Blues hope prospect Juraj Pekarcik's move to the QMJHL helps make jump to pro hockey next season
VICTORIAVILLE, Quebec — When Juraj Pekarcik arrived in Moncton to play for the Wildcats in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League this summer, there was one fewer thing on his to-do list.
He didn't have to learn a new language — again.
Pekarcik, a Slovakian-born winger the Blues drafted in the third round in 2023, had done that a year prior, learning English while playing for Dubuque (Iowa) in the USHL. The Blues wanted him to take the next step of his development by playing major junior hockey in Canada, but his rights were owned by Acadie-Bathurst in the mostly French-speaking QMJHL.
Then Moncton entered the picture. Moncton is a bilingual city, offering a softer landing spot socially and a championship-level team on the hockey side to help Pekarcik's development. The Wildcats traded for Pekarcik, who now has 17 points in 17 games this season.
"That was everything," Blues assistant general manager Tim Taylor said. "We wanted to make sure that when he came into this situation, it was going to be healthy for him."
On Sunday, Pekarcik scored his fifth goal of the season, the game-winning one in a 2-1 victory over Baie-Comeau. That improved Moncton to 14-2-2, the best record in the QMJHL and one that makes it possibly the best junior hockey team in Canada this season.
After he went the first eight games without scoring a goal, Pekarcik now has five in his past nine games, in addition to a three-assist game sprinkled in there. Blues management was in attendance the night before his three-assist game, watching him play in Drummondville while the NHL team was in Quebec to play the Canadiens recently.
"There's been a little bit of an adjustment to our league," Moncton coach Gardiner MacDougall said. "It's a little more physical and fast-paced, but teammates have loved him. He's had a lot of tremendous opportunities, obviously a very good play-maker, but he had a lot of good opportunities, especially on the power play."
When Pekarcik played in the USHL, he was one of the league's premier passers. His 50 assists were second-most in the league, and he was only one assist behind the league leader despite playing 12 fewer games. Dubuque made it all the way to the Clark Cup Final before losing to Fargo.
In the USHL, it's more of a tight-checking league, Taylor said. It also tends to skew slightly younger because many USHL players are in the league only to go play college hockey and leave once they are college-aged. With the QMJHL, it's more of an offensive league, and the contrast gives Pekarcik experience with different playing styles, Taylor said.
"He needed that jump," Taylor said. "To have him stay another year at Dubuque wouldn't have done him any good. Making that jump to the Quebec league gives him that step almost like going to college."
Pekarcik: "I think more offensive hockey, but I really like it here. I'm really happy to be part of Moncton this year, happy to keep working. ... I can be more on the puck, stronger and create some more chances for my teammates. I'm really happy for that."
When Pekarcik first arrived in Moncton, he tried stick-handling around defenders whenever he could. While his hands certainly are a part of his skillset, it was a learning process getting him to tweak his playing style at a different level of hockey.
Pekarcik said the Blues have preached to him about shooting the puck more often from the house area — below the tops of the circles and between the dots — and stopping on the puck more often in the defensive zone.
"I don't think he's going to put up 100 points there," Taylor said. "I think he'll be 60 to 70, but his game is going to translate to pro so much easier because he's heavy, he plays heavy, he's a big kid, he plays with details."
MacDougall said Pekarcik already has improved on his play away from the puck, and his puck management.
"He's above the puck more now," MacDougall said. "He's stopping on the puck, and he's making better decisions with the puck. You've got a thoroughbred, so you've got to let a thoroughbred run some, but you're just trying to put some standards in place for him, as well."
In Moncton, Pekarcik is one of many offensive options the Wildcats have. Even at a point per game, six teammates have more points than Pekarcik this season. He plays on the second line, and on the second power-play unit.
"I think he can make plays in small spaces," MacDougall said. "He can make those passes. If you're playing with him on a line or on the power play, you have to be ready at any moment. He can some plays that most people can't. That's forehand or backhand, sometimes. He can find people on the ice, very good passing skills."
Pekarcik: "I want to be strong on the puck, I want to create some chances. I want to still be confident. So I think I'm doing really well, so I'll keep working."
Pekarcik is expected to play again for Slovakia at the World Junior Championship, at which he likely will team up again with Blues prospect Dalibor Dvorsky. They played on a line at the last World Juniors, and again at the most recent prospect showcase.
At 19 years old, Pekarcik is expected to turn pro next season.
Until then, the Blues will have to wait on a prospect who could be a mid-round hit with maturity beyond his age. Here's a story about Pekarcik from the 2023 Blues draft party from Taylor:
"He came back with his jersey on, by himself," Taylor said. "His agent wasn't there. His parents weren't there. He came back by himself and sat socially with everyone else there. His equipment didn't arrive (for development camp), and his luggage didn't arrive in St. Louis. I said, 'You want me to take you to Lululemon, we'll get you something?' No, trainers got him something and he was OK with that.
"Didn't complain once. He had someone else's skates on, and he looked great on the ice. He hasn't complained once. He's very mature for his age. From the outside, he's worked for everything he's got, and he doesn't know any different."
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