🔥 MONTREAL'S MOST SHOCKING SEASON PREVIEW YET! 🔥

The Montreal Canadiens entered the 2025-26 NHL season with high expectations, and head coach Martin St. Louis isn't wasting any time putting pressure on his young stars—especially former No. 1 pick, Juraj Slafkovsky. The highly anticipated winger has been under the spotlight since being drafted first overall in 2022, but this year, St. Louis is making it clear: It’s time to step up or risk falling short.

In a no-holds-barred address to the media on Friday, St. Louis delivered a shocking message to Slafkovsky: “IT STARTS NOW. YESTERDAY. IT STARTS WITH THE PLAYER. YOU CAN’T HOLD EVERYONE’S HAND, AND [SLAFKOVSKY] IS NOT 18 YEARS OLD ANYMORE, EITHER. HE’S OLDER, HE’S MORE MATURE, HE HAS EXPERIENCE. HOW DO YOU MEASURE IF SOMEONE’S HUNGRY? I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT HUNGRY FOR FOOD, BUT HUNGRY FOR SUCCESS. FOR ME, IT’S URGENCY.”

The 21-year-old Slovakian forward, who has shown glimpses of brilliance, has yet to establish himself as a reliable, top-line force. Now, St. Louis is calling for the urgency and maturity Slafkovsky needs to take his game to the next level.

The words were blunt. “YOU CAN’T HOLD EVERYONE’S HAND, AND [SLAFKOVSKY] IS NOT 18 YEARS OLD ANYMORE,” St. Louis continued. The coach demanded that his young star stop waiting for things to fall into place and instead

“BE HUNGRY FOR SUCCESS”—a message every Canadiens fan is hoping Slafkovsky takes to heart.

With a 51-point season under his belt, including 18 goals and 33 assists in 79 regular-season games, there’s no denying the potential Slafkovsky possesses. However, his lackluster playoff performance—only two goals in five games—has left fans and coaches alike wondering when, if ever, he’ll find that consistency. Slafkovsky himself admitted that he failed to maintain the necessary focus at the start of the last two seasons, only finding his groove midway through each campaign. This year, though, the stakes are much higher.

“SOME THINGS WERE MISSING IN MY GAME, BUT I THINK I FIGURED OUT WHAT I NEED TO DO,” Slafkovsky confessed. But now it’s about more than just figuring it out—it’s about delivering from the get-go.

“PLAY HARD, USE MY BODY, WIN PUCKS, GET TO THE NET, BE STRONG WHEN I HAVE THE PUCK,” Slafkovsky declared, signaling his determination to improve.

This season marks a pivotal turning point for the winger, who signed an eight-year, $60.8 million contract in July 2024. With a cap hit of $7.6 million annually, the pressure is mounting. Can Slafkovsky live up to his potential and fulfill the lofty expectations set for him as the top pick of the 2022 draft class?

THE TIME IS NOW.

With his contract extension securing him in Montreal for the foreseeable future, there’s no more room for excuses. Will Slafkovsky heed St. Louis’ challenge and emerge as the dominant force the Canadiens need him to be? Or will he continue to struggle with consistency, falling short of his true potential?

As the Canadiens head into this crucial season, all eyes will be on Juraj Slafkovsky—and whether he’s ready to prove that he can handle the pressure of being the face of Montreal's future.