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

[WeThreeKings]

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

Anyone saying he is slow is just dumb

 

[admiralcadillac]

This thread feels like why we can’t have nice things

 

[Tyson]

Anyone who came away from last night's game that Slaf is slow needs to visit their optometrist. The kid is a freak of nature being that big and being that fast.
One thing for sure he doesn't resemble Bambi on skates (Kotkaniemi).

 

[Redux91]

I love when he curls back protects his puck and finds the open trailing man, all good offensive players in the league do this move, Therrien would be rolling in his grave if he saw that tho( his pro coaching at the NHL level grave of course)

Yup
Saw Jagr do this a million times for numerous assists

 

[salbutera]

Anyone who came away from last night's game that Slaf is slow needs to visit their optometrist. The kid is a freak of nature being that big and being that fast.
One thing for sure he doesn't resemble Bambi on skates (Kotkaniemi).

Yup but some of his plays will get him killed (even w his size) @ the NHL level…. but that’s the type of learning & development he needs, which is completely natural for an 18-year old.

The fact he actually has the ability & willingness to do so heavily outweighs being taught how the NHL game is played, which will come w experience obviously

 

[Tyson]

Yup but some of his plays will get him killed (even w his size) @ the NHL level…. but that’s the type of learning & development he needs, which is completely natural for an 18-year old.

The fact he actually has the ability & willingness to do so heavily outweighs being taught how the NHL game is played, which will come w experience obviously

I vividly remember how Max Pacioretty always had his head down early on in his career.
He learned quickly, let's hope Slaf learns just as fast.

 

[Redux91]

And most of his "blind" passes will connect more at the NHL level, once he plays with actual NHL talent.

Yeah, while it felt like a lot of passes were a little wild, I couldnt help but feel like he was trying things like them on purpose just to see knowing it wasnt game 1 of the cup finals
And I couldnt help but think at alot of those passes , for some reason, Caufield would of been RIGHT there for some of them somehow lol

The speed/size combo was tested by our eyes yesterday, and I'd say it generally passed
But now what I would REALLY like to see now is a full throttle wrister
One KKs biggest problems was taking too long to fire off his GOOD wrist shot
So let's see how fast and good in combination Slaf's can be

 

[salbutera]

Yeah, while it felt like a lot of passes were a little wild, I couldnt help but feel like he was trying things like them on purpose just to see knowing it wasnt game 1 of the cup finals
And I couldnt help but think at alot of those passes , for some reason, Caufield would of been RIGHT there for some of them somehow lol

The speed/size combo was tested by our eyes yesterday
But now what I would REALLY like to see now is a full throttle wrister
One KKs biggest problems was taking too long to fire off his GOOD wrist shot
So let's see how fast and good in combination Slaf's can be

I would also like to see Slaf’s decision making in high danger areas - shoot vs threading the needle for a pass etc.

Lots of positives albeit for a rookie game

 

[Redux91]

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

I cant stop laughing at 88s reaction after the hit LOL

 

[SOLR]

This thread feels like why we can’t have nice things

It's a game, no pleasure allowed

 

[Redux91]

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.

Lmao "did..did I make the NHL skip..?"

 

[MasterD]

I vividly remember how Max Pacioretty always had his head down early on in his career.
He learned quickly, let's hope Slaf learns just as fast.

Pacioretty had to almost die in front of our eyes to eventually learn it. He had no awareness whatsoever. I hope Slafkovsky learns quicker, not gonna lie.

 

[Redux91]

Yup but some of his plays will get him killed (even w his size) @ the NHL level…. but that’s the type of learning & development he needs, which is completely natural for an 18-year old.

The fact he actually has the ability & willingness to do so heavily outweighs being taught how the NHL game is played, which will come w experience obviously

I keep reading that "will get killed in the NHL" and , granted, doing what he did isnt the recipe for long careers if accumulated
BUT
Unless Ovechkin starts playing defense or something lol, isnt there like barely a handful of people with Slafs weight?

I dare D's in ANY league to try to crack this kid when he turns 20
There might not BE a D in the NHL that could hurt him, I mean it's possible lol, especially with smaller and smaller D's making the bigs more and more

 

[Kennerback]

watch 17:42 to 18:05
Another example of a D trying a blind-sided open ice hit on Slaf (play+replay from another angle)

 

[Sorinth]

Kessel is actually a good example to use because he's always had wheels despite being on the heavy side. Slaf looked perfectly fine speed wise in the rookie game, but obviously the NHL game is an even faster pace. We simply can't look at the height/weight and draw conclusions about his speed. Not too mention reading the play and then reacting positionally before stuff happens gives more practical speed then being faster but reacting to plays after they happen.

 

[Twisted Sinister]

Anyone saying he is slow is just dumb

He's definitely not slow. I think the reason people are thinking that is that his strides look kind of... clumsy, but it doesn't take a lot of them for him to get where he needs to go, so he doesn't look like the conventional NHL fast skater type.

