Bruce Boudreau weighs in on Montreal Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky's struggles and $60 million contract (Image Source: Imagn)
TSN Hockey analyst Bruce Boudreau shared his thoughts on Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky's recent struggles. Slafkovsky signed an eight-year, $60,800,000 contract extension on July 1, 2024. The deal starts in the 2025-26 season, with a cap hit of $7,600,000 per year. It keeps him with the team until the end of the 2032-33 season, when he will be 29.
Boudreau questioned the decision to give Slafkovsky such a large contract so early. He said (via TSN),
"They gave him an awful lot too soon, but I think they were basing it on the last half of last year."
He added that Montreal may have rushed to sign him, hoping to avoid paying more later. Despite the struggles, Boudreau advised patience:
"Let’s face it, he’s 20-21, I wouldn’t give up on him. He's struggling (while) playing 17 minutes a game."
