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

[Seb]

My face when the Sabres Dman hits Slafkovsky with his head down

My face when Slafkovsky barely moves

 

[Mudz]

A hit like that was a learning experience. He will learn to be more aware and that he doesn't have the time/space as on the big ice. He will learn to play with more awareness on small ice.

oh yeah clearly, I was thinking the same thing last night. There's most space on the big ice and the soft spot is bigger when you cut to the middle. On that particular play, he should have cut a little bit sooner.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

 

[Mudz]

Given how he played this game, I’m excited to see how Caufield and Zukes could finish all those plays he started. He would be perfect for that line. Could be one of the better ones in the league

I had the same thought last night.

I kind of wanted Wright to have the 1-2 punch and dept at the center position.

But looking at Slaf last night, the potential is off the chart. Imagine 2 guys feeding Caufield. And Slaf can finish too.

Look at Boston, they pretty much roll with just one "perfect" line. We can only dream to achieve that

 

[Habs Halifax]

One other positive sign is that he doesn’t take an extra second to make a play. His decision making is fast on the ice. So fast that a few times his line mates didn’t expect the puck to come there way. He’s clearly thinking ahead when he has the puck and not simply reacting.

Agreed. I think his hockey IQ is higher than the average prospect. That goes a long way to transition to the NHL.

 

[JoelWarlord]

I see on Facebook people calling him Slowovsky. They generally know what they are talking about.

On this matter at least, they do not.

I genuinely can not fathom how the takeaway from last night's game would be to call him slow lmao

 

[Habs Halifax]

He did try to do a bit too much with the puck last night, but I sure can't blame him for being excited and wanting to show people what he can do in his first official match. His enthusiasm is one of the things that made the team draft him first after all, I don't want him to ever lose that . Give me a kid who's genuinely thrilled to be on the ice any day.

This is kind of what I was talking about a few weeks ago. He needs to play with talent and if he starts in the AHL, who is he playing with and would he feel like he needs to do things he shouldn't. He's not really a line driver but some posters got caught in a knot about that. He will drive the play here and there but that's more about puck protection down low and along the walls. Taking the puck from one end to the other? Not so sure that is his game and it will come down to chemistry with his line mates.

 

[SwiftyHab]

I had the same thought last night.

I kind of wanted Wright to have the 1-2 punch and dept at the center position.

But looking at Slaf last night, the potential is off the chart. Imagine 2 guys feeding Caufield. And Slaf can finish too.

Look at Boston, they pretty much roll with just one "perfect" line. We can only dream to achieve that

Agreed but I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing him on a third line too with Dach. Both are very good transition options and both use their big reach well. Dach could also pick up some of Slaf’s aggressiveness which would serve him well. Put Anderson or even Armia on that line, and we might have something special.

 

[Paddy17]

I'd like to see a preseason line of Slaf-Dach-Anderson. The Three Towers!

 

[Junohockeyfan]

This is kind of what I was talking about a few weeks ago. He needs to play with talent and if he starts in the AHL, who is he playing with and would he feel like he needs to do things he shouldn't. He's not really a line driver but some posters got caught in a knot about that. He will drive the play here and there but that's more about puck protection down low and along the walls. Taking the puck from one end to the other? Not so sure that is his game and it will come down to chemistry with his line mates.

Hard to say what his style of game is at this stage as he has a lot of tools but no consistency it their deployment. We've seen him go near end to end in international tournaments. We've seen him play a trapping forechecking style in the Finnish league. We've seen him cut to the front of the net to score. We've seen him park himself in front of the net for a tip, screen or dirty goal.

I haven't seen enough of him to understand what his game will be. He's big, got skills and appears to have some speed to go with it. What he becomes is a bit of a mystery.

 

[JuicyJofa]

You mean the others guys are going to learn to not head hunt him because you actually end up hurt if you try that on Slaf, right?

I mean, it's not even a joke, 6'2'' 200 Berzolla ended up hurt! trying to Scott Stevens Slaf. He thought he had the highlight of the game. His name was made. He was going to destroy the #1 pick.

Yet, he's the one getting hurt. I mean, it was an instant meme. And the call by the play by play guy was brilliant.

"Slafkovsky meet a wall, and the wall crumbles"

Any video of this play? Haven't seen it in the highlights. TIA!

 

[Bombshell11]

Wow….what a take on an 18yr old

99.9% of junior players need to do exactly this.

not 99.9% of the 1st OA. Your take weak.

 

[Mudz]

Agreed but I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing him on a third line too with Dach. Both are very good transition options and both use their big reach well. Dach could also pick up some of Slaf’s aggressiveness which would serve him well. Put Anderson or even Armia on that line, and we might have something special.

oh for sure. We'll see him with a bunch of people. It's one of the purpose of a training camp, to try some things.
Can't wait to see how the camp goes for the kid!

 

[Habs Halifax]

Hard to say what his style of game is at this stage as he has a lot of tools but no consistency it their deployment. We've seen him go near end to end in international tournaments. We've seen him play a trapping forechecking style in the Finnish league. We've seen him cut to the front of the net to score. We've seen him park himself in front of the net for a tip, screen or dirty goal.

I haven't seen enough of him to understand what his game will be. He's big, got skills and appears to have some speed to go with it. What he becomes is a bit of a mystery.

