Only Michael Pezzetta has averaged less time on the ice per game since the start of the season than Juraj Slafkovsky.

That stat irritates our contributor Mathieu Perreault, who wishes the Montreal Canadiens rookie would be used more by Martin St-Louis.

“I would like that we give him a little bit more to see what he can do. He is the team’s second least used player since the start of the season. He’s really considered the team’s 12th forward at the moment, but I don’t think he plays like a 12th forward. I can’t wait for more to come. It’s meant to continue,” he said in his column on Friday’s program La Poche bleue le midi, on TVA Sports’ ether. (watch the video above).

Perreault liked what he saw of the Slovakian against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. He then clocked a playing time of 10 minutes and 33 seconds, compared to 9:40 for Pezzetta, his linemate with Jake Evans (10:41).

“He’s playing well with his line, which could have more minutes. He was very dominant in the third third against the Blue Jackets. He had the puck every time he played and was good at protecting the puck. We’ve got some great sequences from him seen.”

Slafkovsky even picked up the fourth point of his career with an assist for defender Jordan Harris’ first goal of the season.

Overall, he’s averaging 11 minutes and 7 seconds per game this season, compared to 9:56 for Pezzetta.