Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky addresses playing for Slovakia in Olympics qualification

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Jul 29, 2024 11:36 GMT

Montreal Canadiens' 2022 number 1 overall draft pick, Juraj Slafkovsky, attended the Olympic Festival in Bratislava, Slovakia on Sunday. The festival, held in the capital city, showcased various Olympic disciplines. NHL insider Tomas Prokop shared photos of Slafkovsky's canoeing exhibition, taken by Jano Koller of Dennik Sport, and some of his quotes.

Regarding Slovakia's August Olympic qualification for the Men’s team, Juraj Slafkovsky said:

“I'm ready to represent my country at the Olympics qualification, but this decision is not up to me. Montreal Canadiens' management will decide whether I will participate. They have to say how they see it.”

When asked about watching the Paris Olympics, Slafkovsky shared:

“The Olympics are on all day at home. I definitely watch and root for all our athletes. I like that there are so many different sports. Yesterday, for example, I watched fencing. I tune into sports that I wouldn’t normally watch if it weren’t for the Olympics. I've also watched rugby. I've said it before; if I didn't play hockey, I'd be interested in shot put.”

Montreal Canadiens finished the 2023-24 season in the fifth-last position across the League. They were 8th in the Atlantic Division. Slafkovsky was not able to contribute much to the team. He scored 50 points, which included 20 goals and 30 assists.

But Juraj Slafkovsky has his eyes set on the next season. And he wants to level up his performance. He also discussed about his practice routine for the new season, stating:

“I go swimming, I enjoy playing football, golf, and sometimes I shoot some hoops. Four years ago, I tried two MMA training sessions; that's all. I don't include similar things in my preparation. I believe it's in me even without that. I'm already in full training.

Every day I go to the gym, and I go on the ice two to four times a week. It's all according to schedule. I probably won't travel to Canada until the September camp. That's what we've agreed on with the team's management.”

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Juraj Slafkovsky raced against Slovak triathlete Richard Varga

Juraj Slafkovsky is only 20 years old and is very popular in Slovakia and Montreal. At the Bratislava Olympic Festival, he raced against former Slovak triathlete Richard Varga in a friendly canoe race. Despite being a fun event, his win against a top athlete was impressive.

With a new eight-year contract, Slafkovsky's hockey future is secure. However, his canoeing skills show he has other talents to boot.