Prospect Info: 2022 - 1st OA] Juraj Slafkovsky (LW) Part 4

[RandomTask26]

Seems like the issue is after he moves the puck, he doesn’t expect contact after that point. The Brown hit, Rossi hit and Schenn were all when the puck wasn’t on his stick anymore.

I imagine there are less late hits in Europe. Hopefully he can adapt and protect himself after passing

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

He's falling all over the ice, just like Kotkaniemi...

Only difference is that Slafkovsky gets hit first and then falls....

 

[Adam Michaels]

He's falling all over the ice, just like Kotkaniemi...

Only difference is that Slafkovsky gets hit first and then falls....

This made me laugh. That Slaf falls after getting hit first unlike KK who would fall on his own.

 

[OnTheRun]

I don’t do that, you’re mistaken.

In any case after he was drafted I was adamant he shouldn’t be rushed to the NHL — now you spin that as “of COURSE he would get rocked every 4th game, he’s only 18!”

Well, he shouldn’t be in the NHL. That’s the point. He’s not like other 1OAs and shouldn’t be treated like other 1OAs. He was too raw and too lacking to be dropped onto the worst team in the NHL. And now it’s clear he is struggling.

We had that guy who used to rocked more often than Slaf, his name was Sergachev and he turned out alright.
Like the other guy, Slaf will learn and be alright, probably.

 

[Tyson]

Pacioretty was always playing with his head down early on...he learned and so will Granite Head Slaf.

 

[Kennerback]

Kid got hit by a TRUCK. Thing of beauty glad he's ok

Yes. Let’s not overreact. This is a contact sport. The length of his career is up to him. The Lindros comparison is ok, but only to a point. Two big guys that no one could hit before they got to the NHL. But other elements come into play, Lindros and his brother Bret had a genetic predisposition to having concussions. Other people were getting hit as hard but we’re not getting concussion after concussion.

He’ll need to learn to protect himself at practice. He needs to continue being put out there in the NHL and sink or swim. When I played contact hockey I rocked and got rocked in open ice hit and I remember having water in the eyes but never had a concussion to the best of my knowledge. Receiving a big hit I felt more humiliated than anything else. I felt stupid for having gotten caught.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Obviously, he is not as dumb as you describe him. Otherwise, he would not be playing in NHL at 18, playing better than most of Habs forwards. E.g. he is smarter than Anderson, but Anderson was raised to be 100% aware when on the ice.
His awareness is a big issue, I agree. All his career, he was the biggest kid and has never really been attacked. Now, he is attacked by best defenders 5 times per game. It might be just too much for him to adjust to small rink and speed in NHL. Nobody wants him to have a concussion in his rookie season at 18.
I guess they need to give him some kind of milestone. Watch out, next 10 games without any big hit. Otherwise, they should really consider sending him down to juniors.

Anderson is currently better than Slaf and MSL would 100% agree with that. Juraj has been brutal all season long without the puck and has created very little with the puck. He has encouraging flashes but he still makes the exact same mistakes that he made at the start of the season albeit less frequently. He is in the NHL because this team is committed to development over short term success and they clearly believe that they can teach him while playing sheltered minutes.

People on this board remind me of Bantamm AAA parents who only see their kids best plays and blame everyone but their kid for his/her lack of production. Juraj is not a good NHLer by any means and on a good team he would not be in the NHL. This is not to say that he will not be good eventually but if certain fans/posters can't see the numerous glaring mistakes every game they just don't understand the game at a very high level....it is that simple.

Why can't some posters just deal with reality instead of becoming defensive, irrational, tribal sycophants. My criticism does not in any way imply that he is not a good prospect or that I do not like the kid or that I think he is going to bust. I am just dealing with facts that I personally wish were not true and I am hoping that the fact that he is very young and has tons of time to develop works to his advantage.

This is not necessarily directed at your comments as we seem to be mostly on the same page but I have grown weary of the noise from the pro Slaf crowd who would have you believe that he is a top six forward and is somehow being wronged...

 

[Jaaanosik]

This is not so much a "keep your head up" incident as it is just more of the same obvious concerns before he was drafted about hockey IQ and tunnel vision. He doesn't map the ice at all and follows a singular thought on each play, it is abundantly evident in the terrible turnovers, poor positioning without the puck and getting crushed when he has the puck.

As a huge kid playing in much softer Euro leagues he is just not accustomed to being hit like this and there is certainly a strong case to explore other alternatives to the NHL if this continues.

His skill level has always been obvious to see and his worrisome lack of understanding of the game has been just as obvious. He is only 18 and I believe that he has as good a development team around him as anywhere in the world so hopefully they can help him to identify threats earlier before something terrible happens.

Nice Monday morning QB post.

I was very outspoken about his lack of awareness/hockey IQ last season as well and he didn't get crushed as much because he was playing on hybrid ice surfaces in a largely non physical league. His play without the puck was shockingly bad and while he has made some improvements he still has me shaking my head multiple times every game.

