Skip to content

Canadiens select Slafkovsky with the No. 1 pick at the NHL draft

18-year-old Slovakian tabbed by Montreal in front of home crowd
29706999_web1_220707-CPW-NHL-Draft-draft_1
Juraj Slafkovsky poses for photos after being selected as the top pick in the first round of the NHL draft by the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal on Thursday, July 7, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Juraj Slafkovsky was just as shocked as the Bell Centre crowd.

And Shane Wright had to wait a lot longer than expected to hear his name called.

The Montreal Canadiens hosted the first round of the 2022 NHL draft Thursday.

They made sure there was plenty of intrigue.

The Original Six franchise selected Slafkovsky with the No. 1 pick, while Wright 鈥 long viewed as the presumptive top selection 鈥 fell to fourth overall.

Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes announced the first pick, but was drowned out by the electric crowd response that included both cheers and jeers.

鈥淚t was a really big surprise for me,鈥 said the 18-year-old Slafkovsky, who has a big frame and a big personality. 鈥淲e had meetings, but we don鈥檛 get to know almost anything from that meeting. I still could just guess when I was waiting for this.

鈥淏ut now it鈥檚 reality.鈥

Not everyone in attendance was happy with the selection at the league鈥檚 first in-person draft since 2019 after the last two were held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A handful of Canadiens fans sported Wright jerseys with his No. 51 on the back, while Slafkovsky was booed on the red carpet outside the rink before entering the building on his big night.

鈥淗ockey is their passion as well as mine,鈥 said the six-foot-four, 229-pound winger, who later waded into the stands and high-fived fans to raucous support. 鈥淢aybe some of them didn鈥檛 like me.

鈥淏ut I will do everything that I can (to) play good for this team and they will actually maybe like me one day.鈥

The top-ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting starred for his country at both the Beijing Olympics and world championships.

鈥淲e were leaning toward Slafkovsky, I would say, sometime Wednesday morning, mid-morning,鈥 Hughes said following the first round. 鈥淲e wanted to meet him, but we鈥檇 had so much debate and evaluation, discussion among the group.

鈥淲hen we talk about his character, his desire to be a difference-maker, you see it. You see it in the way he plays, you see it when you speak to him. He鈥檚 a very charismatic kid.鈥

Minutes after picking Slafkovsky first overall, the Canadiens were right back at work and adding more to the evening鈥檚 drama.

The first team to host the draft and pick first since the Toronto Maple Leafs grabbed Wendel Clark, Montreal acquired the 13th selection from the New York Islanders for defenceman Alexander Romanov and the 98th pick.

The Canadiens then packaged that selection with the first pick of round three (66th overall) and sent them to Chicago for centre Kirby Dach.

In the process of dismantling their roster for a rebuild, the Blackhawks also traded star forward Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators for three picks earlier in the day, including Friday鈥檚 seventh overall selection.

The New Jersey Devils followed the Slafkovsky stunner and took defenceman Simon Nemec second overall.

鈥淎mazing moment for my family, for me,鈥 said the defenceman, who along with Slafkovsky are the highest drafted Slovaks in NHL history.

鈥淎mazing night.鈥

The Arizona Coyotes then took American centre Logan Cooley of the U.S National Development Program at No. 3.

NHL Central Scouting鈥檚 top-ranked North American skater heading into Thursday, Wright finally had his name called when the Seattle Kraken stepped to the microphone to make the centre the draft鈥檚 fourth selection.

鈥淒efinitely going to have a little chip on my shoulder,鈥 said the captain of the Ontario Hockey League鈥檚 Kingston Frontenacs. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been self-motivated, always been pushing myself internally.

鈥淏ut it鈥檚 definitely gonna give me a little more fire.鈥

League business got going earlier in the day when the Colorado Avalanche acquired goaltender Alexandar Georgiev from the New York Rangers for three picks.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, meanwhile, announced a six-year, US$36.6-million contact extension with defenceman Kris Letang, while the Minnesota Wild signed goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to a two-year, $7-million deal.