I don't consider him a puck possession winger like Gaudreau. That shouldn't' be confused to the other extreme either.

To me, he is a high hockey IQ type that is physically strong and has skill/skating to be a very effective winger in many areas of the game. But it will come down to who he plays with and what kind of chemistry he has.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Seen something yesterday that said he was 238lbs and that is top 5 in weight in the NHL today? Is this true? If so, just WOW cause he is not that slow on the ice.

I really like this kid. I like how he has high expectations for himself and he appears to be the type to be obsessed with improving and overcoming obstacles. That is great development if you ask me.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

I don't consider him a puck possession winger like Gaudreau. That shouldn't' be confused to the other extreme either.

To me, he is a high hockey IQ type that is physically strong and has skill/skating to be a very effective winger in many areas of the game. But it will come down to who he plays with and what kind of chemistry he has.

Gaudreau, Drouin those types are a different type of playmaking winger.

Slafovsky is a power forward in the mold of a Rich Nash type. At least, i think that's what his game will round out as. No idea how high or if he hits his ceiling though.

 

[Mudz]

Any video of this play? Haven't seen it in the highlights. TIA!

That for the good quality.

More extensive:

https://preview.redd.it/l8hcpsxhn4o91.gif?width=960&format=mp4&s=c64c33dea48dca4888fbdb2bb25581ea109c3431

On this gif, you can even see his between the leg deviation when he receives a pass from Xhekaj. It's such a high IQ play. If Condotta doesn't engage in a fight, there's a 2 vs 1 for Montreal resulting from Slaf pass

 

[Habs Halifax]

Gaudreau, Drouin those types are a different type of playmaking winger.

Slafovsky is a power forward in the mold of a Rich Nash type. At least, i think that's what his game will round out as. No idea how high or if he hits his ceiling though.

It has nothing to do with "play making". It's about puck possession and skating with the puck from one end to the other. That will not be his game IMO.

We will get the best out of him by having him play with the right center and RW. Of course he can skate with the puck but not like Gaudreau.

 

[Vachon23]

As much as I wanted Wright (and I would still take him), I need to say that he’s exactly the winger that Suzuki-Caufield need

 

[MasterD]

My face when the Sabres Dman hits Slafkovsky with his head down

My face when Slafkovsky barely moves

Slaf with his head down still has his head above people's shoulders lol

 

[Schooner Guy]

All the issues you mentioned are symptoms of playing on big ice and he will adjust quickly. Most Euros adjust to small ice after a few games just as Canadian players adjust to big ice for the Olympics. You learn what you can and can't do.

The Olympics are no longer played on international-sized ice. Slaf played vs men on NHL-sized ice surfaces at both the Beijing Olympics and at the World Championship in Finland. Most major IIHF tournaments are now played on NHL-sized ice.

 

[HabsRenegade]

You mean the others guys are going to learn to not head hunt him because you actually end up hurt if you try that on Slaf, right?

I mean, it's not even a joke, 6'2'' 200 Berzolla ended up hurt! trying to Scott Stevens Slaf. He thought he had the highlight of the game. His name was made. He was going to destroy the #1 pick.

Yet, he's the one getting hurt. I mean, it was an instant meme. And the call by the play by play guy was brilliant.

"Slafkovsky meet a wall, and the wall crumbles"

Is there video of that?

 

[Kennerback]

That for the good quality.

More extensive:

https://preview.redd.it/l8hcpsxhn4o91.gif?width=960&format=mp4&s=c64c33dea48dca4888fbdb2bb25581ea109c3431

On this gif, you can even see his between the leg deviation when he receives a pass from Xhekaj. It's such a high IQ play. If Condotta doesn't engage in a fight, there's a 2 vs 1 for Montreal resulting from Slaf pass

Goes for an open ice hit on 240 pounds in motion. Is dazed, confused and partly winded. Then the second after you need to react to blows raining down at your head. That’s what’s called having a bad day.

 

[Picaroon]

I see on Facebook people calling him Slowovsky. I never watched the game myself so I don't know. They are veteran hockey men though. They generally know what they are talking about.

Sounds like a year or two in Laval. If any doubt at all I would send him down. I wouldn't risk it. Prime directive is not get Slaf in Montreal this year but acquire a high pick in next draft. Doesn't matter if he is here or not.

Don't want this to turn into another Koktaneimi.
Koktaneimi he didn't look good early on in camp. Then second half of camp came on, made team at final roster spot. Looked right choice early on. That mint goal and stuff. But by late season could see holes in his game. Ended up busting him.

I would probably take note of the people calling him "Slowkovsky" and just avoid their hockey opinions for the immediate future. He is not slow. At all. He is a good skater. Sounds like more of a convenient nickname than an actual analysis of his game.

Also, any Kotkaniemi comparison is about as far off as you can get. KK's skating and balance is probably bottom 10% in the league. Slaf looks and plays nothing like him and is twice the prospect KK was. This will be immediately apparent to you when you get a chance to see him play I guarantee it.

That said, I think it would be fine for Slaf to play in the AHL a bit but it's not likely to make or break him either way. I have full confidence the new management and Slaf himself will take the right steps to develop him into the best player he can be.

 

[smirob]

I actually thought he had some wheels last night - not slow at all....his setup on Mesar's goal showed that.