Juraj Pekarcik played in the Slovakia pro league where he scored 3 assists in 30 games. He also played in the Slovakia U20 league where he scored 8 goals and 20 assists in 26 games. Juraj Pekarcik was one of the biggest risers this season and was the biggest surprise at the U18s. He was Slovakia's second best player scoring 3 goals and 7 assists in 7 games. The explosive Slovak stands at 6'2" and was a week away from being 2024 draft elgible. The combination of his meteoric rise and being almost a full year younger than some other prospects is a terrific sign. He has a motor that doesn't quit, throws his body around, and has great stickhandling abilities. The ideal size, massive improvement, and outstanding pro projection is why I am higher on him than most scouts and amateur scouting services. After the u18's, I imagine he was on a lot of scouts radars. I am guessing he goes anywhere in the second round and wouldn't be surprised if a wildcard like Columbus drafts him earlier than expected.
Pekarcik plays the game hard and fast. He will beat opponents with nifty stickhandling abilities or bolt around them. He isn't the definition of a smooth skater, but his soft hands match his upbeat skating style. Offensively, I consider him to be a playmaker. He isn't all that great at slowing the play down or capitalizing on given room, but he is great at creating space for him and his teammates. He uses this ability at the fullest to distribute the puck to teammates in scoring positions. When he is given creative goal scoring linemates, Pekarcik thrives the most. We saw Pekarcik deliver huge paired up with Dvorsky and I expect him to bring the same energy at the NHL level.
There are a few things I'd like to see more from Pekarcik. Improving in the skill aspect of the game will do him well. That means gaining the ability to slow the play down a little more, improve his vision, and his goal scoring ability. There isn't necessarily any bad qualities in those areas, but he isn't thriving. I have seen him make high-level plays on the ice, so I know the tools are there. I would just like to see more of it. Overall, I think he is still a few years away from the NHL, but I'd love to have him in my system. The work ethic combined with ability is an enticing thought. A couple strong developmental years and you have yourself a really good player. If your team drafts Pekarcik, they are getting a hard working, hard hitting, and highly skilled player that projects as a 3rd line wing with potential to be a top line buzzsaw. A bit of a project, but one of the better ones at that.
Below is his Elite Prospects page
Elite Prospect's page for Juraj Pekarcik2/4 Average
2/4 Average
2/4 Average
2/4 Average
4/4 Elite
Below are some sources to look at for visual demonstration;