SUNRISE | Juraj Slafkovsky never doubted. Even though he appeared dazed after Stefan Noesen's check, he was convinced that he had not suffered a concussion.
• Also read: “When a man is on the ice, I think it’s worth looking at him.”
• Also read: A setback in Raleigh, a horror for Juraj Slafkvosky
“The referees told me he hit me in the chest,” Slafkovsky said sarcastically. I guess I was ready to play.”
In a sign that he is a healthy player, Slafkovsky attended the Canadian's training session the day after his 5-3 loss to the Hurricanes in Raleigh. The end of the meeting was still in the heart of the best of the class of the 2022 draft.
“The worst thing for me was that they took me out of the game for no reason. I missed important minutes at the end of the game, the last five. I wanted to play. And we didn't benefit from any punishment from the Hurricanes. But there’s nothing I can do now.”
An observer in the stands at PNC Arena asked Slafkovsky to go over concussion protocol. Despite the 19-year-old winger's dissatisfaction, it is a wise decision. But we understand and welcome the competitive side of the main player.
“We knew since last night that he was going to jump on the ice this morning,” Martin St-Louis said. It's a check we're trying to eliminate, but it's still a quick game. It is impossible to eliminate them 100%. This is a situation that can happen. I’m just glad to see Slaf is okay.”
Slafkovsky will therefore continue his long audition on the right wing of the front row with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. He will play his eleventh consecutive game at the position when he visits Sunrise, Florida, against the Panthers. Since his time in this unit, he has not only gained confidence but also found ways to contribute offensively.
An upcoming debate?
Josh Anderson said it in the opposing team's tiny locker room at PNC Arena. He wants referees to be allowed to review head hits without having to immediately issue a five-minute penalty.
“When a guy is on the ice, I think he’s worth looking at,” Anderson said Thursday night. You don't necessarily have to punish, but at least check for a blow to the head. This is only my opinion.”
St. Louis added his voice to Anderson's.
“I think the referees should definitely have the opportunity to review the game,” said the head coach. It goes fast. I wasn't sure afterwards and saw it live. When you restart it goes frame by frame and you can see where the impact point is. Referees have a difficult job. You have to make a decision straight away. I don't blame the referees. The NHL already does a good job of limiting hits to the head. If we look back 15 or 20 years, this happened every game. And more than once per game.
If he were to vote “yes” to allow a blow to the head to happen again, St. Louis would be hesitant to emulate the International Hockey Federation, which automatically penalizes all hits to that sensitive area of the body.
“We have to be careful on this issue because there are cases where the blame lies with the one who takes the blow,” he replied. A player may lose balance before being hit. There are gray areas. But we are faced with this gray area today, unlike a time when head checks were legal.
Additionally, St-Louis confirmed that Jake Allen will be its starting goalie on Saturday against the Panthers.