He does have some very good physical tools but he still has a long way to go mentally. I love the kids enthusiasm and the upside is obvious but he may need to be protected by being sent to an alternative league if this continues.

Please, show me your last season posts about Slaf.
Did you expect/predict Slaf being hit this way?

 

[Egresch]

Anderson is currently better than Slaf and MSL would 100% agree with that. Juraj has been brutal all season long without the puck and has created very little with the puck. He has encouraging flashes but he still makes the exact same mistakes that he made at the start of the season albeit less frequently. He is in the NHL because this team is committed to development over short term success and they clearly believe that they can teach him while playing sheltered minutes.

Sure he would not play in most of NHL team, but that is the principle of draft. The worst team takes best prospect. Other franchise would treat him differently, but this is probably the best place for his development of all available options.
I agree he will never be "the smart guy" on the ice, in some cases you just need more experience. I remember scouting many guys who looked so smart in their juniors, but never made big pro career. Slaf is the opposite, I said if they can develop him into proper 2nd liner in cup contender team, it will be a success story.

 

[LV426]

The kid needs to learn to observe his surroundings during play or he's gonna have a short career. You can only get your bell rung so many times.

 

[ReHabs]

We had that guy who used to rocked more often than Slaf, his name was Sergachev and he turned out alright.
Like the other guy, Slaf will learn and be alright, probably.

Sergachev played four games for the Habs what the hell are you talking about

 

[cphabs]

I find the point of this discussion to be rather silly as no player ever develops over a short tournament........I know that people on this board have this delusional fanboy perspective with regards to development that is not based in reality and this conversation is a prime example.

Not barking at you as I am often on the same page but this conversation is a waste of your time.

If one wanted to argue that a strong tournament could be a confidence booster that could ignite and expedite a shorter path to the same/similar developmental destination then I would support such a claim.

Well? He would certainly not be playing on the 4th line with 11 minutes a game at the WJ. By this measure alone, it could be good for the kid. Just an observation. He’s only 18 anyways.

The kid needs to learn to observe his surroundings during play or he's gonna have a short career. You can only get your bell rung so many times.

Most of those hits were targeted…

 

[OnTheRun]

Sergachev played four games for the Habs what the hell are you talking about

+Prospect showcase (where he got rocked) +Preseason (where he also got rocked) +his entire rookie campaign with TB (where, surprise, he also got rocked early on)

4 official games with the Habs, as if it matter which NHL team he was on when he was getting rocked.

 

[ReHabs]

+Prospect showcase (where he got rocked) +Preseason (where he also got rocked) +his entire rookie campaign with TB (where, surprise, he also got rocked early on)

4 official games with the Habs, as if it matter which NHL team he was on when he was getting rocked.

I don't remember any of this but I'll take your word for it.

A question for you: do you think it's good+safe for young players to get rushed to the NHL and repeatedly rocked?

 

[OnTheRun]

I don't remember any of this but I'll take your word for it.

A question for you: do you think it's good+safe for young players to get rushed to the NHL and repeatedly rocked?

He's not the first nor last player to go through this. He will either learn from his mistakes or he won't. And if he doesn't we will spend the next decade pointlessly debating whether or not playing in the AHL would have changed the outcome.

And for the record, I don't think he's getting rushed to the NHL. He is physically ready to play in the NHL, he doesn't have a glaring technical flaw that need to be corrected on the fly, he's not given more than he can handle at this point of his career. What he need is to figure out the NHL speed, and the NHL is the place to do it. Adversity isn't a bad thing, you're supposed to learn something from it.

 

[ZUKI]

Kid got hit by a TRUCK. Thing of beauty glad he's ok

but the truck is currently completely destroyed , the driver is in between life and death

 

[waffledave]

Problem is a lot of people saw a 230lb, 6'4 18yr old and thought he'd be a bruising power forward. Pre-draft, a lot were saying how he has this mean streak and is all tough and shit.

I mean, I do think he's tough and generally difficult along the boards but he's not a bruiser and I don't think that's the type of guy he is. Kinda like Dach; he isn't a power forward either and will never be.

That said, 100%, Slaf has to learn, and learn quick, NHLers are bigger, faster and more skilled than what he dealt with in Liiga.

I took so much shit for daring to suggest that despite his size he is NOT some tough bruiser, in any sense. People here were talking like he was going to be some super tough power forward... there is nothing in his scouting report that says he is this kind of player. It was complete fantasyland nonsense.

As for comparing to Dach... I agree with your premise but Dach is 100x more skilled than Slaf will ever be.

 

[Heffyhoof]

The perverse enjoyment from the totally genuinely concerned posters over this hit is hilarious.

 

[JoelWarlord]

I still find the rushed/not rushed debate with this situation a bit odd. It's reasonable to debate whether NHL or AHL is a better place for him right now, but I don't think the "rushed" label is really appropriate here. To me, "rushed" does not mean "is playing in the NHL as D+1 or D+2 prospect but isn't putting up pro-rated 50+ point production", it means "playing in the NHL too early where glaring technical skill gaps or physical limitations force a player to drastically strip down their game to barely survive".

