Prospect Info: [2022 - 1st OA] Juraj Slafkovsky (LW) Part 2

[SlafySZN]

Let me tell you about his Liiga production!

I’ve never watched him play but it’s a major red flag!

 

[WeThreeKings]

I’ve never watched him play but it’s a major red flag!

Here's my thesis - it will be the same on every page, and I will add a page every day and add 0 new information and make no effort to watch any of his hockey.

 

[Paddy17]

It's always a little funny seeing the collective trauma of more than a decade of bad development lingering on... let's try to start with a clean slate and an open mind without letting the past affect our judgement, opinions, and decisions. Training camp will decide. No decisions before that.

The Bergevin era is over. We've all had scars. Time to heal your wounds.

 

[Paddy17]

That smacks of Bergevin PTSD (and I’m not singling you out or blaming you one bit — I’m seeing this a lot by several posters in multiple threads).

We’re working with a clean slate now, with the new guys, who have a plan and who are development conscious.

The new guys are not burning anything until they actually burn something. Habs wouldn’t be the first org. to immediately graduate a 1OA selection if he showed he was deserving.

Whatever happened with Chuckie and KK would only really matter if Bergevin were still at the helm. Different players, different times, fresh set of eyes on top of things now and Slaf is Slaf, there is no mold to artificially constrain what he can do, when and how.

Right on! It's funny cause I just posted about this a minute ago before reading your post!

 

[Sterling Archer]

Stop right there.

Did the 1996-2016 Red Wings ever leave a 1OA in the minors? No. Do you know why?

Did you know that from 1992 to 2016, they never once drafted in the top 15? So just maybe their later picks could not dislodge their many ultra-solid NHL players.

No comparison to Habs' situation.

I was never comparing their situations. I’m VERY aware we’re not perennial contenders lol. But thanks anyways.

 

[SlafySZN]

 

[salbutera]

If you're looking for strategies to combat opposing players you are going to focus on the top players not the 3rd/4th liners. And in the playoffs where it actually makes sense to look at the depth players Kotkaniemi was great so clearly it wasn't a case of opposing teams figuring out the player.

Of course it was, teams focused on exploiting Galchenyuk’s lack of defensive awareness all the time and KKs inability to win puck battles along boards in 1-on-1 matchups and exploited lack of pace in transition situations. These exploitations forced both players to defend vs attack… again strategically playing into their weakness

The whole purpose of game strategy is to find weak situational links within a lineup regardless of 1st line or 4th line

 

[Sorinth]

Of course it was, teams focused on exploiting Galchenyuk’s lack of defensive awareness all the time and KKs inability to win puck battles along boards in 1-on-1 matchups and exploited lack of pace in transition situations. These exploitations forced both players to defend vs attack… again strategically playing into their weakness

The whole purpose of game strategy is to find weak situational links within a lineup regardless of 1st line or 4th line

Except your theory is easily disproved.

When used at center Galchenyuk produced 103 points in 141 games (60 points over 82 games) and was a +6.
When used at wing Galchenyuk produced 152 points in 277 games (45 points over 82 games) and was a -40.

So teams didn't exploit his lack of defensive awareness when he was used at center, he was a +. And when you look at his best statistical seasons they correspond to the seasons where he had the most games at center. So this idea that teams figured him out after his rookie year and he couldn't adapt is fantasy in your head. It was very clearly how the coached used him.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Except your theory is easily disproved.

When used at center Galchenyuk produced 103 points in 141 games (60 points over 82 games) and was a +6.
When used at wing Galchenyuk produced 152 points in 277 games (45 points over 82 games) and was a -40.

So teams didn't exploit his lack of defensive awareness when he was used at center, he was a +. And when you look at his best statistical seasons they correspond to the seasons where he had the most games at center. So this idea that teams figured him out after his rookie year and he couldn't adapt is fantasy in your head. It was very clearly how the coached used him.

...yup...Galchenyuk had the talent level to play at C...he only had one MAJOR issue when used there...he was better than good ol' Davey and Meathead Michel didn't like that...

 

[SlafySZN]

 

[Ghetto Sangria]

This kid is so damn likable. I was entirely on the Wright train... and I still think he'll prove to be the better pick in the end, but he's made it so easy to get over the draft day results and cheer for the kid. His personality fits in well with this city and fanbase.

 

[Runner77]

This kid is so damn likable. I was entirely on the Wright train... and I still think he'll prove to be the better pick in the end, but he's made it so easy to get over the draft day results and cheer for the kid. His personality fits in well with this city and fanbase.

Guy is only 18 but comes across as wise beyond his years.

 

[SlafySZN]

This kid is so damn likable. I was entirely on the Wright train... and I still think he'll prove to be the better pick in the end, but he's made it so easy to get over the draft day results and cheer for the kid. His personality fits in well with this city and fanbase.

