Juraj Slafkovsky 'a big hero' for Slovak youth team

BROSSARD -- Juraj Slafkovsky had some special visitors at practice on November 7.

A youth hockey team from his home country of Slovakia was in attendance at the Bell Sports Complex to watch him work alongside his teammates before the Canadiens flew to Detroit earlier this month.
The Mad East Select U15 AAA squad was concluding a two-week trip to the province in conjunction with the 40th edition of the Sherbrooke Bantam International Tournament.
Some of the youngsters even hailed from Slafkovsky's hometown of Kosice.
Team manager Tomas Tischler was thrilled to wrap up the trek with such a unique and memorable experience.
"It's a dream come true for these kids to be here. Juraj's a big role model for them," said Tischler. "He's proof that even if you're from a small city or a small country like Slovakia, if you work really hard, you can become an NHL player someday and see the world. He's a big hero for them because they can look to follow in his footsteps. Watching him practice with the Canadiens is inspiring and motivating for our players to keep working hard to reach their goals."

Tischler acknowledges that Slafkovsky's status as a first-overall pick is essential to the further development of the sport among kids in Slovakia.
They're watching his every move and enjoying the highlight-reels.
"When kids see the steps Juraj took to get to the NHL, how he plays, what he's doing to get better and how he's improving, it's motivation to keep practicing and do things the right way. They see that Juraj has done something important for us in Slovakia, so they want to be like him," explained Tischler. "Seeing how Juraj's life has changed is a big deal for the kids. They know that their hockey dreams can become reality."
Captain Peter Zamborsky soaked up every second of the on-ice session ahead of the highly anticipated meet-and-greet with the Habs' rookie.
The 13-year-old Trebisov native is especially proud to see Slafkovsky thriving on this side of the pond.

"I think this was the best day of my life. I've always wanted to see NHL players practice," said Zamborsky. "I think it's every kid's dream to watch something like this, and now I'm here and it's unbelievable. I really like Juraj's game. He's very big and strong. I like his style."
Defenseman Viktor Kosik relished the visit to the South Shore facility, too.
The 13-year-old Banská Bystrica native was smiling from ear to ear.
"I really enjoyed the experience. That was my dream," said Kosik. "It's really good to see a Slovak in the NHL playing for the Habs. Juraj's a good skater. He's always forechecking and backchecking with maximum effort, and he's a good shooter."

After practice, Slafkovsky happily posed for pictures with the Mad East Select players and staff, and signed plenty of autographs, too.
It's safe to say everyone had a blast.