The latter doesn't describe Slafkovsky at all, he's playing his game and using his physical tools to make plays, learnining, progressing, and taking risks on the ice. This isn't rookie Victor Mete going off the glass every play because he has to play the most basic game imaginable just to keep his head above water, he's learning and figuring out where the limits are at the NHL level. If he keeps getting smoked on big hits like this then sure I think it would make sense to send him to the AHL to acclimatize to small ice in a slower paced league, but his overall play and production don't really concern me in terms of whether or not he's being "rushed".

Once again, this is exactly how European clubs develop young players. It's just rare in the NHL because most 18 year olds simply can't handle the physicality of the NHL, while European leagues play on bigger ice where physicality isn't as big of a factor. We have a unique prospect who can handle NHL physicality, so he's playing in the NHL.

 

[Heffyhoof]

Every hit on Slaf is an illegal, blindsight, late, cruel hit. If not for these goons and thugs, Slaf would be thriving right now.

Dude, give it a rest for maybe one day, it's getting sad.

 

[ReHabs]

I still find the rushed/not rushed debate with this situation a bit odd. It's reasonable to debate whether NHL or AHL is a better place for him right now, but I don't think the "rushed" label is really appropriate here. To me, "rushed" does not mean "is playing in the NHL as D+1 or D+2 prospect but isn't putting up pro-rated 50+ point production", it means "playing in the NHL too early where glaring technical skill gaps or physical limitations force a player to drastically strip down their game to barely survive".

The latter doesn't describe Slafkovsky at all, he's playing his game and using his physical tools to make plays, learnining, progressing, and taking risks on the ice. This isn't rookie Victor Mete going off the glass every play because he has to play the most basic game imaginable just to keep his head above water, he's learning and figuring out where the limits are at the NHL level. If he keeps getting smoked on big hits like this then sure I think it would make sense to send him to the AHL to acclimatize to small ice in a slower paced league, but his overall play and production don't really concern me in terms of whether or not he's being "rushed".

Once again, this is exactly how European clubs develop young players. It's just rare in the NHL because most 18 year olds simply can't handle the physicality of the NHL, while European leagues play on bigger ice where physicality isn't as big of a factor. We have a unique prospect who can handle NHL physicality, so he's playing in the NHL.

How can you say this in the midst of the conversation where the topic is entirely about Slaf getting clobbered on the ice every few games?

He's not the first nor last player to go through this. He will either learn from his mistakes or he won't. And if he doesn't we will spend the next decade pointlessly debating whether or not playing in the AHL would have changed the outcome.

And for the record, I don't think he's getting rushed to the NHL. He is physically ready to play in the NHL, he doesn't have a glaring technical flaw that need to be corrected on the fly, he's not given more than he can handle at this point of his career. What he need is to figure out the NHL speed, and the NHL is the place to do it. Adversity isn't a bad thing, you're supposed to learn something from it.

He has a ton of flaws and issues and only someone purposefully ignoring them would say otherwise. He is behind at some point of every play. He receives a big hit every few games that knocks him on his ass and can injure him. How is that not a technical flaw in your opinion?

 

[ZUKI]

Dude, give it a rest for maybe one day, it's getting sad.

Does the message you just quote need a sarcasm meter ? Not sure yet

 

[Pomee]

I don’t do that, you’re mistaken.

In any case after he was drafted I was adamant he shouldn’t be rushed to the NHL — now you spin that as “of COURSE he would get rocked every 4th game, he’s only 18!”

Well, he shouldn’t be in the NHL. That’s the point. He’s not like other 1OAs and shouldn’t be treated like other 1OAs. He was too raw and too lacking to be dropped onto the worst team in the NHL. And now it’s clear he is struggling.

You do that all the time!
And NO! The point is that you are a grumpy choleric who only bring toxic negativity to this board.
Just stop it and say something positive for once for God sake!

 

[Twisted Sinister]

How can you say this in the midst of the conversation where the topic is entirely about Slaf getting clobbered on the ice every few games?


He has a ton of flaws and issues and only someone purposefully ignoring them would say otherwise. He is behind at some point of every play. He receives a big hit every few games that knocks him on his ass and can injure him. How is that not a technical flaw in your opinion?

This might be controversial, but I'm starting to wonder if Slaf is actually legit stupid. That skating behind the net while not keeping his head up or paying attention yesterday was so dumb I'm actually starting to question his regular IQ and not just his hockey IQ.

 

[sandviper]

I took so much shit for daring to suggest that despite his size he is NOT some tough bruiser, in any sense. People here were talking like he was going to be some super tough power forward... there is nothing in his scouting report that says he is this kind of player. It was complete fantasyland nonsense.

As for comparing to Dach... I agree with your premise but Dach is 100x more skilled than Slaf will ever be.

I wasn‘t trying to compare Dach and Slaf’s skillset, but merely outlining that just because you’re big, doesn’t mean you’ll be crushing people.