Juraj Slafkovský vynechal piatkový tréning Montrealu

Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky sat out Friday’s practice in Brossard to undergo medical treatments, just two days after absorbing a heavy hit during a 5–4 loss to the Washington Capitals, Šport.sk reported.

Therapy Day Sidelines Montreal Forward

The 22-year-old Slovak winger did not participate in the on-ice session on October 16, 2026, with the team officially noting on social media that he required a therapy day. The absence immediately drew scrutiny following Wednesday’s game against Washington at the Bell Centre, where Slafkovsky took a hard bodycheck from Ivan Miroshnichenko in the second period before tumbling into a secondary collision with Tom Wilson.

While the club did not formally link the treatment day to the mid-week collisions, head coach Martin St. Louis addressed reporters after the workout to dispel immediate availability concerns. St. Louis confirmed that he expects the forward to return to the lineup for Saturday’s home matchup against the Buffalo Sabres.

Controversial Collisions Spark Debate Over Playing Style

The sequence against Washington reignited discussion across North American media regarding Slafkovsky’s tendency to navigate the neutral zone with his head down. During the second-period play, Miroshnichenko delivered a heavy bodycheck that caught the forward as he collected a pass. Sportsnet analyst Eric Engels noted that Miroshnichenko’s initial hit was entirely clean and did not warrant a penalty, a sentiment echoed by several other observers.

As Slafkovsky fell from the first impact, he drifted into the path of Tom Wilson. TSN 690 analyst Mitch Gallo described the sequence on the air, comparing the young forward to a pinball. Gallo remarked that while the collision looked frightening and sent Slafkovsky’s helmet flying as he headed down the tunnel to the locker room, the rapid sequence of events made it an unfortunate hockey collision rather than a dirty play by Wilson.

Despite leaving the ice momentarily for mandatory concussion and medical evaluations, Slafkovsky returned to the bench and finished the contest. He logged 19 minutes and 40 seconds of ice time, registering four shots on goal, one hit, and a minus-one rating without recording a point.

Lineup Adjustments and Cautious Roster Management

During Friday’s practice, Oliver Kapanen skated in Slafkovsky’s usual spot on the top line alongside captain Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. Kapanen has spent the early portion of the season recovering from a lower-body injury and has yet to appear in a regular-season contest.

The Canadiens managed several other roster absences during the Friday skate. Ivan Demidov, Mike Matheson, and goaltender Samuel Montembeault also missed the session, while forward Florian Xhekaj faces an estimated two-week recovery timeline due to a lower-body injury. Montreal enters Saturday’s contest against Buffalo looking to stabilize its lineup as the early-season schedule intensifies.

Capitals Edge Canadiens as Fehérváry Shines in Defensively Robust Display

The 5–4 decision saw Washington secure the better outcome in the first meeting between the two sides this season. Among the Slovak contingent, defenseman Martin Fehérváry emerged with a strong performance for the victors, ranking as the second-most utilized skater on the Capitals with 21 minutes and 54 seconds of ice time behind Jakob Chychrun, while contributing four blocked shots. The Washington lineup also benefited from a two-goal performance by Alex Tuch, who earned first-star honors and was lauded by head coach Spencer Carbery, who stated, His overall contribution to our team will be important and large for several seasons going forward, after Tuch reached six points across his first seven appearances. Meanwhile, Capitals captain Alexander Ovečkin moved within two assists of matching Nicklas Backstrom’s franchise record of 760 career helpers.

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