Almost every player says that they are excited to play professional hockey. It’s a new challenge, a fresh jump, a necessary hurdle to clear on the path toward the NHL. It’s clear why players would be excited to swap out junior hockey for pro.
For Juraj Pekarcik, though, it’s apparent the feeling goes beyond words.
“I’m so excited,” Pekarcik said. “That’s the dream, to play pro my whole life. I can’t wait for it. I’ll do everything I can to show what’s inside of me. I’ll be playing my best next year.”
Pekarcik is a Blues prospect who exploded onto the scene during his two years playing North American junior hockey. The Slovakian winger was second in the USHL in assists in 2023-24, then jumped to the QMJHL last season and won a league championship with Moncton. Originally a third-round pick in 2023, Pekarcik has become an under-the-radar bet to contribute in the NHL at some point.
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Pekarcik, who turns 20 in September, will likely spend the season with AHL affiliate Springfield (Massachusetts), although he will have the chance to surprise at training camp.
“He had a great year,” Blues assistant general manager Tim Taylor said. “I’ll tell you: They raved about his character. His teammates loved him. He was really good in the playoffs for them. He’s the type of kid that plays really big in big games, hard-nosed and has a nose for the net. We’re excited for him. Obviously, a stepping stone.”
Pekarcik was listed at 6-foot-2 and 197 pounds last season and again went deep into the playoffs for the second straight season.
In 2024 with Dubuque, the Fighting Saints went to the Clark Cup Final before losing to Fargo. This spring, Moncton won the QMJHL championship and then played for the Memorial Cup. In the playoffs, Pekarcik had 21 points (nine goals and 12 assists) to rank fifth in the league.
“It was a great experience for our team and for our group,” Pekarcik said. “It was a special year for us, and the Mem Cup is something different than playoffs and the regular season. I take a lot from that; I learn some stuff. Obviously, I can get better in some things. I wish we could win the Mem Cup. It was a great season for us either way.”
Pekarcik is a play-making winger who can also score, and he said he improved his shooting and defense in Moncton.
“I feel like I step up in the defensive zone,” Pekarcik said. “I’m better playing positionally in our zone, try harder and probably more shooting. I had more goals this year. Last year, I had nine, and this year, I had like 24. It was good for me. I was working on it during the year, and I think I got better in that situation. I think overall, I took a huge step forward. Can’t wait for next year.”
In Springfield, Pekarcik could be playing with a familiar face: Dalibor Dvorsky.
Both Pekarcik and Dvorsky are from Slovakia and played in the World Juniors multiple times. In the tournament last season, the two were on the same line and received the lion’s share of work as their team was bounced in the quarterfinals.
Pekarcik and Dvorsky also played on the same line during the Blues’ prospect tournament last year and could again in the fall.
“He said it’s a hard step,” Pekarcik said of Dvorsky, who was named an AHL All-Star in his rookie season. “Players are taller, more physical, so in that way, it’s a little bit harder. But overall, it was a great experience for him. He can’t wait for next year, too.”
If Pekarcik becomes an NHL regular at some point for ӣƵ, he would the first forward the Blues drafted in the third round or later to be an NHLer since Alexey Toropchenko (2017 fourth-round pick).
“I’m going to learn from the best, and I’m going to try to do my best to keep working and playing my game,” Pekarcik said.
ӣƵ Blues general manager Doug Armstrong speaks with the media on Friday, June 27, 2025, after the first day of the NHL draft. (Video courtesy ӣƵ Blues)
