© David Kirouac-Imagn ImagesBack in October, Montreal Canadiens right winger Juraj Slafkovský heaped heavy criticism on the Slovak Ice Hockey Association and Hockey Slovakia fired back, dismissing the remarks as “ill-considered statements of a young player.”
Despite the bitter exchange, however, Slafkovský can expect a call at season’s end to represent Slovakia at the IIHF World Championship, according to Hockey Slovakia president Miroslav Šatan, who was asked about the matter in the same podcast where he discussed possible formats of the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.
“I think that the national team in the past helped Juraj, and Juraj helped the national team, so it’s a mutual relationship and I think what was written in the media doesn’t really affect us,” said Šatan. “The door to the national team is still open to Juraj, as it is to all of our overseas players.”
In Arpon Basu's article that appeared in The Athletic on Oct. 8, Slafkovský described rampant nepotism within Slovak hockey, saying that his father and a group of other parents formed their own travelling team to escape it. Slafkovský later played briefly in Austria and Czechia before heading to Finland at age 15 to develop.
“I think that what happened, and it was probably quite inflated in the media, was mainly a thing that happened when Juraj was around 15 between him and his club,” said Šatan. “Of course, I am curious and at the next opportunity, I would like to know the details of what happened, but I don’t think it’s a matter that concerns the national team or the national association.”
It wasn’t only Hockey Slovakia that took issue with comments in the article. Marián Gáborík was critical of Slafkovský speaking on behalf of him and Marián Hossa.
Heading into Saturday’s action, Montreal sits 12th in the NHL’s Eastern Conference with 61 points – five out of a playoff spot with 23 games remaining. Slafkovský has 33 points in 56 games, which is slightly off last season’s pace of 50 points in 82 games.
Slafkovský has already represented Slovakia at three World Championships and was MVP of the 2022 Olympic men's hockey tournament at age 17, scoring seven goals in seven games en route to a bronze medal.
