#1OA Juraj Slafkovsky - Huge Disappointment

[boompuffboom]

at 20 years old, i was already a yuge disapoint. i never recovurd

 

[Bileur]

As was the case with Laf, he’ll find his way.

As was the case with Laf, if his team is dumb enough to move him I’d be glad to take him on my team.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

He’s better than Lafreniere, isn’t he ?

Your crusade to bump up your boy Panarin at all costs is so transparent. Lafreniere has sucked this year, but so has your boy Panarin. If Lafraniere were playing with any other winger on the Rangers you wouldn't give a f*** about him.

 

[SamHabsFan]

They had the rare option to put him directly into the AHL after the draft. He should’ve spent at least 1 season there before coming up. Seems like a bad decision to rush a prospect along to the NHL when they didn’t need him.

actually Kent Hughes just talked about this in a recent podcast..he said that when drafting Slaf they wanted him to improve and develop his reads and hockey IQ in an environment where his huge frame wont be a total advantage so thats why they did not want to send him in to an inferior league, so that he couldnt rely solely on his size

 

[Raistlin]

....and then you sign Laine to mentor him how to play as a big winger. Such a great role model for the kid.

 

[JianYang]

This place feels like ESPN talking heads sometimes.

It's a hot take for the sake of a hot take.

This is not something out of the ordinary. Many young players go through growing pains especially when they are a bigger player.

If we concluded on thronton and samsonov in their 3rd seasons, samsonov would have been deemed the better player.

 

[Fantomas]

The people in charge of the Habs are some of the dumbest bastards in the sport. They give this guy superstar money and reject Michkov because culture something something. They don't deserve to have Demidov.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Definitely not writing him off yet, but anyone saying he hasn’t been disappointing is lying

 

[MCR74]

....and then you sign Laine to mentor him how to play as a big winger. Such a great role model for the kid.

How are Slaf's Fortnite skills?

 

[Rubi]

Habs had the misfortune to draft 1OA in an incredibly weak draft.
Before the draft, every year the media pumps the tires of the next consensus #1 pick. I barely remember them talking about Slaf or anybody else for that matter except perhaps Wright who they were talking about for all the wrong reasons.
However, the Habs big mistake, was not in drafting him but to sign him to that $60m contract at the age of 19.

 

[Brookbank]

I would have just drafted Shane

 

[winnipegger]

Once you're out of the top 3 picks I feel like calling anyone a disappointment is a bit of a stretch.

 

[HabsCode]

Thread '"Nobody is afraid of Bedard"....Bruce Boudreau'

Wednesday at 4:40 PM

Domino's That's Hockey: What's missing from Bedard's game? - Video - TSN

It's the Connor vs. Connor showdown in Chicago tonight as McDavid and the Oilers come to town to face Bedard and the Blackhawks. Bryan Hayes and Bruce Boudreau join Domino's That's Hockey to discuss what's missing from Bedard's game at this point and if he'll make Canada's Olympic roster in 2026.

www.tsn.ca

• sawchuk1971
• Replies: 366
• Forum: National Hockey League Talk

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it is on the first page... a few other talking heads are suggesting he plays a small game

And pick who instead? He is clearly outclassing all other 2023 draftee and is close to PPG production with absolutely no support

 

[Canadiens Ghost]

Bash him now while you can. He'll be worth his contract in a couple years from now.

 

[SlafySZN]

The people in charge of the Habs are some of the dumbest bastards in the sport. They give this guy superstar money and reject Michkov because culture something something. They don't deserve to have Demidov.

You seems hurt they didn’t like Michkov enough. Maybe some therapy is needed to help get over it.

They liked Demidov, wanted him and then got to draft him.

7.5m is not superstar money, by the way.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

Once you're out of the top 3 picks I feel like calling anyone a disappointment is a bit of a stretch.

I’m not sure if I follow you. What does that have to do with Slafkovsky, a #1oa?

 

[3074326]

This place feels like ESPN talking heads sometimes.

It's a hot take for the sake of a hot take.