My larger issue with this game was the same thing I see from him every game, which is one absolutely brilliant play followed by 4000 bad decisions the rest of the game. He absolutely has the talent and skills to dominate but the hockey sense is Lars Eller bad as of right now.

I keep reading that "will get killed in the NHL" and , granted, doing what he did isnt the recipe for long careers if accumulated
BUT
Unless Ovechkin starts playing defense or something lol, isnt there like barely a handful of people with Slafs weight?

I dare D's in ANY league to try to crack this kid when he turns 20
There might not BE a D in the NHL that could hurt him, I mean it's possible lol, especially with smaller and smaller D's making the bigs more and more

Eric Lindros. No matter how big you are, you have to be careful in the NHL.

 

[dinodebino]

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

Who then?

Anyone saying he is slow is just dumb

There is a lot of posters here with a known agenda on this guy. Some, like me, wanted Wright. Fine. Others are in love with other prospects. Fine. But agendas are clear as day.

I take the Sabres fan opinion over those agenda-driven posters. They just annoy me.

 

[dinodebino]

This thread feels like why we can’t have nice things

Read through the noise. And there is lots of noise. Positive comments are a plenty. Kid is something.

 

[Kennerback]

He's definitely not slow. I think the reason people are thinking that is that his strides look kind of... clumsy, but it doesn't take a lot of them for him to get where he needs to go, so he doesn't look like the conventional NHL fast skater type.

My larger issue with this game was the same thing I see from him every game, which is one absolutely brilliant play followed by 4000 bad decisions the rest of the game. He absolutely has the talent and skills to dominate but the hockey sense is Lars Eller bad as of right now.


Eric Lindros. No matter how big you are, you have to be careful in the NHL.

I kind of follow you, then you mention Lars Eller and you lose me. Eller has tools but plays a straightforward simple game.

 

[yianik]

Slaf did not look to me as a " skates well for a big man" , he looked like he is just a good skater, speed wise. I cant speak to agility and such. And the guy has balance , which unfortunately we saw highlighted in a huge hit he absorbed ( which he needs to avoid in future). His skating is head and shoulders above KKs.

 

[Twisted Sinister]

I kind of follow you, then you mention Lars Eller and you lose me. Eller has tools but plays a straightforward simple game.

Earlier on in his career, I would joke around that Lars' stick would be where the play goes to die from an offensive perspective, because he always made the wrong decision. Eventually, he carved out his niche as a respectable 3rd line center when he simplified things and leaned into his strengths.

Slaf did not look to me as a " skates well for a big man" , he looked like he is just a good skater, speed wise. I cant speak to agility and such. And the guy has balance , which unfortunately we saw highlighted in a huge hit he absorbed ( which he needs to avoid in future). His skating is head and shoulders above KKs.

That hit was hilarious. I'm not a skating mechanics guy, but in terms of raw speed, he looks fast to me.

 

[Redux91]

Slaf did not look to me as a " skates well for a big man" , he looked like he is just a good skater, speed wise.

Lol, what the HELL does this sentence even mean
How many categories of speed do you have like 1000?
"Ehh I wouldnt call Juraj 875 level fast, hes more like 874th"

Either way, not sure what your trying to convey, but the kid definitely qualifies as "fast" , and THATS not the part fans should be dissecting

 

[WeThreeKings]

Here's my comparison for Juraj Slafkovsky.

Rob Gronkowski.

Guy who doesn't look fast but is actually fast, while being inhumanly big and athletic for that size.

 

[Redux91]

Here's my comparison for Juraj Slafkovsky.

Rob Gronkowski.

Guy who doesn't look fast but is actually fast, while being inhumanly big and athletic for that size.

LOL I LOVE this post because I'll never forget his first couple of years and being like ok the production is all there but what's so damn SPECIAL about this guy exactly, when he runs he looks all wonky and slow
But that's just if the camera shot ONLY has him in the frame
You zoom out and hes BLOWING by people it took me forever to acknowledge him lol (the fact I f***ing hate the patriots probably didnt help lol)

But I totally get your comparison, there are definitely people looking at Slafs speed and agility the wrong way
The way I refused to with Gronk

 

[WeThreeKings]

LOL I LOVE this post because I'll never forget his first couple of years and being like ok the production is all there but what's so damn SPECIAL about this guy exactly, when he runs he looks all wonky and slow
But that's just if the camera shot ONLY has him in the frame
You zoom out and hes BLOWING by people it took me forever to acknowledge him lol (the fact I f***ing hate the patriots probably didnt help lol)

But I totally get your comparison, there are definitely people looking at Slafs speed and agility the wrong way
The way I refused to with Gronk

Gronk allowed me to like the Patriots and finally acknowledge Brady's greatness. They also have that presence (Gronk more goofy and stupid) in the room that draws people to them.