“Unbelievable moment ” – Montreal Canadiens pick Juraj Slafkovsky as No. 1 in first round of 2022 NHL Draft

It was a rollercoaster ride for Montreal as Day 1 of the 2022 NHL Draft has been set to take place. Hearts have been pounding for these thirty-two players who will hear their names being called out by an NHL team. In the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Entry Draft, Juraj Slafkovsky was chosen as the No. 1 overall by the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre on Thursday.

Slafkovsky exclaimed, “I think I didn’t even hear my name called”. “I just heard ‘Slovakia,’ and then I was like shocked, and I didn’t even listen anymore. I was just like shaking. I had goosebumps. Unbelievable moment for me.” It was the first pickup among the many, chosen amidst a cheering crowd, a brilliant start to an exciting night.

Slafkovsky is registered in Finland’s top professional men’s league and became the highest Slovakian player to get chosen in the NHL Draft. The Canadiens won the No. 1 selection at the NHL Draft lottery on 10th May. 2nd – 7th Round will be held on Friday. Shane Wright was a strong contender for the No. 1 position this time around, but things started to change up and he was chosen as the No. 4 pickup by the Seattle Kraken. Slafkovsky said, “Of course, I was surprised”. “Shane Wright was projected No. 1 for, I don’t know, four years, so of course, I’m really happy.”

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Montreal Canadiens selects Juraj Slafkovsky as No. 1

Shane Wright the center from the Ontario Hockey League’s Kingston Frontenacs has been considered the No. 1 pick in the draft. But in the past few weeks, his position has become less and less certain that he will be joining the Montreal Canadiens. On the other hand, Slovakian winger Juraj Slafkovsky has entered the ring and could play a role as a spoiler for Wright.

On Juraj Slafkovsky’s selection, Shane Wright said, “I told him a heck of a job, man, go kill it there … you deserve it”. “I got to know him pretty well. We talked a lot during this week, so super proud for him, super proud of what he’s accomplished.” Likewise, the compliment was warmly accepted by Slafkovsky, “He congratulated me, shook my hand”. “It just shows how good a man he is.”

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Slafkovsky had 10 points with 5 goals and 5 assists in 31 games with TPS of the Finnish Liiga this season. He had scored 7 points in 18 playoff games and was named the MVP at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. He said, “I just hope that [the Canadiens fans] will like me also one day”. “I will do everything to show I’m a good player and that I actually can make some history with Montreal.” Later Montreal traded defenceman Alexander Romanov and its fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft to the New York Islanders.

Shane Wright was 8th in the Ontario Hockey League with 94 points in 63 games including 51 in his final 32 games, according to nhl.com. He commented, “[Being selected No. 4] definitely puts a little chip on my shoulder, gives me a little bit more motivation to succeed and to be the guy I believe I can be,”. “I think [Seattle] is a great fit for me. I can really see myself being in that lineup and they’re a new franchise, so I’ll have a lot of opportunities to play and hopefully play soon and (I) believe I can play next season and be a high-end difference-maker on the team.”

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