022. “Hopefully we will do some issues because the youthful era.”
Slafkovsky, Peterka, Hughes and Quinton Byfield of the Los Angeles Kings have been round a bit, and now could be the time to indicate they are often among the many league’s finest. Newcomers like Celebrini, Smith, Philadelphia’s Matvei Michkov and even teammate Lane Hutson are front-runners within the race for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the yr.
Macklin Celebrini
The newest No. 1 decide doesn’t have the so-called “generational expertise” label like Crosby, McDavid or Bedard, however he nonetheless gained the Hobey Baker Award final season at Boston College as the highest school participant within the nation with 64 factors in 38 video games.
Sharks ahead William Eklund was not too accustomed to Celebrini’s recreation till the draft, so he made it some extent to take a look at his highlights.
“I appeared him up just a little bit, and clearly he’s an ideal ability man,” Eklund stated. “He’s a high-caliber participant, and it’s going to be enjoyable to see.”
BetMGM Calder Trophy odds: 4-1
Will Smith
Rivals at Boston-area faculties, Smith and Celebrini at the moment are entrance and middle because the faces of San Jose’s rebuild.
“It’s going to be a enjoyable relationship,” stated Smith, the fourth decide in 2023 who determined to show professional after starring final season at Boston School. “Actually cool. We have been speaking about it earlier simply how loopy it’s that we’re on the identical group now.”
Smith, a yr older than Celebrini, is coming off a 71-point season, helped the U.S. win world junior gold and performed on the world championships.
“He’s a child that has a very shiny future and a ton of expertise,” stated Washington goaltender Charlie Lindgren, who was a teammate at worlds. “A extremely good child, too, and I believe he’ll go in and play for San Jose this yr and I believe you’ll see him do fairly nicely.”
BetMGM Calder Trophy odds: 5-1
Juraj Slafkovsky
The MVP of the 2022 Beijing Olympics with out NHL gamers struggled in his rookie yr. Final season, he quintupled his manufacturing with 20 targets, 30 assists and 50 factors and stated, “I’m prepared to begin the place I completed.”
Slafkovsky within the spring signed an eight-year contract extension price over $60 million. Now it’s as much as the massive Slovak ahead to earn it.
“I simply wish to present them that they made the precise determination,” Slafkovsky stated. “I really feel like the one method I can do it’s exhibiting up daily and enjoying laborious and being there.”
JJ Peterka
A 2020 second-round decide of the Sabres, Peterka is older at 22 however might get a glance on the primary line this season after establishing himself as a full-time NHL participant and scoring 28 targets. The Germany-born ahead is in a contract yr trying to get the type of assured deal Slafkovsky and others have.
Peterka thinks the secret’s not placing an excessive amount of stress on himself, particularly whereas attempting to assist Buffalo finish the league’s longest playoff drought.
“I wish to be put extra in conditions the place I’m perhaps not too uncomfortable,” Peterka stated. “I wish to be extra accountable, extra constant. For me it’s simply take the subsequent step to simply develop as a participant, as extra of an entire participant.”
Quinton Byfield
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound energy ahead is anticipated to play middle after getting a five-year, $31.25 million contract. He spent the summer time engaged on his shot to be extra of a menace from additional away from the online and prefers middle offensively and defensively.
“I like enjoying good protection and shutting down their prime traces, so once I might be in my very own finish type of enjoying these guys down low, that’s the place I wish to be,” Byfield stated. “Additionally I don’t wish to simply be on the wall standing there going up the ice. I need to have the ability to use my pace and type of demand the center of the ice.”
Luke Hughes
A left shoulder damage from summer time coaching might trigger the Devils defenseman to overlook the beginning of the season. That absence shouldn’t maintain Hughes from constructing on a 47-point rookie yr that left him third in Calder Trophy voting.
“He’ll take one other step,” older brother and New Jersey teammate Jack Hughes stated. “Luke can be much more mature this yr. He’ll know the league just a little bit extra and know the gamers and he’ll know issues he can get away with and the place he can capitalize on sure issues. I believe he’ll have a greater yr offensively, clearly, and simply maintain getting higher.”
Matvei Michkov
The 19-year-old Russian winger is the brand new face of the Flyers with the load of the franchise’s practically five-decade Stanley Cup drought on his shoulders. Michkov was the seventh decide in 2023, with some groups involved he won’t have the ability to depart the KHL or was under-scouted given the conflict in Ukraine.
Early returns are constructive.
“Everybody’s actually excited to have him, and while you see him on the ice it’s fairly particular and offers our group a constructive increase,” ahead Owen Tippett stated. “Tremendous expert. We’re all actually excited to have him on our aspect, and we’re excited to see what he can do.”
BetMGM Calder Trophy odds: 7-2
Lane Hutson
A saucer cross from Hutson throughout an early coaching camp scrimmage that landed proper on the stick blade of teammate Emil Heineman went viral in hockey circles. It’s only a style of what the 20-year-old defenseman may have the ability to do when he will get used to life within the NHL, however he already has massive expectations in Montreal.
“I haven’t proved something but,” Hutson stated. “There’s lots to show earlier than I’m even near a face of the group.”
BetMGM Calder Trophy odds: 7-1
