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

[417]

Well if Slafkovsky wasn't too sure what to expect coming to play to Montreal, I'm sure he knows now.

Training camp hasn't started and people/media are already asking if it's time to panic.

Absolutely insane market.

 

[SlafySZN]

Well if Slafkovsky wasn't too sure what to expect coming to play to Montreal, I'm sure he knows now.

Training camp hasn't started and people/media are already asking if it's time to panic.

Absolutely insane market.

Hope it doesn’t bother him and he can stay focused but i’m not worried for him he’s gonna get all the help he needs.

 

[xX SEYF Xx]

We knew the day he was drafted that we wont know if we hit a home run or missed badly until something like 2025 or 2026.
Chill out and enjoy the ride

 

[417]

Hope it doesn’t bother him and he can stay focused but i’m not worried for him he’s gonna get all the help he needs.

Well athletes typically handle things like this 1 of 2 ways.

1. They wilt under the pressure

2. They use is as motivation

It just sucks that there's this kind of pressure now...camp hasn't even freakin’ started man.

 

[cphabs]

Why can‘t he state his opinion on a public forum ?

Well? At this point? I’d get your ass to the food thread. This is NOT a slam or mockery!

 

[admiralcadillac]

Hes a first overall pick. Hes not a bust, but hes 100% disapponting.

A first overall pick shouldnt need "time".

Ooph I was just about to say that the media are inflating the number of people who are attacking Slafkovsky but your post is sad.

I’m sad for the critics here.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

People forget MacKinnon needed quite a bit of time for someone that was so highly touted. He didn’t reach star level until his 5th season. Heck even Dahlin is just scratching the surface for a supposed generational defenceman.

Like you said, not everyone to pick is McDavid or Matthews.

MacKinnon won the calder and had 63 pts as a rookie - he also had 10 pts in his first playoff series that year (7 in his first 3 games so 70 pts in his first 84 total NHL games) - the next 3 years were 99% mental. That still constitutes as "needs time" to become a true superstar, but he was capable of 60+ pts and being the best player in a playoff series at 18 - I think part of the reason people forget he needed time was because they can remember him at 18 breaking the wild Dman's ankles and then sniping for his first playoff goal. He was already capable of being one of the most dynamic players in the game.

Slaf will not have that type of rookie season, nor does he possess that ability at this stage. But it does show that a player can have lots of ups and downs before finding their "true" self in the league.

 

[Prairie Habs]

Well if Slafkovsky wasn't too sure what to expect coming to play to Montreal, I'm sure he knows now.

Training camp hasn't started and people/media are already asking if it's time to panic.

Absolutely insane market.

New drafting philosophy, only draft Euros and teach them neither French nor English.

Knowing our fans though there would be at least a few who learn Slovak just to yell at some teenager.

 

[Redux91]

Well athletes typically handle things like this 1 of 2 ways.

1. They wilt under the pressure

2. They use is as motivation

It just sucks that there's this kind of pressure now...camp hasn't even freakin’ started man.

Let's get it out of the way early
..hopefully

 

[le_sean]

MacKinnon won the calder and had 63 pts as a rookie - he also had 10 pts in his first playoff series that year (7 in his first 3 games so 70 pts in his first 84 total NHL games) - the next 3 years were 99% mental. That still constitutes as "needs time" to become a true superstar, but he was capable of 60+ pts and being the best player in a playoff series at 18 - I think part of the reason people forget he needed time was because they can remember him at 18 breaking the wild Dman's ankles and then sniping for his first playoff goal. He was already capable of being one of the most dynamic players in the game.

Slaf will not have that type of rookie season, nor does he possess that ability at this stage. But it does show that a player can have lots of ups and downs before finding their "true" self in the league.

Still took him 5 years to fulfill his true potential. That’s the point. I didn’t say he was bad, but he was half the player he is today.

 

[Runner77]

Nathan MacKinnon would have been ran out of town by year 3 or 4.

We’re the market that screams development but we want immediate results.

We were that market under Bergevin and we can link that to ownership’s failed logic of always striving to achieve a competitive season even if it meant limited success and playoff failures.

Now, I get the sense that fans are loving the current roster building blueprint and are buying into the outside the box thinking brought about by the 3 amigos.

MacKinnon is a great example of some drafting luck (we never found one when selecting early) but also of patiently cultivating a prime asset. He was drafted in 2013, the Avs missed the playoffs several times since but some 7 years later, it paid off with a Cup.

