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

[Kennerback]

Oh, I'll definitely give you Eller > Desharnais, but that's because I think Eller is at least an NHL 3rd line center and Desharnais might have been a 4th at best (if he even deserved to be in the NHL).

Anyway, we're going a bit off-topic here. It was just an in-passing comparison lol.

DD was a better passer than Eller and probably had a better IQ. The problem was that he had a muffin for a shot and you can’t achieve anything with a #1 center that size. Also MaxPac liked him more than Eller.

Just stiring the pot.

 

[HuGort]

Why does he have to wear 20. Christ that’s an ugly number.

Why did Drouin take 27, he didn’t deserve it

Peter Mahivlich old number. What is wrong with 20

 

[namttebih]

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.

Who were the 2 players fighting?

 

[Schooner Guy]

I can't get over the size of Slafkovsky's massive head! He's 238 lbs and at least 75 of those pounds are in that huge noggin.

 

[ottawa]

Delete

 

[Bombshell11]

Are you the alleged Mesar non-troll? For all I know you or that guy might be right on Mesar, but I can’t see heads from tails with him right now. His package is too indistinct from other Prospects around the NHL for me to project the nuances in his game. Maybe seeing him play at camp vs NHLers will give me a better idea.

alleged Mesar non-troll???? what does that even mean?

Liking Mesar is not a knock on Slaf, they're 2 different players. I like Mesar because hes got so many tools already in his arsenal that will translate into the NHL, its a beauty to watch him play and he never gives up.

Slaf on the other hand has the size and the shot but i don't know if he's got the brains to be an elite player.
Many players had similar tools.. i mean shit where do i begin, Kostitsyn, Pacioretty...

Sure Slaf is 6.4 but size alone is not sufficient McCarron was 6.6, din;t do shit in the nhl.

There's no agenda here and to suggest there is because we're criticizing its plain stupid and immature

 

[SlafySZN]

alleged Mesar non-troll???? what does that even mean?

Liking Mesar is not a knock on Slaf, they're 2 different players. I like Mesar because hes got so many tools already in his arsenal that will translate into the NHL, its a beauty to watch him play and he never gives up.

Slaf on the other hand has the size and the shot but i don't know if he's got the brains to be an elite player.
Many players had similar tools.. i mean shit where do i begin, Kostitsyn, Pacioretty...

Sure Slaf is 6.4 but size alone is not sufficient McCarron was 6.6, din;t do shit in the nhl.

There's no agenda here and to suggest there is because we're criticizing its plain stupid and immature

Trying to compare Slafkovsky with Pacioretty or Mccarron is hilarious.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

alleged Mesar non-troll???? what does that even mean?

Liking Mesar is not a knock on Slaf, they're 2 different players. I like Mesar because hes got so many tools already in his arsenal that will translate into the NHL, its a beauty to watch him play and he never gives up.

Slaf on the other hand has the size and the shot but i don't know if he's got the brains to be an elite player.
Many players had similar tools.. i mean shit where do i begin, Kostitsyn, Pacioretty...

Sure Slaf is 6.4 but size alone is not sufficient McCarron was 6.6, din;t do shit in the nhl.

There's no agenda here and to suggest there is because we're criticizing its plain stupid and immature

Patches was nowhere near as toolsy as Slaf when drafted. AK is probably the most toolsy pick beside CC but still AK never quite popped the way Slaf did last night. Even with the warts. AK flashed big potential at times but not quite like Slaf.

I'm not by any means sold on Slaf as being an impact player but there is no doubt he has the raw tools to be. Anyone questioning his raw tools should be dismissed out of hand. They are pretty f***ing nuts.

I'd rate him something like a 9.0F/9.5Z or something

 

[MasterD]

You just reminded me of how impressive MaxPac was earlier. He was a tough player and a physical player. Impressive how he became a legit soft space sniper, which probably gave him more years and was a good career decision.

The Letang hit really calmed him down.

If by Letang hit you mean Chara hit, I agree 100%, that really calmed him down.

 

[Bombshell11]

Patches was nowhere near as toolsy as Slaf when drafted. AK is probably the most toolsy pick beside CC but still AK never quite popped the way Slaf did last night. Even with the warts. AK flashed big potential at times but not quite like Slaf.

