The Montreal Canadiens went through a period of major struggle over the past decade, and after making the Stanley Cup Finals back in 2021, the team have seemingly turned things around, going through one of the quickest rebuilds we’ve seen in recent National Hockey League history.
Not only did the team manage to land some key pieces through either trades or the draft, but they’ve developed them well on top of that, and now, they’re set up as a genuine Stanley Cup threat for years to come on the back of an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2026. However, the team have been under fire in recent days, with many speculating that the team friendly deals may make some players frustrated with their lack of compared to their peers, and now, one of their top young stars has addressed those concerns.
Juraj Slafkovsky Slams Reports of Canadiens Players Being Frustrated
GettyJuraj Slafkovsky of the Montreal Canadiens.
That would be former No. 1 overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky, who himself signed a fairly team friendly eight-year, $7.6 million AAV deal, and after seeing the $9 million+ pay days that other top picks have signed, he clearly could have got much more if he waited.
Obviously, that could lead to frustration for some, especially the likes of Cole Caufield on the back of a 51-goal campaign and Slafkovsky himself after a career high 73 points in 82 games, but now in an interview, he’s shut down any notion that there’s frustration team wide in the Canadiens locker room.
“It’s not really about the money for anyone there (in Montreal). We all have the same goal on that team,” said Slafkovsky. “Nobody really cares about the money at this point. I mean, all those contracts that the guys have, or even I personally have, it’s already made our lives easier enough. Nobody really needs more than that.”
Can the Canadiens Contend for a Stanley Cup in 2027?
Clearly, the Canadiens have a singular focus moving forward, and while all of their young core could be paid much, much more with a rising salary cap, Slafkovsky also made it clear that hoisting multiple Stanley Cups is the only goal that the team have.
“We’d rather just focus on collecting those rings, because that’s a much bigger number, and I don’t think any amount of money can top that,” said the former No. 1 overall draft pick.
This is exactly the right mentality to have, and while some of their incoming prospects or potential free agency/trade pickups may not share this same thought process, clearly a very healthy and competitive culture has been ingrained in this organization. Ultimately, the goal of every hockey player is to win a Stanley Cup, and while being paid like a top player would no doubt be a bonus on top of that, with the team singularly focused on that goal, this is a team to watch for years to come.
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