Juraj Slafkovský once flipped off his father in the middle of a match at the age of 12.

For the past month, Juraj Slafkovský has been the flavor of the moment for the Habs. The first-round draft pick in 2022 finally seems to have found his feet in the NHL alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, and with five points in his last four games, we’re seeing clear progress on his part.

And beyond the points, he’s playing some really good hockey. He still needs to work on some aspects of his game, but more and more, he’s looking like a top prospect.

Another thing you notice about the Slovak is his strong character. Just think of his celebration after his first NHL goal, or his Are you not entertained? earlier this month.

Juraj Slafkovsky with the classic “Are you not entertained?!” celly from Gladiator pic.twitter.com/kKs6QKJh5Z

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) December 10, 2023

And clearly, the young Slovak’s strong character isn’t new. Anthony Martineau (TVA Sports) recently spoke with Slaf‘s father, also named Juraj Slafkovský, and if his words are anything to go by, you have to go all the way back to his son’s childhood to find the first signs of his strong character.

In fact, Dad Slafkovský explains that when his son was 12, he went to one of his games and shouted at Slaf to put more effort into his defensive game… to which the son responded with a good old-fashioned middle finger in the middle of the game.

Nothing less.

When Slafkovsky flipped off his father and five stories about Juraj’s youth https://t.co/NQdrioHsdF

– Le Journal de Montréal (@JdeMontreal) December 27, 2023

Dad Slafkovský remembers it all with a laugh, but in reality, it shows the youngster’s strength of character. He’s been confident in his abilities for a long time and has no intention of letting himself be pushed around.

Well, maybe his father was right then… but the fact remains: Slaf will fight back if “attacked”.

In his first season, he may have felt a little more timid at this level, but a string of good performances over the past month has helped him regain his swagger and confidence, and perhaps his strength of character.

That said, you have to make sure it doesn’t cross the line and stays respectful (imagine if he had to give Martin St-Louis the finger in the middle of a game, hehe), but as long as it does, it’s a good thing… and helps him cope with the pressure that comes with being a first overall pick in Montreal.

I recommend that you read Anthony Martineau’s article (which I’m reposting HERE) to learn a little more about Slaf‘s early life, but it’s clear that he’s not short of character, and hasn’t been for a long time.

And that’s just fine.