“Martin St. Louis Demands Urgency From Former No. 1 Pick Juraj Slafkovsky: Canadiens Ready to Prove Their Worth”
🔥 ST. LOUIS CHALLENGES SLAFKOVSKY AND TEAM TO MEET HIGH EXPECTATIONS IN 2025-26 SEASON 🔥
After a surprising playoff run in 2025, the Montreal Canadiens are gearing up for another season with high hopes. Despite a rocky start last year, coach Martin St. Louis led the team through a second-half surge that propelled them into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. With the addition of defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders and the growth of young star Lane Hutson, the Canadiens have made big moves in the offseason. But as they opened training camp, St. Louis delivered a clear message to his team: the urgency to perform must start now.
St. Louis is particularly focused on Juraj Slafkovsky, the former No. 1 overall pick who has shown flashes of brilliance but struggled with slow starts to each of his first two seasons. The coach’s message was direct: Slafkovsky needs to bring urgency from day one.
"THE SHINNY HOCKEY IS OVER. THE REAL HOCKEY HAS GOTTA START NOW. IF YOU WANT SUCCESS, IT BEGINS WITH URGENCY FROM DAY ONE." St. Louis emphasized, underlining the need for his team to step up from the start of the season.
Slafkovsky, who has faced frustrations with his inconsistent starts, took the message to heart. Admitting that he had not fully committed to all aspects of his game in previous years, he acknowledged that the lack of urgency in his early seasons hindered his performance.
This year, Slafkovsky is determined to change that. He recognizes that playing hard, winning puck battles, and scoring goals are essential to his game, and he’s focused on carrying that intensity throughout the entire season, not just in bursts.
However, the urgency St. Louis is demanding from Slafkovsky extends to the entire team. Despite last season's playoff berth, there is lingering doubt about whether the Canadiens can replicate that success in 2025-26. To prove they are legitimate contenders, the team needs to play with consistency and intensity from the get-go.
"THE SHINNY HOCKEY IS OVER, (THE REAL HOCKEY) HAS GOTTA START NOW," St. Louis emphasized. “THE DECISION YOU MAKE WITH THE PUCK IN THE NEUTRAL ZONE, IT’S GOTTA START NOW. HOW YOUR ALARM GOES OFF FROM OFFENSE TO DEFENSE, IT’S GOTTA START NOW. THE WAY WE PLAY IN OUR D-ZONE, IT’S GOTTA START NOW…”
As the Canadiens prepare for their season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 8th, the team is fully aware that the stakes are high. If they are to prove they’re capable of competing in the playoff race once again, the time to start playing with urgency is now.
“Owen Power’s Strong Recovery: Sabres Defenseman Ready to Dominate After Knee Injury”
🔥 OWEN POWER BACK TO FULL STRENGTH: SABRES' DEFENSEMAN LOOKS SHARP IN CAMP 🔥
Owen Power’s recovery from the knee injury that sidelined him late last season is nothing short of impressive. A few moments watching him at the Buffalo Sabres' training camp is all it takes to see there are no lingering effects from the collision he had with Florida’s Carter Verhaeghe in April. The former No. 1 overall pick is skating at full speed, showing zero signs of discomfort or limitation.
"I THINK WHETHER I WAS COMING OFF THE REHAB OR NOT, IT’S NICE TO GET OUT THERE AND START GETTING SOME REAL PRACTICES AND JUST START COMPETING WITH ALL THE GUYS. I FEEL GOOD. I THINK THE BODY FEELS REALLY GOOD. FEET FEEL A LITTLE QUICKER. SO I DEFINITELY FEEL GOOD. AND I THINK SOME OF THE STUFF I DID IN THE SUMMER REALLY HELPED FOR SURE,"
The knee injury, which initially appeared serious on replays, ended up being less severe than anticipated. By the end of last season, Power learned that rest and recovery were all he needed—not surgery. He was back on the ice by mid-July, fully healed, and ready for a normal summer of training. This extra time off, while unusual for Power, gave his body the much-needed rest, particularly for his hips and knee.
“OBVIOUSLY YOU GET A LITTLE ANTSY,” Power admitted about his time off, “BUT I THINK IT WAS A GOOD THING THAT I KIND OF GAVE MY BODY THE REST, MY HIPS AND OBVIOUSLY THE KNEE. SO I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT HELPED ME.”
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff has been impressed with Power's recovery. “HE’S MOVING REALLY WELL. HE WAS ANXIOUS LATE JUNE TO GET ON THE ICE, BUT WAS STILL BEING HELD OFF AND GREAT TO SEE. HE IS REALLY MOVING GOOD NOW. HIS INJURY IS HEALED, AND HE FEELS GREAT OUT THERE.”
This year, Power enters his fourth full NHL season at 23, with the expectation that he’ll take his game to the next level. A big reason for his potential growth is the acquisition of his new defensive partner, Michael Kesselring, a 6-foot-5 right-handed defenseman. The Sabres have struggled to pair Power with a consistent partner in the past, but Kesselring could be the solution to that issue.
Power had high praise for Kesselring’s skills: “IT’S IMPRESSIVE HOW BIG HE IS AND HOW WELL HE MOVES. HIS FOOTWORK IS SO GOOD AND THEN HE’S ALSO REALLY GOOD WITH THE PUCK AS WELL. I’VE BEEN IMPRESSED WITH HIM AND I’M EXCITED FOR HIM TO BE HERE.”
Kesselring echoed similar sentiments, calling Power a “REALLY GOOD SKATER FOR HIS SIZE. OBVIOUSLY, HIS 'BOOTS' ARE REALLY GOOD, PRETTY DECEPTIVE AS WELL WITH THE PUCK AND SMOOTH.”
While the Power-Kesselring duo is expected to be a fixture for the Sabres this season, the team is counting on Power to improve both offensively and defensively. Power set career highs last season with 7 goals, 33 assists, and 40 points, but defensively, he struggled, finishing with a -13 rating. His physicality and puck awareness need improvement, but his offensive potential is undeniable.
"TO BE ABLE TO BE A REALLY GOOD DEFENSEMAN IN THIS LEAGUE, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEFEND,” said coach Ruff, highlighting the importance of consistency on both ends of the ice.
Power himself has acknowledged the need to work on the finer details of his defensive game. “IT STARTS WITH THE DETAILS. I KNOW I’VE GOT TO BE MORE PHYSICAL. BUT IF I’M GOING TO JUST TRY AND RUN AROUND AND MY STICK’S NOT IN THE RIGHT SPOTS AND I’M NOT IN THE RIGHT SPOT, IT’S NOT REALLY GOING TO DO MUCH. FOCUS ON THE DETAILS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE COMES FROM THERE.”
The Sabres are counting on Power’s growth into one of the NHL’s top defensemen, and with Kesselring as his steady partner, Power is poised for an exciting season ahead. With his injury behind him, and a clear focus on his all-around game, 2025 could be a breakout year for the young star.
