Canadiens prospect Juraj Slafkovsky becomes youngest winner of Slovakia's 'Player of the Year' award

It's been quite the year for 2022 first overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky and now he can add Slovakia's 'Player of the Year' to his resume, being the youngest to win the award. He was also named 'Best Forward' and 'Best U20 Player'.

Slafkovsky's 2021-22 campaign started at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last August, where he had nine points in five games as Slovakia took home silver. From there, he went to Finland and played his club hockey for TPS Turku in Liiga.

He was named to Slovakia's World Junior roster in December, but only a few days into the tournament, the IIHF cancelled the remainder of it due to a COVID-19 outbreak among a few teams.

A couple of months later is where he took his game to the next level, as a 17-year-old at the Winter Olympics in China. Slafkovsky had seven goals in seven games, helping Slovakia win their first-ever medal, a bronze, while earning MVP honours.

Three months later, Slafkovsky donned the Slovakian jersey once again, this time at the 2022 IIHF World Hockey Championship. He put up nine points in eight games during the tournament, but Slovakia fell to Finland in the quarter-final.

In July, Slafkovsky made Slovakian history, becoming the first person from that nation to be selected first overall at the National Hockey League's Entry Draft after the Montreal Canadiens chose him.

The Kosice native is expected to return to Montreal next week, along with his fellow countryman and Habs prospect Filip Mesar, as they prepare for the 2022-23 season. Slafkovsky will end up playing in Montreal or Laval, while Mesar will either be with the Laval Rocket or in the Ontario Hockey League with the Kitchener Rangers.

Congratulations to Juraj Slafkovsky on the well deserved honour!

He won 3 awards, also for best forward and for best player under 20 years old— TomᚠProkop (@Lewysko) August 11, 2022

Source: Hockey Slovakia.

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