Juraj Slafkovsky named Honorary Citizen of village in Slovakia

MONTREAL — Juraj Slafkovsky has made history once again in Slovakia. 

On August 8, the Canadiens forward was named the first-ever Honorary Citizen of the village of Budimir, located in the Kosice Basin and near his hometown of Kosice.

“We hold Juraj Slafkovsky in the highest regard; this award expresses our respect, pride, and gratitude for his outstanding sporting achievements and for representing both the Slovak Republic and the village of Budimir with distinction,” shared Budimir mayor Vojtech Stano.

Among his many accomplishments, the 22-year-old made history when he led Slovakia’s men’s hockey team to their first-ever Olympic medal at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, bringing home bronze. That same year, he became the first Slovak selected with the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft. His most recent stint with the men’s national team resulted in a fourth-place finish at Milano Cortina 2026 where he led his countrymen in points with eight (4G, 4A) in six games.