On Monday night, during the game between the Canadiens and the Vancouver Canucks, Juraj Slafkovsky was hit hard by opposing defenseman Luke Schenn. On the play, Schenn was penalized for interference (not roughing) and young Arber Xhekaj immediately came to his teammate's defense and engaged Schenn in a fight.
Hopefully, Slafkovsky will not feel any after-effects from the solid contact. This is not the first time the rookie has been hit solidly during a game, it has happened at least five times already this season. It's clear that he's finding the transition to the NHL a bit difficult.
But that's to be expected. He has played all his youth on big rinks, with space, and has to adjust to North American hockey. It's not normal to see him, after all the big checks he's taken since the beginning of the season, still keeping his head down and putting himself in a vulnerable situation. He will have to learn to protect himself sooner rather than later, because he could pay the price soon enough.
Martin St-Louis made an important statement on this subject, saying that management has noticed this little "adjustment" that Slafkovsky needs to make, and they are working on it every day. That's reassuring.
