Slovakia Olympic Hockey Team: Juraj Slafkovský’s Rising Star Power

Juraj Slafkovský is quickly becoming a dominant force, not only for the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL but also for the Slovakia Olympic hockey team. His performance at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina is a testament to his breakout season, carrying momentum from his impressive NHL stats onto the international stage.

The 21-year-old has already amassed seven points (three goals, four assists) with a crucial power-play goal and 20 shots on goal in just four games, propelling Slovakia to the semifinals – a feat only achieved once before when NHL players participated (2010 Vancouver Olympics). This success builds on his stellar performance in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where he led the tournament with seven goals in seven games and tied for the most points (seven).

Slafkovský’s NHL Dominance

Selected first overall by Montreal in the 2022 NHL Draft, Slafkovský is exceeding expectations. He’s already achieved career highs in goals (21), power-play goals (10), and power-play points (17) in 57 games this season. Remarkably, he’s the only NHL player to reach at least 20 goals while also recording over 100 shots on goal (117), 80 hits (83), and 40 blocks (53).

PIT@MTL: Slafkovsky snaps it home on the power play to open scoring [Link to NHL.com video]

Key Stats Driving Slafkovský’s Success

• High-Danger Goals: Slafkovský ranks in the 91st percentile among NHL forwards with 12 high-danger goals.
• Midrange Goals: He’s also in the 88th percentile with six midrange goals.
• Shot Speed: His shot speed is a significant factor, with 17 attempts between 80-90 mph (86th percentile), doubling his total from last season.
• Skating Speed: Reaching a max speed of 23.03 mph (87th percentile), his fastest burst in four NHL seasons.
• Speed Bursts: Nearly doubling his 20+ mph speed bursts (101, 84th percentile) compared to last season.

The Montreal Canadiens, benefiting from players like Slafkovský, rank third in the NHL in 20+ mph speed bursts (1,466).

Power Play Prowess and Line Chemistry

Slafkovský anchors Slovakia’s top line and first power play. For the Canadiens, he’s been playing alongside rookies Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen, and on the first power play with Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Demidov, and Lane Hutson. He’s tied for 10th in the NHL with 10 power-play goals, sharing the team lead with Suzuki – a significant jump from the five he scored last season.

His improvements in power-play stats are linked to his strong offensive zone time percentages, ranking in the 87th percentile among forwards (61.8%) and 84th percentile at all strengths (44.8%).

Slafkovský, along with the Canadiens’ young core, has helped the team rank third in the Eastern Conference in points percentage (.632) at the Olympic break.

For more in-depth analysis of advanced stats and player tracking, explore NHL EDGE.

The success of the 2026 Winter Olympics hinges on players like Slafkovský, who are redefining the game with their skill, speed, and dedication.