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Slovakia's Slafkovsky goes to Canadiens with NHL draft top pick / Photo: BRUCE BENNETT - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Slovakia's Slafkovsky goes to Canadiens with NHL draft top pick
Juraj Slafkovsky, the teenage hockey star who propelled Slovakia to Olympic bronze in Beijing this year, was selected with the No. 1 pick by the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday in the NHL draft.
The 1.92m forward, who turned 18 on March 30, scored seven goals for Slovakia at the Beijing Games, stamping himself a potential star despite the fact that he hasn't been a prolific scorer in Liiga, Finland's top professional men's league.
"It's unbelievable," Slafkovsky said. "I still cannot believe that this actually happened. It's just a special moment in my life."
Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes told draft broadcaster ESPN that the selection of the young star was the result of "exhaustive preparation and review" of the talent available.
"We felt he was the best player for us what we are trying to accomplish," said Hughes, whose Canadiens finished with the worst record in the NHL last season one year after falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final.
Slafkovsky became the highest Slovakia-born player chosen in the NHL Draft.
Slovakian defenseman Simon Nemec, also 18, was then taken second overall by the New Jersey Devils with forward Logan Cooley going No. 3 to the Arizona Coyotes.
Forward Shane Wright of Canada was taken by the Seattle Kraken at No. 4 and forward Cutter Gauthier was taken with the fifth overall selection by the Philadelphia Flyers.
P.M.Martin--SMC
