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

[WeThreeKings]

Honestly, this tourney should not be an indication of anything when it comes to players like Slafkovsky, Guhle, Harris or Barron.

Most of the top prospect going after an NHL job didn't even wanted to be there. They just wanted to make sure to not get some injuries and miss the real camp, that's where these players will make their case to stay in the NHL.

It's a fun tournament for fans.. and it gives the coaching staff an opportunity to plug and play people in different combinations, different situations and see how they respond. What mattered most was the coaching sessions and the information they gathered.

Even training camp isn't the ultimate indication of anything. Remember when Viktor Stalberg scored 7 goals in 7 games?

 

[Kennerback]

The bad: he didn’t shoot enough. Instead of taking the initiative to drive the net he opted to pass so his line kept puck possession.

The good: He’ll be a can’t miss Top 6 in the NHL in a draft where many scouts thought there wasn’t one (and yes that also means Shane Wright, some scouts said he might end up a 3rd liner in the NHL).

 

[NotProkofievian]

Rookie game performances are not really worth commenting on. This is hockey methadone to hold us over till the season opener.

 

[417]

Honestly, this tourney should not be an indication of anything when it comes to players like Slafkovsky, Guhle, Harris or Barron.

Most of the top prospect going after an NHL job didn't even wanted to be there. They just wanted to make sure to not get some injuries and miss the real camp, that's where these players will make their case to stay in the NHL.

Et voila!

There's a reason why Beck, Mesar, Simoneau, Trudeau, Jones stood out more than guys like Slaf, Barron, Norlinder or Harris.

The first group is trying to leave a calling card, the second group is more concerned with the main camp because that's where it's at.

Skafkovsky was trying to win gold for his country a few months ago and skating through walls...

Y'all expect him to do the same to win some fan bragging rights rookie tournament?

Come on man

 

[Hannibal]

What MrB1p is doing is quite ironic. He was the one who was praising the most about patience for KK. How he was so much younger than BT, etc. Even though he was looking like complete shit and was atrocious at the same « rookie tournament ».

And now? After two games at a rookie tournament for Slaf, the hot takes a going in full force lol.

The biggest complaint he has against Slaf is that his name isn’t Shane Wright.

 

[OnTheRun]

So much insecurity, the prospects showcase doesn't mean shit let's start with that, it's glorified scrimmage to determine which invite and late pick gets an invite to the main camp that's it.

In that context it's pretty reasonable to expect a 1OA to dominate the event, it's a tourney against his peers, by virtue of his selection rank he is considered to be the top dog among the attendees.
He looked fine but not dominant, this is a bit disappointing but it also mean jack shit so no need to be overly sensitive about it.

 

[WeThreeKings]

What MrB1p is doing is quite ironic. He was the one who was praising the most about patience for KK. How he was so much younger than BT, etc. Even though he was looking like complete shit and was atrocious at the same « rookie tournament ».

And now? After two games at a rookie tournament for Slaf, the hot takes a going in full force lol.

The biggest complaint he has against Slaf is that his name isn’t Shane Wright.

Owen Beck played better in 3 rookie camp games than Shane Wright did in any game of importance last year.. maybe we just need to shift the discussion that our 33rd pick is better than the guy MRB1P wanted to take at 1?

If these games are all important than surely if it applies for Slaf, it applies for Beck?

 

[Kennerback]

What MrB1p is doing is quite ironic. He was the one who was praising the most about patience for KK. How he was so much younger than BT, etc. Even though he was looking like complete shit and was atrocious at the same « rookie tournament ».

And now? After two games at a rookie tournament for Slaf, the hot takes a going in full force lol.

The biggest complaint he has against Slaf is that his name isn’t Shane Wright.

Every Top-5 pick had there own issues (including Wright). I wanted Wright but, unless a miracle happened this summer, he’s not ready for the NHL. Yet he really should play pro vs men. I think sending him back to the OHL makes him spin his wheel. He has nothing more to learn in Kingston.

Wright really should be in the AHL to start the season. I think he’ll be stuck in a no man’s land and will play where he shouldn’t.

 

[Wats]

Was Latendresse rushed? He returned to Juniors after his wowing preseason play, didn't he?

Was in NHL at 19, looked like a monster draft+1

 

[PhysicX]

I remember when prime Price was allowing 3-4 goals per half starts in pre-season. 3-4 games into the season, Price was back to his dominant form.

No need to place any weight on Slafkovsky's performances in the rookie tournament. He looked great at times, bad and uninterested at others. Personally, couldn't care less.

Moving forward is when I start to care, while keeping in mind he's only 18.