Habs fans are seeing that result and what went behind it — and I believe, they’ve embraced a level of patience that we’ve never seen before simply because having done it the other way for 10 years, simply did not work.

 

[Goldenhands]

Well athletes typically handle things like this 1 of 2 ways.

1. They wilt under the pressure

2. They use is as motivation

It just sucks that there's this kind of pressure now...camp hasn't even freakin’ started man.

The pressure on the kid is insane, 1st OV we got since Wickenhenser... Some people expect him to be the messiah, which is isnt, kid will be a great player, I have no doubt, but he is only 1 part of the puzzle that will fall in place in the upcoming years. There is no hurry when it comes to Slafkovsky, fans should let the kid acclimatize and develop at his own pace. The good thing is that he is well surrounded with the new management, great coach for kids in Marty St-Louis and some good veteran presence on the team, kid is also pretty strong mentally and will be able to deal with that pressure.

But god, some poeple should chill out, kid just turned 18 few months ago.

 

[Runner77]

Well if Slafkovsky wasn't too sure what to expect coming to play to Montreal, I'm sure he knows now.

Training camp hasn't started and people/media are already asking if it's time to panic.

Absolutely insane market.

Montreal is too Habs-centric. It would be much easier if fans at large had one or two other major league pro teams to cheer for, extending over all seasons.

The way things stand, it’s as if fans had no other sources of entertainment, so they’re going on wild goose chases as they await the opening of camp. At times like this, I wish I lived in a city that had multiple teams from the 4 major sports leagues. It would be so much easier to take a break from the Habs.

 

[Bombshell11]

The pressure on the kid is insane, 1st OV we got since Wickenhenser... Some people expect him to be the messiah, which is isnt, kid will be a great player, I have no doubt, but he is only 1 part of the puzzle that will fall in place in the upcoming years. There is no hurry when it comes to Slafkovsky, fans should let the kid acclimatize and develop at his own pace. The good thing is that he is well surrounded with the new management, great coach for kids in Marty St-Louis and some good veteran presence on the team, kid is also pretty strong mentally and will be able to deal with that pressure.

But god, some poeple should chill out, kid just turned 18 few months ago.

You seem to be giving him a different treatment because he's a 1st OA. You should treat all prospects equally, it's unfair for other players who are showing more but are disregarded just because they were drafted later.

The problem with Slaf atm is that a good amount of young prospects looked better than him in many aspects of the game. And i'm not talking about skills but more like confidence and hockey IQ. While other players looked like they knew what they needed to do he looked sometimes confused af.

I'm not saying we need to push the panic button just yet but we need to be realistic with what we're seing on the ice and not let our emotions get the best of our judgement.

I have faith in this org and i'm sure they will try to protect him as much as possible. I think its in his best interest to start him in the OHL where he'll be able to dominate the game physically and therefore give himself alot of space and time to learn the game as a superstar.

 

[Noble]

I wasn't the biggest fan of the pick at the time but... it's a f***ing rookie tournament you guys. Relax.

 

[Goldenhands]

You seem to be giving him a different treatment because he's a 1st OA. You should treat all prospects equally, it's unfair for other players who are showing more but are disregarded just because they were drafted later.

The problem with Slaf atm is that a good amount of young prospects looked better than him in many aspects of the game. And i'm not talking about skills but more like confidence and hockey IQ. While other players looked like they knew what they needed to do he looked sometimes confused af.

I'm not saying we need to push the panic button just yet but we need to be realistic with what we're seing on the ice and not let our emotions get the best of our judgement.

I have faith in this org and i'm sure they will try to protect him as much as possible. I think its in his best interest to start him in the OHL where he'll be able to dominate the game physically and therefore give himself alot of space and time to learn the game as a superstar.

Slaf was easily the best Habs foward in his 1st game vs Buffalo and that was only a rookie tournament, some smaller players will find the main camp much harder to deal with while Slaf and Heineman should have no issue dealing with the physicality part of the game. Im expecting those 2 to have the bigger impact at the main camp.

 

[HuGort]

Do we get an extra year of control on other end if Slaf spends a part season or full season in Laval?

 

[ReHabs]

I don’t think anyone would complain at any time if Slaf had the same “slow” trajectory as Mackinnon or the same rookie season as him. What a crock of shit to say that.

On one hand Slafkovsky fans claim he will be terrific and is a unicorn. On the other hand they claim that it is unfair to expect him to be like [insert any 1OA] and that it’s likelier he will have a more difficult trajectory. Make up your minds.