I'm not by any means sold on Slaf as being an impact player but there is no doubt he has the raw tools to be. Anyone questioning his raw tools should be dismissed out of hand. They are pretty f***ing nuts.

I'd rate him something like a 9.0F/9.5Z or something

are you saying im questioning his raw tools?

 

[MasterD]

Patches was nowhere near as toolsy as Slaf when drafted. AK is probably the most toolsy pick beside CC but still AK never quite popped the way Slaf did last night. Even with the warts. AK flashed big potential at times but not quite like Slaf.

I'm not by any means sold on Slaf as being an impact player but there is no doubt he has the raw tools to be. Anyone questioning his raw tools should be dismissed out of hand. They are pretty f***ing nuts.

I'd rate him something like a 9.0F/9.5Z or something

Exactly. Closest we've seen on this team in recent times at draft time was AK46, but epilepsy/medication and off ice behavior/consumption kept him from becoming what he could have become.

Tons of potential, insane tools, questionable toolbox. Let's see if/how Slaf puts it together.

 

[Bombshell11]

Trying to compare Slafkovsky with Pacioretty or Mccarron is hilarious.

Stick to the context of the argument

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

are you saying im questioning his raw tools?

if you're bracketing him in with Patches and AK...kinda sort of yeah

 

[Bombshell11]

if you're bracketing him in with Patches and AK...kinda sort of yeah

Mm ok that was not the intent

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Mm ok that was not the intent

I mean I'm not hopping mad about it lol. I just think you're kind of underselling the guys raw tools which are fantastic. I don't think you're appreciating the rarity of the size/skill/speed combo here. Putting him in the same sentence as AK and Patches is lowballing him. Especially Patches.

And hey that's cool if you didn't mean it. Seems like a few of us saw it that way and it's hard not to. No biggy for me! lol.

 

[Sorinth]

Exactly. Closest we've seen on this team in recent times at draft time was AK46, but epilepsy/medication and off ice behavior/consumption kept him from becoming what he could have become.

Tons of potential, insane tools, questionable toolbox. Let's see if/how Slaf puts it together.

AK's tools were simply overrated. His heavy shot for example seemed like it would be an amazing tool, but in reality at the NHL level he couldn't get it off quickly enough to be dangerous, so in retrospect it wasn't actually a great/insane tool.

For Slaf, we'll have to see how his tools translate at the NHL level.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

AK's tools were simply overrated. His heavy shot for example seemed like it would be an amazing tool, but in reality at the NHL level he couldn't get it off quickly enough to be dangerous, so in retrospect it wasn't actually a great/insane tool.

For Slaf, we'll have to see how his tools translate at the NHL level.

I don't know if they were overrated. Maybe a bit compared to who we took him over. Before that one concussion in 08 or 09 he was really trending up. I remember he scored a few breakaways where he was starting to look like a future star. Not a mega star but a pretty damn effective offensive threat.

 

[Gillings]

Unlike KK and Galchenyuk, I find Slaf is able to make open ice for himself and make plays in tight (at least from yesterday's game). That was always something KK and Galchenyuk struggled with, even with competition of their age.

I also like the way Slaf isn't afraid to attack the middle of the ice and challenge defenders when carrying the puck in the offensive zone.

He's gotta protect himself more when carrying the puck in open ice though and across the blueline. In the nhl, he'll get rocked very quickly.

I like how he's engaged in the play. Doesn't just wait for the play to come to him. He will back check hard to make something happen and showed some pretty good reads to block passing lanes.

At the nhl he'll have to learn to simplify his game when gaining the zone. A lot of those blind passes just won't work.

Thing is galchenyuk was always a give me the puck type guy. Was always best with the puck on his stick.. unfortunately he didn’t fit into Montreal’s system when he was drafted and in my opinion it ruined his career.

F u Bergevin.. I was such a big galchenyuk fan he was nasty.

 

[Skip Bayless]

Thing is galchenyuk was always a give me the puck type guy. Was always best with the puck on his stick.. unfortunately he didn’t fit into Montreal’s system when he was drafted and in my opinion it ruined his career.

F u Bergevin.. I was such a big galchenyuk fan he was nasty.

Galchenyuk screwed Galchenyuk

 

[JoelWarlord]

It's not really relevant here because I don't think there's much of a stylistic comparison between the two players but it does always make me laugh when Pacioretty is used as a NEGATIVE comparison for prospects on this board.