 

[JoelWarlord]

I guess this will be classified as "excuses" and "lowering expectations" for some reason but I don't see why rationally we should have a single arbitrary standard of what a #1 pick looks like based on rare generational/franchise prospects and then compare every #1 pick against that standard no matter what the class looks like. We're 2 years out from Lafreniere who checked every box for a conventional instant star #1 pick and has thus far struggled to adjust to the NHL (although I think he still has a bright future), last year's #1 pick went back to college, and the 2019 #1 pick is trending well now but had a very underwhelming rookie year. The best rookie season from a #1 pick in the past 5 drafts (pre-2022) was Nico Hischier who is now the cautionary tale about a weaker draft class, I just don't really get the consternation about "looking like a #1 pick" before even day 1 of training camp.

Everyone agrees that Slafkovsky has not thus far in his career absolutely blown the doors off and shown McDavid/Matthews/MacKinnon level flashes. It's a shame he hasn't, and it's a shame nobody in the draft class did, but so what? There wasn't a player like that available, and all you can do is make the best choice among the players in the draft class that actually exists in front of you. Are Colorado fans crying about Gabe Landeskog because he doesn't meet the Eichel/Malkin/Barkov standard of a #2 pick? Yes, we all want a player like McDavid that instantly has 100 points and leaves no doubt, but wanting that player doesn't make them available in every draft class.

I additionally find it really bizzare to say that he hasn't shown any wow factor at all in his entire career. To say that Owen Power had shown wow factor in his draft year but Slafkovsky's international play somehow doesn't meet that standard seems like a completely useless standard to me. For what it's worth I am extremely high on Owen Power and would trade Slafkovsky for him 1 for 1 without a moment's hesitation, but it doesn't make much sense to me that Slafkovsky scoring 7 goals at the same Olympics where Power managed 1 assist in 5 games doesn't count as "wow factor".

 

[WeThreeKings]

Colorado should trade Makar for Hischier because in year 1, Hischier was effective in the NHL and Makar was a college cuck.

 

[Kennerback]

I guess this will be classified as "excuses" and "lowering expectations" for some reason but I don't see why rationally we should have a single arbitrary standard of what a #1 pick looks like based on rare generational/franchise prospects and then compare every #1 pick against that standard no matter what the class looks like. We're 2 years out from Lafreniere who checked every box for a conventional instant star #1 pick and has thus far struggled to adjust to the NHL (although I think he still has a bright future), last year's #1 pick went back to college, and the 2019 #1 pick is trending well now but had a very underwhelming rookie year. The best rookie season from a #1 pick in the past 5 drafts (pre-2022) was Nico Hischier, I just don't really get the consternation about "looking like a #1 pick" before even day 1 of training camp.

Everyone agrees that Slafkovsky has not thus far in his career absolutely blown the doors off and shown McDavid/Matthews/MacKinnon level flashes. It's a shame he hasn't, and it's a shame nobody in the draft class did, but so what? There wasn't a player like that available, and all you can do is make the best choice among the players in the draft class that actually exists in front of you. Are Colorado fans crying about Gabe Landeskog because he doesn't meet the Eichel/Malkin/Barkov standard of a #2 pick? Yes, we all want a player like McDavid that instantly has 100 points and leaves no doubt, but wanting that player doesn't make them available in every draft class.

I additionally find it really bizzare to say that he hasn't shown any wow factor at all in his entire career. To say that Owen Power had shown wow factor in his draft year but Slafkovsky's international play somehow doesn't meet that standard seems like a completely useless standard to me. For what it's worth I am extremely high on Owen Power and would trade Slafkovsky for him 1 for 1 without a moment's hesitation, but it doesn't make much sense to me that Slafkovsky scoring 7 goals at the same Olympics where Power managed 1 assist in 5 games doesn't count as "wow factor".

Slaf crushed the Olympics in every which way. On top of the goals, he hit several posts. In the whole elimination/medal Round only a single goal for Slovakia was scored he didn’t have a hand in. He was always the best player on the ice for both teams.

He scored 2 goals vs the Gold medal winning Finland team that was composed of pro players that were as a rule 1 or 2 seasons removed from their NHL career (The rest of the Slovakian team never scored vs Finland).

 

[JoelWarlord]

Slaf crushed the Olympics in every which way. On top of the goals, he hit several posts. In the whole elimination/medal Round only a single goal for Slovakia was scored he didn’t have a hand in. He was always the best player on the ice for both teams.

He scored 2 goals vs the Gold medal winning Finland team that was composed of pro players that were all 1 or 2 seasons removed from their NHL career (The rest of the Slovakian team never scored vs Finland).

Yeah I realize that some are tired of hearing about the international stuff but I truly found it bizarre to read that Slafkovsky has not shown wow factor yet. That was a huge part of why he went #1, between Slafkovsky/Wright/Nemec/Cooley a big part of what separated Slafkovsky from that pack in the eyes of scouts was the flashes of truly high-end talent he showed internationally and which exceeded anything seen from the other three names mentioned.