When last season started and it was apparent that the habs would draft very high i started giving way more attention to the players who were higher top 10 picks, Slafkovsky caught my eye at the WJC last december and he kept getting better and better as the year went on.

I’ve watched a lot of Slafkovsky, Wright, Cooley. I tried to be excited for Wright but i really wasn’t impressed all year. Slafkovsky does many things on the ice that Wright will never do, completely different kind of players and i think we need to be patient with him, Wright’s game is more definite right now but Slafkovsky has way higher potential and match that with the kind of kid he seems to be, already smart and mature and looks like he’s the perfect kind of person to deal with the Montreal pressure.

 

[26Mats]

Me every time I check this thread for actual news on Slaf

View attachment 582011

Juraj Slafkovsky à l'événement Showcase de la NHLPA et de la compagnie de carte de hockey Upper Deck.

Juraj Slafkovsky est prêt à tout pour avoir un poste avec les Canadiens.

www.rds.ca

 

[SlafySZN]

 

[McGees]

We sure could use Power on this team

 

[Redux91]

At first I was like how in the WORLD is Power seemingly taller than our giant??

Oh.. it's because he is lol (6"6 sheesh), I thought Power was like 6"2-6"3 lol

 

[Belial]

At first I was like how in the WORLD is Power seemingly taller than our giant??

Oh.. it's because he is lol (6"6 sheesh), I thought Power was like 6"2-6"3 lol

Owen Tower...

 

[jaffy27]

At first I was like how in the WORLD is Power seemingly taller than our giant??

Oh.. it's because he is lol (6"6 sheesh), I thought Power was like 6"2-6"3 lol

Slaf heavier on the shorter frame…..our boy is big

Curiously, Slaf couldn’t get by on neither his skills nor his physical attributes in Liiga or the Liiga playoffs. This is a major red flag all the Sundin/Lindros/Jagr comparisons miss.

The biggest question mark is his vision and playmaking ability. If he has hockey IQ to overcome NHL defences and defenders.

Have fun with that red flag of yours

 

[jaffy27]

Except that Slaf as a 1st OA, is bound to get more rope and thus more chances to show his wares. Already we saw rumblings about how the org. believes he has the attributes to indicate that he’s close to an NHL berth.

Best case scenario is that he makes it on his own merits and let the chips fall where they may. If Slaf is deemed ready and shows it, then let Hoffman, Drouin and whoever else raise their game and make a case for their minutes but not just because Slaf can be sent down.

Slaf should only be sent down if he deserves to.

I hear ya but sometimes it’s a numbers game or contracts…..your post as always is spot on though

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

At first I was like how in the WORLD is Power seemingly taller than our giant??

Oh.. it's because he is lol (6"6 sheesh), I thought Power was like 6"2-6"3 lol

...Slafkovsky is also leaning a bit...they look relatively close in height...

 

[bishop12]

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Short legs and a long torso?

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Short legs and a long torso?

 

[salbutera]

Except your theory is easily disproved.

When used at center Galchenyuk produced 103 points in 141 games (60 points over 82 games) and was a +6.
When used at wing Galchenyuk produced 152 points in 277 games (45 points over 82 games) and was a -40.

So teams didn't exploit his lack of defensive awareness when he was used at center, he was a +. And when you look at his best statistical seasons they correspond to the seasons where he had the most games at center. So this idea that teams figured him out after his rookie year and he couldn't adapt is fantasy in your head. It was very clearly how the coached used him.

Context… 17-18 Galchenyuk was -31 for the season (2nd best offensive season in NHL w 51-pts / 24-of which on PP), and following season -19 (41-pts / 21-of which on PP) for Yotes … both playing W

 

[Peteux]

When last season started and it was apparent that the habs would draft very high i started giving way more attention to the players who were higher top 10 picks, Slafkovsky caught my eye at the WJC last december and he kept getting better and better as the year went on.

I’ve watched a lot of Slafkovsky, Wright, Cooley. I tried to be excited for Wright but i really wasn’t impressed all year. Slafkovsky does many things on the ice that Wright will never do, completely different kind of players and i think we need to be patient with him, Wright’s game is more definite right now but Slafkovsky has way higher potential and match that with the kind of kid he seems to be, already smart and mature and looks like he’s the perfect kind of person to deal with the Montreal pressure.

Totally the same for me. I followed a lot the top 10. I found that a lot of articles trashed Wright and how he played an unspectacular brand of hockey... but I watched him and boy was he boring to watch! It made me remember how I was ALWAYS falling asleep during all NJD-MTL matchs (yeah during NJD boring style of play years).

Seriously I think we'll have a better show with Slafkovsky and Beck/Mysak than we would have had with Wright. I'm really rooting for him to be a worthy first pick.