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

[JianYang]

The most valid reason for sending him down is the head down/puck watching thing. You don't want to see this kid get hurt.

I see that as the most valid reason for keeping him up.

He would be a man against boys, and the boys wouldn't be able to make him pay for keeping his head down.

It can only reinforce his bad habits.

 

[417]

I see that as the most valid reason for keeping him up.

He would be a man against boys, and the boys wouldn't be able to make him pay for keeping his head down.

It can only reinforce his bad habits.

Precisely.

These are "lower level" bad habits, sending him down exclusively because of this probably reinforces those bad habits more than anything.

 

[417]

Tage Thompson is a great argument against rushing a player. Too bad for Slaf.

I think he's a great argument for showing how patience can pay off.

How many folks would have called him a bust after he had 12pts in 65 games his 2nd year in the NHL?

I don't think Thompson was rushed, he just bloomed a bit later and most fans/media don't have the patience for that process.

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[Retired]

He’s both rushed, a bust, a disappointing 1st OA and “not someone worth tanking last year”.

That’s 4 things though

 

[Habs Halifax]

Body position coaching. Huge part of his development IMO.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Tage Thompson is a great argument against rushing a player. Too bad for Slaf.

Tage Thompson is a complete outlier. I don’t think there’s anything we can take from that example.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Body position coaching. Huge part of his development IMO.

Proof that if we saw it, so did the organization. And this is also proof that they have people in place who can work on specific things with the players.

 

[Skip Bayless]

Building the world's strongest cycling machine.

 

[jrom]

Proof that if we saw it, so did the organization. And this is also proof that they have people in place who can work on specific things with the players.

Nooo he should be skating from line to line in reps, like the last Laval training

 

[admiralcadillac]

Tage Thompson is a great argument against rushing a player. Too bad for Slaf.

Really? Because he’s actually an argument indicating that maybe it takes more time for some regardless of what league they play in, and that you can be a great player even if your first few years in the league aren’t ppg.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Proof that if we saw it, so did the organization. And this is also proof that they have people in place who can work on specific things with the players.

Yup! This is the development area that our new management will focus on more than the previous one. Not like it was zero with the previous but there had to be more focus in that area.

Sometimes players need others to check their blind spots in where they should focus.

 

[ReHabs]

As if you wouldn't have been calling him rushed in 17-18 and 18-19, come on.

View attachment 618617

TT was drafted in 2016. He was allowed to stay in the NCAA and unlike Slaf, he was not rushed to the NHL a mere few months after getting drafted.

He’s both rushed, a bust, a disappointing 1st OA and “not someone worth tanking last year”.

Not sure what this comment is about but I’ll reply: only an imbecile would call Slaf a bust 20 games into his pro career. But he has been rushed (this is a fact), and he was a disappointing 1OA from his pre-draft profile to present day, and no he was not worth specifically tanking for a la Matthews or Bedard if that was the plan (which it wasn’t, because nobody was tanking to draft the great Slafkovsky)

I’ve made my peace with the draft pick. I suggest you all do too.

I think he's a great argument for showing how patience can pay off.

How many folks would have called him a bust after he had 12pts in 65 games his 2nd year in the NHL?

I don't think Thompson was rushed, he just bloomed a bit later and most fans/media don't have the patience for that process.

I don’t think Thompson was rushed either, which is why it’s a shame Slaf was rushed. Big boys take longer, isn’t that right?

12 in 65 isn’t good but it isn’t a bust for a first year pro in their D+2 year. Dude was a late first round pick, not a 1OA.

We have Poehling year after year and never called him a bust. I doubt anybody would want to cut Thompson less than 24 months after drafting him.

Tage Thompson is a complete outlier. I don’t think there’s anything we can take from that example.

I agree. So he shouldn’t be compared to Slaf and the wishful thinking and smirking and scoffing when favourably comparing Slaf to Thompson is unnecessary. Thompson is a big time outlier and success story — Slaf is the 1OA who won MVP of the Winter Olympics. Totally different. One was rushed to the NHL and the other was not.

Really? Because he’s actually an argument indicating that maybe it takes more time for some regardless of what league they play in, and that you can be a great player even if your first few years in the league aren’t ppg.

