Juraj Slavkowski, who was poised to be the top pick in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, first drew attention with his exceptional performance at the Olympics as a 17-year-old, earning MVP honors. Four years later, he returned to the Olympic stage representing Slovakia, carrying the hopes of his country. Before the tournament began, the young athlete acknowledged that competing against NHL players would create a different challenge, but he rose to the occasion as the competition intensified.
In Slovakia’s opening game against heavily favored Finland, a team nearly entirely composed of NHL players (with Mikko Lehtonen as the sole exception, who plays in Switzerland), Slavkowski made an immediate impact. Despite Slovakia having only seven NHLers, they weren’t fazed and secured a 4-1 victory, thanks in part to two goals and an assist from Slavkowski and a stellar performance from goalie Samuel Hlavai.
Pregame expectations suggested Slovakia’s weakness would be their goaltending, but Hlavai proved otherwise. Finland was aggressive early, and when Hlavai mishandled the puck, Slavkowski seized the opportunity, beating Finnish netminder Juuse Saros with a slick move. Slovakia led 1-0 after the first period, with Hlavai making 18 saves—a performance reminiscent of Latvian goalie Christers Gudrevskis’ 2014 Olympic effort of 55 saves in a narrow defeat.
Finland responded in the second period, with Jiri Tolvanen scoring off a brilliant pass from Artturi Lehkonen and Joel Armia just before Slovakia’s penalty ended. Despite Finland’s 15 more shots on goal, Slovakia’s defense and Hlavai’s saves kept them in the lead. Seven minutes into the final period, Dalibor Dvorski won a tough battle in the offensive zone, scoring on the rebound to push Slovakia ahead for good. Later, Slavkowski, after drawing a penalty, scored a beautiful goal on a power play, making it 3-1. Though he nearly completed a hat-trick, Finnish forward Sebastian Aho disrupted his shot, but Slavkowski’s relentless effort created opportunities for teammates, leading to another goal by Ruzicka.
The performance revealed significant growth in Slavkowski’s game since 2022. He’s now more confident with the puck, capable of skating and controlling the pace, and displays poise and size that match the expectations the Canadiens had when drafting him. His current tally of nine goals in eight Olympic games places him third in Slovakia’s all-time scoring list, surpassing Marian Gaborik, and hints at a promising future with more points ahead.
Meanwhile, Canadiens rookie Oliver Kapanen watched from the sidelines due to injury. Slovakia is set to face Italy next, a team composed entirely of non-NHL players, which could turn the tide for the hosts.
Fan Take: This breakthrough performance not only cements Slavkowski’s status as a rising star but also highlights the importance of international tournaments in showcasing young talent. For hockey fans, it’s exciting to see how this emerging star could influence both NHL and international hockey in the coming years, signaling a bright future for Slovak and global hockey.