Bergevin was much better at Lowering Standards and Managing Expectations. Emulate the best!

 

[Galaxydoggystyle]

Hes a first overall pick. Hes not a bust, but hes 100% disapponting.

A first overall pick shouldnt need "time".

absolutely not and such a BS statement. He is a first overall yes but he is NOT a generational talent like Mcdavid or Crosby.

 

[Xirik]

I don’t think anyone would complain at any time if Slaf had the same “slow” trajectory as Mackinnon or the same rookie season as him. What a crock of shit to say that.

On one hand Slafkovsky fans claim he will be terrific and is a unicorn. On the other hand they claim that it is unfair to expect him to be like [insert any 1OA] and that it’s likelier he will have a more difficult trajectory. Make up your minds.

Bergevin was much better at Lowering Standards and Managing Expectations. Emulate the best!

-Owen Power barely played any NHL games last season
-Lafreniere Is floundering after being rushed into an NHL team that doesn't have space for him. Shouldn't have been in the NHL'
-Jack Hughes was a small player and the 1st 1OV to go straight to the NHL from THE USDP. Would have benefited from taking a year in the NCAA
- Dahlin is a defenseman and they are known to have longer development times. definitely rushed.

Slafkovksy if you didn't notice is European, Take a look at other European players who were drafted high recently and see how they did when they were imediately placed in the NHL, Its not pretty.

Lastly Lets not forget that 1st OV have had to deal with Covid disruption in recent years, They definitely haven't had as much time for development as other prospects before them.

 

[ReHabs]

-Owen Power barely played any NHL games last season
-Lafreniere Is floundering after being rushed into an NHL team that doesn't have space for him. Shouldn't have been in the NHL'
-Jack Hughes was a small player and the 1st 1OV to go straight to the NHL from THE USDP. Would have benefited from taking a year in the NCAA
- Dahlin is a defenseman and they are known to have longer development times. definitely rushed.

Slafkovksy if you didn't notice is European, Take a look at other European players who were drafted high recently and see how they did when they were imediately placed in the NHL, Its not pretty.

Lastly Lets not forget that 1st OV have had to deal with Covid disruption in recent years, They definitely haven't had as much time for development as other prospects before them.

I am certainly against rushing Slafovsky because I agree that he shouldn’t be rushed and unlike his handful of pumpers I think he has a lot to prove and learn.

Hughes and company believe he is best served in Montreal or Laval, a mistake imo, so take it up with them.

As for the Euro excuse, no I don’t agree. He’s the 1OA, the best of his cohort, he played at the Olys and WC against men and did well. This excuse doesn’t fit. He should be good enough to not look lost when he takes to the ice — I do not think he has looked lost so far, mind you… rookie camp is irrelevant.

The Covid comment is fair but for how long will that excuse be trotted out? Galchenyuk and Kotkaniemi had pre-draft injuries and were both very young — their die hard believers wouldn’t stop repeated the ‘extenuating circumstances’ to excuse their lack of growth and development. We are NOWHERE near that point yet so why do people feel the need to lower standards and manage expectations so early? Have faith!

 

[WeThreeKings]

I don’t think anyone would complain at any time if Slaf had the same “slow” trajectory as Mackinnon or the same rookie season as him. What a crock of shit to say that.

On one hand Slafkovsky fans claim he will be terrific and is a unicorn. On the other hand they claim that it is unfair to expect him to be like [insert any 1OA] and that it’s likelier he will have a more difficult trajectory. Make up your minds.

Bergevin was much better at Lowering Standards and Managing Expectations. Emulate the best!

You can have the potential to be terrific and a unicorn and still need time to get there. No one has to make up their minds, it's a valid statement.

 

[Justsayin]

Well athletes typically handle things like this 1 of 2 ways.

1. They wilt under the pressure

2. They use is as motivation

It just sucks that there's this kind of pressure now...camp hasn't even freakin’ started man.

I doubt he's listening to the people who are drawing conclusions from two rookie games. If he is, he must find it a bit hiliarious - like watching a monkey try to play the piano.

 

[domiwroze]

-BREAKING NEWS IN MONTREAL-

A group of grown men yells at a cloud that hasn't even appeared yet! More on that story later this week.

 

[Mrb1p]

absolutely not and such a BS statement. He is a first overall yes but he is NOT a generational talent like Mcdavid or Crosby.

Which is inherently disappointing, lol.