This is not something out of the ordinary. Many young players go through growing pains especially when they are a bigger player.

If we concluded on thronton and samsonov in their 3rd seasons, samsonov would have been deemed the better player.

ESPN has better analysis to be completely honest. And I'm not really meaning that as a compliment to ESPN.

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

Was so overrated by habs fans. Tried to tell them. They were trying to convince themselves he was legit. Said the same thing about Kk , poehling and others. I tell it like it is.

Now fortunately for them Demndiov is worth getting excited about. Said the same about Hutson. Also like mallioux

Mailloux is garbage, nice try, Nostradamus.

Laf for Slaf 1 for 1

We are fine, Laf has the same problems as Slaf, but he's older and getting carried by a superstar in Panarin...

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Mailloux is garbage, nice try, Nostradamus.

...garbage takes are also garbage...21 year old with 8 games of NHL experience and you know he's a bust...so who's hiring you as GM??...

....and then you sign Laine to mentor him how to play as a big winger. Such a great role model for the kid.

...Habs didn't sign Laine, Columbus did...Habs got a 2nd to take his contract for two years while they didn't need the Cap...and if he finds his game again, an added bonus...

 

[Felidae]

I would have just drafted Shane

Way too early to say that..

Wright played 8 games last season while Slafkovsky had a 50 point campaign..

Also, he's only 2 points ahead with plenty of games left.

Kudos to Wright obviously for progressing and it is disappointing to see Slafkovsky not improve on last season. But it once again shows development isn't linear.

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

...garbage takes are also garbage...21 year old with 8 games of NHL experience and you know he's a bust...so who's hiring you as GM??...

Sadly, Mailloux will never amount to anything in the NHL, we should trade him before it's too late. I would gladly take KH's place.

As a GM, with no hindsight, our team would be composed of Shane Wright, Michkov, Demidov and no pick wasted on Newhook or Dach...

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Sadly, Mailloux will never amount to anything in the NHL, we should trade him before it's too late. I would gladly take KH's place.

As a GM, with no hindsight, our team would be composed of Shane Wright, Michkov, Demidov and no pick wasted on Newhook or Dach...

...so Fluffabo...nice work...

 

[Mugzy97]

actually Kent Hughes just talked about this in a recent podcast..he said that when drafting Slaf they wanted him to improve and develop his reads and hockey IQ in an environment where his huge frame wont be a total advantage so thats why they did not want to send him in to an inferior league, so that he couldnt rely solely on his size

Interesting take. Seems like a mistake to me, but I'm sure Kent and his team are more informed than I am I guess.

 

[Zalos]

Juraj Slafkovsky is in his third season in the NHL, and he still looks like he barely understands the basic things needed to succeed in the NHL. Sure, he had 50 points last year after riding a hot streak, but his overall body of work is incredibly patchy and has been going back to even before he was drafted.

So far this season he has 29 points in 52 games but a measly 8 goals. Even Habs pariah Jesperi Kotkaniemi has more goals than Juraj. Some might laugh at the comparison but Slafkovsky gets an average 16+ minutes of Ice time per game, whereas Kotakniemi doesn't even crack 14. KK has 26 points. 3 more points with roughly 3 more minutes per game compared to someone like KK and riding a heavy dose of Suzuki and Caufield doesn't paint a promising picture. Things might change but at this moment in time Salfkosky isn't a better player KK, and KK is good defensively.

I'm not even gonna start comparing Juraj to Logan Cooley, as the latter is establishing himself as a bona fide #1C in the NHL. Hell, even Shane Right is looking like he's finally turning the corner.

Slafkovsky had a lot of question marks, and he is proving without a shadow of a doubt why so many were hesitant to take him first overall. Habs swung, and missed. Big time.

To make matters even worse, Habs brass offered him a huge contract before he even earned it, likely killing his motivation to get better and being content that he's already "made it" since he got the bag. Terrible.

Discuss.

I guess Lafrenière, Byfield, Cozens, Wright, and a bunch of other young players are also busts, right?

Will be fun to come back to your thread in a couple years.