 

[Kriss E]

Owen Beck played better in 3 rookie camp games than Shane Wright did in any game of importance last year.. maybe we just need to shift the discussion that our 33rd pick is better than the guy MRB1P wanted to take at 1?

If these games are all important than surely if it applies for Slaf, it applies for Beck?

To be fair, I don't think Shane Wright was trying to impress during a rookie camp. Probably just shake off some summer rust and prepare for the real camp. Owen Beck is not in the same situation.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Owen Beck played better in 3 rookie camp games than Shane Wright did in any game of importance last year.. maybe we just need to shift the discussion that our 33rd pick is better than the guy MRB1P wanted to take at 1?

If these games are all important than surely if it applies for Slaf, it applies for Beck?

@Mrb1p are you just gonna take that? Get him!

 

[jrom]

Every Top-5 pick had there own issues (including Wright). I wanted Wright but, unless a miracle happened this summer, he’s not ready for the NHL. Yet he really should play pro vs men. I think sending him back to the OHL makes him spin his wheel. He has nothing more to learn in Kingston.

Wright really should be in the AHL to start the season. I think he’ll be stuck in a no man’s land and will play where he shouldn’t.

I’m wondering if Kingston hired Jacques Martin (at least in part) to better manage the situation in case Wright goes back to the CHL.

 

[Kennerback]

Yeah I realize that some are tired of hearing about the international stuff but I truly found it bizarre to read that Slafkovsky has not shown wow factor yet. That was a huge part of why he went #1, between Slafkovsky/Wright/Nemec/Cooley a big part of what separated Slafkovsky from that pack in the eyes of scouts was the flashes of truly high-end talent he showed internationally and which exceeded anything seen from the other three names mentioned.

Vs Team Canada with Barzal, Anderson, Dubois, etc… he would rush up the ice and around Canada’s zone with no more difficulty than during the prospect challenge. In the 3rd period vs Canada, he self created an opportunity by getting to the slot and hit the post on the open side with a backhand.

 

[Mudz]

A vet can just go through the motions during training camp and just turn it on when needed.

A rookie can't. A big reason for those tourney is just to give the young players a leg up for training camp.

The others purposes of those tourneys are mostly stuff we can't see (how they interact with other guys, coaching staff, etc).

There's obviously good and bad for Slaf, can't wait to see how he does during the main camp. Worse case, he starts in the AHL. Nothing wrong with that. We ain't competing for a cup this year.

 

[Kennerback]

I’m wondering if Kingston hired Jacques Martin (at least in part) to better manage the situation in case Wright goes back to the CHL.

It’s a headache I thought we were the one that had to deal with. I loved Wright’s offensive upside. However, the meme that he was a turnkey ready to play Top-6 was a meme.

You can’t make him lose the year taxi-ing him from stands to bottom-6. And unless they have a good plan, sending him back down to the OHL could be a total waste of time. Maybe Jacques Martin making sure he meets specific benchmarks following him closely could alleviate the issue. IDK.

 

[SlafySZN]

To be fair, I don't think Shane Wright was trying to impress during a rookie camp. Probably just shake off some summer rust and prepare for the real camp. Owen Beck is not in the same situation.

He is not talking about rookie camp since Wright hasn’t played games in this ‘’tournament’’ he is talking about Wright being non-impressive in his last season in the OHL.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

One aspect of Slaf that really sold our scouts was the rate of improvement. I’m hoping to see that heading towards the season. He didn’t dominate the rookie tourney but certainly showed his talent. Hope to see him elevate himself again next time he’s on the ice. Just wanna see that progression.

 

[Runner77]

They're projecting him to be the best player in 3 years, not after 2 rookie games, after TC, or after this year. What he HAS shown, is that his potential is huge. His development to fulfill that potential is going to be what's important in the upcoming months and years.

Where’s that quote from Hughes where they’re not looking for the best draftee player now but 2-3 years from now?

Perfectly OK with seeing Slaf making rookie mistakes while gaining experience. I’m more interested in him realizing his potential in due course.

 

[WeThreeKings]

To be fair, I don't think Shane Wright was trying to impress during a rookie camp. Probably just shake off some summer rust and prepare for the real camp. Owen Beck is not in the same situation.

I wasn't being fair... I was making a knee jerk reaction on situations that don't require knee jerking.

 

[morhilane]

Come on man lol is this your first rookie tournament?

Just watch man...seen this play out too many times, just watch his erratic the takes are, stay tuned and remember these rookie game reactions.

Alot of things will change

Not my first, but in Slaf's cases, his detractors seems to not have been wowed by his Olympics performances either...

And I don't expect him to change that much, his puck protection skill is his main strength and from where everything else happens. His game away from the puck will get polished over time and he might take more shots and play a different position on the pp thought.