 

[Kennerback]

AK's tools were simply overrated. His heavy shot for example seemed like it would be an amazing tool, but in reality at the NHL level he couldn't get it off quickly enough to be dangerous, so in retrospect it wasn't actually a great/insane tool.

For Slaf, we'll have to see how his tools translate at the NHL level.

Things that Slaf can do that AKostisyn couldn’t do
1- Use his one-timer
2- Feather a pass
3- Tip the puck in the net
4- Go end to end deeking players
5- Physically push around players
6- Jaw at the other team
7- Win almost all his board battles
8- Back into Ds shielding the puck
9- Do Savard spinoramas
10- Passing the puck back to himself using the boards
11- Passing the puck back to himself using the back of the net
12- High IQ passes
13- Using his reach and body to beat players on a rush
14- Regularly just ripping the puck away from other players
15- Use his massive wing span when forechecking to force opponents to make mistakes
16- Probably has the longest arm/stick wingspan in the league.
17- 3 inches taller and already 25 pounds heavier than AK’s peak playing weight
18- Regularly launches players on breakaways
19- Regularly gets the puck to players alone in front of the net
20- Can score with his backhand.
21- Regularly makes perfect tip passes.
22- Supreme self-confidence
23- Can turn on a dime either side with little or no space
24- Can play the point on the PP
25- Has several different open ice dekes
26- Quick reaction time in front of the net
27- Play keep away in the Ozone
28- Can completely circle the Ozone with the puck on the PP or ES
Etc…etc…

PS: I always liked AK as a player.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Galchenyuk screwed Galchenyuk

He wasn't handled right imo but at the end of the day I don't think he just really progressed like he should've. With all his crazy training, his physical tools were very meh and just didn't seem to have the hockey iq to over come it. I still think he was young enough when we traded him where he could've gotten his career back on track if it was wholly MB and co.'s fault. Dude has been on 6 different teams since 2018 and one of those teams twice lol.

 

[Habs]

I can't get over the size of Slafkovsky's massive head! He's 238 lbs and at least 75 of those pounds are in that huge noggin.

its a Max Domi type of head

 

[Sorinth]

I don't know if they were overrated. Maybe a bit compared to who we took him over. Before that one concussion in 08 or 09 he was really trending up. I remember he scored a few breakaways where he was starting to look like a future star. Not a mega star but a pretty damn effective offensive threat.

It's certainly possible that the problem was with development. But the end result was his tools just weren't all that special for the NHL. His shot for example simply wasn't an elite NHL shot despite the fact that it was heavy and accurate. In real game situations his shot just wasn't that good because his release was too slow, maybe better development/being healthy would've let him fix that issue, but in the end he didn't have those elite tools people thought he had at the draft.

 

[domiwroze]

He created a lot in his game yesterday. Couple of mistakes including a blatant one that cost us a goal against. His biggest flaw that I noticed yesterday is one that is easily fixable; When you drive the net, stop at the net if you don't score.

A prime example of that was late game 4-3 Buffalo with 2:30 minutes or so remaining. Xhakej ( the beauty that he is ) enter the zone with great puck control and drags the right side Dman towards him then drop the puck to Slaf, giving him all the necessary room to drive the net in a semi-2on1. His teammate being too close and stick checked, he decides to go backhand, goalie makes the save but doesn't control it. Slaf should stop there, in front of the net. Instead he disappear of the screen after his scoring chance and only 1 player from the attacking side remain bellow the goal line to duel against 2 defender for the loose puck.

Kidney could also be blamed for that on another level. Xhakej being the 1st in with possession Kidney decides to cover the point until his Dman comes back. The puck is already loose and Xhakej makes his way back to the point and Kidney is just watching, from the blue line instead of being pro-active. Doesn't read the play at all.

You could also see 5 Sabres down low near the goal line. Meaning there was no necessity for Kidney nor Slaf to hang back near the blue line for defensive responsibility.

Both of them need to read the ice better and adjust.

Trudeau on the other hand, seeing 5 defender below the face-off circle is the closest to the net out of the 3 other players ( Slaf, Kidney and Xhakej whom just make his way back to the point to free up Kidney, so excusable.)

Good entry- Check
Good puck possession- Check
Good read on the Scoring chance- Check
Good read on the follow up- Non existent for 2 out of the 3 forwards.