(Arlington, Virginia) The place was not easy to find. But once you got there, there were young stars for every square foot.
Posted yesterday at 7:07pm.
After taking a breather in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHL Players Association and hockey card maker Upper Deck are back at the Rookie Showcase, an event that brings together about 30 young players. They were invited to take the first official photo of the cards that fans later take.
To do this, the organizers chose MedStar Iceplex, a training center consisting of three ice rinks and logically located on the eighth floor of the shopping center.
On the site, despite the triviality of the place, was sparkling with youth and talent. Owen Power, Matty Penners, Shane Wright, Dylan Holloway, Jack Quinn, Marco Rossi, Jake Sanderson… a lot of players who will undoubtedly be NHL stars, likely this season.
However, it was Juraj Slafkovsky, of Montreal Canadiens, who attracted the most attention. Clearly there’s been a bias lately – he and Wright were the only two players in the group to be drafted in 2022. But it went even deeper. It’s an understatement to say that at 6’3″ and 218 pounds, the Slovakian doesn’t go unnoticed, even without his skis.
“Jesus, he’s huge!” said Brendan Bryson, of the Vegas Golden Knights. He faced American Slavkowski at the Beijing Olympics, but didn’t see him off the ice until Tuesday.
“I remember seeing him at the games and thinking ‘This is a real player,'” Bryson said, who “wasn’t at all surprised” to see the Canadian make his first choice. Like many people, he shuddered watching the video in which we see a giant kill a stationary bike at a confinement development camp.
Matty Benners, of the Seattle Kraken, was also part of the US Olympic team. It was his skill around Grid that impressed him the most. “Some men have it, some don’t,” said Beyners.
“And of course he is a very big and very big guy! Then he laughed.
“Part of the game”
According to Slavkovsky himself, it’s not just his new co-workers.
Both in Montreal and in his native country, he is now well known on the street. It must be said that he became a kind of national hero in Slovakia, as he was the first actor to be selected first in the NHL draft.
However, he does not complain about this new star, on the contrary. Taking pictures with fans and signing autographs, he said, “It’s fun and part of the game.”
Like all the guys on set in the Rookie Showcase, he also took part in a long snowboard photo session on the Upper Deck.
“Would it be weird to see your face on the hockey cards?” asked a journalist. “It will depend on what I look like!” He answered, one by one.
Slavkovsky clearly wanted to have fun. Another reporter pointed out that he was already preparing to face fellow New Jersey Devils Simon Nemec at rookie camp next week. The winger responded that with Philippe Messar, a childhood friend who was recruited by CH, he intended to “destroy” the defender. Let’s mention here that he’s a friend too.
even when Journalism Slavkovsky asked him about the media pressure waiting for him in Montreal, and he noted that it was “not a problem” for him. “I can’t wait,” he added.
Will he answer the same in a year? Have we restarted it?
“We’ll see,” he concluded with a smile.
It’s a date.
Emily Thompson is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on clear, accurate reporting that helps readers stay informed about current events and developments that matter to their community. Her work emphasizes useful information, balanced coverage, and stories that reflect the interests, concerns, and everyday experiences of readers across Canada.