Jan 22, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky (20) plays the puck and Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch (89) defends during the first period at the Bell Centre.

Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Last Monday, Juraj Slafkovsky spent long minutes one-on-one with Martin St-Louis.

Slafkovsky was drafted first overall in 2022 by the Montreal Canadiens, and the pressure on his shoulders is immense.

The relationship between St-Louis and his player is unique, but it also raises questions about how other prospects in the locker room are being managed.

Martin St-Louis wants to turn Juraj Slafkovsky into a dominant force with the Montreal Canadiens

Here is the sequence in question below that has people talking!

Martin St-Louis uses his own playing experience to teach the art of puck protection, positioning in high-danger areas and shooting.

Slafkovsky’s ability to protect the puck along the boards is becoming a formidable weapon, turning him into a future elite power winger.

We’re talking about a player who weighs 230 pounds and must learn to physically dominate his opponents night after night in the NHL.

The team’s salary cap is already tightly packed, and Montreal cannot afford to miss on the development of a player with such potential “cap hit” implications.

As the team’s record continues to improve month after month, the young man’s physical presence is becoming the engine of Montreal’s offense.

He possesses that rare combination of pure talent and toughness that teams chasing the ultimate prize so often lack.

St-Louis’ intensity during these explanations proves that the coaching staff has no intention of giving up on the young player.

Every move is scrutinized under a microscope by the media!

That’s the price to pay for playing in the most demanding market in the league.

Previously on All Montreal Hockey

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Juraj Slafkovsky receives special treatment as Martin St-Louis pulls him aside at practice

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