The Nations participating in the 2026 Olympics in Italy have revealed the first six players who will make up their roster come February, and one Montreal Canadiens player already has his roster spot secured.
Unsurprisingly, Juraj Slafkovsky is one of the first six players named to Team Slovakia alongside Martin Fehervary, Simon Nemec, Martin Pospisil, Erik Cernak, and former Hab Tomas Tatar.
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It’s been a while since the youngster played for his country; he turned down their invitation to the World Championship this offseason. Back at the 2022 Olympics, however, he was a significant contributor in the Slovaks’ conquest of the bronze medal.
He also played at the World Championships, where he registered eight assists in as many games, as the Slovaks made it to the quarterfinals before being eliminated following a 6-1 defeat at the hands of Canada, in which Slafkovsky was blanked.
His decision not to go to the World Championship this year ruffled some feathers, but the young player felt he needed to rest. At his exit meeting at the end of the season, he was as tough on himself as always, saying he needed to ensure he started playing the right way in October next season, not just in February.
The slow starts have been a recurring theme for the forward since he began his pro career with the Canadiens. Still, he has shown signs of understanding what he needs to do to be at his best in the Habs’ system, and the willingness to do it is there; it will be a matter of seeing if he can do it consistently next season. Last February, he told the media he would like to play more like Brady Tkachuk, and that’s precisely what Montreal needs. If he can play like that, the Slovaks will have a great player on their hands come February.
Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
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