The Winnipeg Jets grabbed U.S National Team Development Program winger Rutger McGroarty with the 14th pick before the Vancouver Canucks chose Swedish blue-liner Jonathan Lekkerimaki one slot later.

The Canadiens took Slovak winger Filip Mesar at No. 26 with their second selection of the first round.

The Edmonton Oilers traded the 29th pick, two future selections and bruising forward Zack Kassian to the Arizona Coyotes in another salary dump.

Edmonton acquired the No. 32 pick in the deal and shed Kassian鈥檚 $3.5-million salary. The Oilers then chose Reid Schaefer of the Western Hockey League鈥檚 Seattle Thunderbirds.

The Senators didn鈥檛 have a pick Thursday following the DeBrincat trade, while the Calgary Flames were also on the sidelines.

The draft resumes Friday with rounds two through seven.

Thursday evening started with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman getting roundly booed by the crowd.

He didn鈥檛 mind one bit.

鈥淭hank you for that welcome,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a return to normalcy.鈥

READ MORE: Canucks take Swedish right-winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki in 1st round of NHL draft

First Round

1. Montreal, Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, TPS (Finland).

2. New Jersey, Simon Nemec, D, Nitra (Slovakia).

3. Arizona, Logan Cooley, C, USA U-18 (NTDP).

4. Seattle, Shane Wright, C, Kingston (OHL).

5. Philadelphia, Cutter Gauthier, LW, USA U-18 (NTDP).

6. Columbus (from Chicago), David Jiricek, D, Plzen (Czech Republic).

7. Chicago (from Ottawa), Kevin Korchinski, D, Seattle (WHL).

8. Detroit, Marco Kasper, C, Rogle, (Sweden).

9. Buffalo, Matthew Savoie, C, Winnipeg, (WHL).

10. Anaheim, Pavel Mintyukov, D, Saginaw, (OHL).

11. Arizona (from San Jose), Conor Geekie, C, Winnipeg (WHL).

12. Columbus, Denton Mateychuk, D, Moose Jaw (WHL).

13. Chicago (from N.Y. Islanders through Montreal), Frank Nazar, C, USA U-18

(NTDP).

14. Winnipeg, Rutger Mcgroarty, RW, USA U-18 (NTDP).

15. Vancouver, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, RW, Djurgarden (Sweden).

16. Buffalo (from Vegas), Noah Ostlund, C, Djurgarden (Sweden).

17. Nashville, Joakim Kemell, RW, JYP (Finland).

18. Dallas, Lian Bichsel, D, Leksand (Sweden).

19. Minnesota (from Los Angeles), Liam Ohgren, LW, Djurgarden (Sweden).

20. Washington, Ivan Miroshnichenko, LW, Omsk Krylia (Russia-2).

21. Pittsburgh, Owen Pickering, D, Swift Current (WHL).

22. Anaheim (from Boston), Nathan Gaucher, C, Quebec (QMJHL).

23. St. Louis, Jimmy Snuggerud, RW, USA U-18 (NTDP).

24. Minnesota, Danila Yurov, RW, Magnitogorsk (Russia).

25. Chicago (from Toronto), Sam Rinzel, D, Chaska High School (Minnesota).

26. Montreal (from Calgary), Filip Mesar, RW, Poprad (Slovakia).

27. San Jose (from Carolina via Montreal and Ariz.), Filip Bystedt, C, Linkoping

(Sweden).

28. Buffalo (from Florida), Jiri Kulich, C, Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic).

29. Arizona (from Edmonton), Maveric Lamoureux, D, Drummondville (QMJHL).

30. Winnipeg (from N.Y. Rangers), Brad Lambert, C, Pelicans (Finland).

31. Tampa Bay, Isaac Howard, LW, USA U-18 (NTDP).

32. Edmonton (from Colorado through Arizona), Reid Schaefer, LW, Seattle (WHL).

THE CANADIAN PRESS

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter 





(or ) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }