Slafkovsky (6-foot-4, 218 pounds) had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 31 games with TPS in Liiga, Finland's top professional league, and was named the most valuable player at the 2022 Beijing Olympics after scoring a tournament-high seven goals in seven games as a 17-year-old (he turned 18 on March 30). He leads Slovakia with seven points (two goals, five assists) in six games at the 2022 IIHF World Championship and is
No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of International skaters
for the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft.
"He's an exceptional player," Stubb said. "Size, speed, balance, attitude. He's a fantastic forechecker. His checking in the defensive end is unbelievable. … He's a dominant player."
Stubb also discussed what separates Slafkovsky and forward Joakim Kemell, No. 2 on the final ranking of International skaters who had 23 points (15 goals, eight assists) in 39 games with JYP in Liiga despite missing time because of a shoulder injury.
"Slafkovsky is bigger, more mature; Kemell is more of a finesse player but he doesn't shy away from rough stuff either," Stubb said. "He's very good in front of the net and can score goals."
Co-hosts Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale also talked about a number of other top-rated International skaters, among them defensemen Simon Nemec of Nitra in Slovakia and David Jiricek of Plzen in Czech Republic, and forwards Brad Lambert of Pelicans in Finland, Danila Yurov of Magnitogorsk in the Kontinental Hockey League and Ivan Miroshnichenko of Omsk Krylia in Russia's second division.
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Listen: New episode of NHL Draft Class
