Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky Suffers Head Injury After Elbow From Penguins Opponent
Slafkovsky Out Indefinitely After Taking Big Hit
Canadiens' first overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky has been ruled out indefinitely after suffering a head injury in Saturday night's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The incident occurred late in the second period when Penguins defenseman Chad Ruhwedel delivered a high elbow to Slafkovsky's head. Slafkovsky immediately collapsed to the ice and was taken off on a stretcher.
The Canadiens announced on Sunday that Slafkovsky has been diagnosed with a concussion. He will be out indefinitely and will be re-evaluated in the coming days.
The hit on Slafkovsky drew immediate criticism from the hockey community. Many felt that it was a dirty play and that Ruhwedel should have been penalized.
Ruhwedel was given a two-minute penalty for elbowing, but no further discipline was taken.
The Canadiens are now without one of their most promising young players. Slafkovsky was expected to play a big role for the team this season. He is a 6-foot-3, 238-pound power forward who was drafted first overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
The Canadiens are hoping that Slafkovsky will be able to return to the lineup soon. However, they know that they need to be patient and not rush him back.
"We're not going to put him in a position where he's not ready," Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said. "We're going to make sure that he's 100 percent healthy before he comes back."