Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky: 'My season is an embarrassment'

Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky isn't happy with his production this season and recently didn't mince any words when trying to describe what's gone on.

Slafkovsky spoke to The Athletic's Arpon Basu recently and provided some eye-opening quotes on the state of his game this season. "I feel like this season is an embarrassment from my side," Slafkovsky told The Athletic's Arpon Basu. "After the ending of last year - 30 games, 30 points - and then I come out here, and playing like junior hockey and not doing anything.

"I've been thinking about it for two weeks that I've got to change something."\ "I want this to be my standard every night," Slafkovsky said. "I've just got to do it again. You see that it's working, and you just want to keep that. Just have to translate it to next game, because that's been an issue this year."

Slafkovsky has been known for being too hard on himself, and the Canadiens organization has discussed this with the former top pick in the past. So far this season, Slafkovsky has scored eight goals and 22 assists in 53 games. Perhaps his ice-time has something to do with his dip in production as he's down a full minute this season, seeing only 16:52 of ice-time per game.

The Canadiens are trying to grind their way into the playoff race in the Eastern Conference, as they sit five points back entering action on Sunday.

GM Kent Hughes is expected to make a couple of trades ahead of the March 7 trade deadline, but at this point, Slafkovsky isn't available and the Canadiens feel he's a big part of their future.