The league he plays in obviously matters. It’s a ridiculous thing to toss out there like it’s all the same when a player who has low hockey IQ and needs to improve faces NHL defenders vs non-NHL defenders.

Listen guys — Slaf needs to learn to make plays (pass and shoot) and be an active part of a shift at NHL speeds. He can adapt to the latter but despite his “p/60” he sure as hell has not shown too much success with the former in my opinion.

He’s behind the play, why do you want to sugarcoat it? He’s not anywhere close to being a top6 player right now, not even on one of the worst teams in the NHL.

 

[Kennerback]

I have trouble believing that they didn’t have a skills coach before. What did they do before if a player had something to adjust to his game? Did the assistants step in? Did they expect players to take care working on issues on their own in the off season? It seems almost unbelievable… You have batting and pitching coaches in pro baseball but they couldn’t pay for a shooting coach in the NHL?

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[Tuggy]

Good.

 

[shamrun]

I have trouble believing that they didn’t have a skills coach before. What did they do before if a player had something to adjust to his game? Did the assistants step in? Did they expect players to take care working on issues on their own in the off season? It seems almost unbeliveable… You have batting and pitching coaches in pro baseball but no shooting coach in the NHL?

I am just imagining therrien screaming "keep grinding" to the young players for their development.

 

[Kennerback]

I am just imagining therrien screaming "keep grinding" to the young players for their development.

Total dumbing down.

I think it was more of a consideration before half the team got injured.

 

[Adam Michaels]

I think it was more of a consideration before half the team got injured.

If he was still playing with Evans and Pez, then I think they would have sent him. But injuries occurred and when Slaf was given the Top-6 role, he took advantage of it and has shown that he is probably better served staying in the NHL.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I have trouble believing that they didn’t have a skills coach before. What did they do before if a player had something to adjust to his game? Did the assistants step in? Did they expect players to take care working on issues on their own in the off season? It seems almost unbelievable… You have batting and pitching coaches in pro baseball but they couldn’t pay for a shooting coach in the NHL?

“Grind! Grind! Grind!”

 

[WeThreeKings]

I have trouble believing that they didn’t have a skills coach before. What did they do before if a player had something to adjust to his game? Did the assistants step in? Did they expect players to take care working on issues on their own in the off season? It seems almost unbelievable… You have batting and pitching coaches in pro baseball but they couldn’t pay for a shooting coach in the NHL?

They legitimately didn't have a skills coach.

They just yelled at the player and told them something vague like "keep your head up".

No, the assistances and head coach were focused only on systems.

yes, they expected the player to work on their weaknesses alone, provided them no skills coaches, had nobody on retainer for specific items like skating.

Just idiotic.

 

[417]

I don’t think Thompson was rushed either, which is why it’s a shame Slaf was rushed. Big boys take longer, isn’t that right?

Rushed is relative though.

Rushed for fans/media who need instant success and production to validate or alleviate their own insecurities about a draft pick? Sure.

Rushed for an organization committed to developing and looking at the bigger picture? Nope.

12 in 65 isn’t good but it isn’t a bust for a first year pro in their D+2 year. Dude was a late first round pick, not a 1OA.

Just saying, I seen folks be a lot more critical for less.

We have Poehling year after year and never called him a bust. I doubt anybody would want to cut Thompson less than 24 months after drafting him.

Never called Poehling a bust?

You're not new here, are you? lol

 

[sandviper]

They legitimately didn't have a skills coach.

They just yelled at the player and told them something vague like "keep your head up".

No, the assistances and head coach were focused only on systems.

yes, they expected the player to work on their weaknesses alone, provided them no skills coaches, had nobody on retainer for specific items like skating.

Just idiotic.

Correct, they didn't have any skills coaches before. Sure, Muller would probably work a little on faceoffs or Daigneault may show how to poke-check and move the puck into the corner but for the most part, it was about the systems.

Do this if the puck is here. Do this if this formation enters the zone. Skate there when we breakout.

It was all do this and do that but no "how"

This was during the season. There was no plan for offseason training other than maybe vague instructions like "get stronger". Of course the player has some responsibility but coaches and management have to provide the tools. Could be time, more coaches, or maybe a training program.

Anyhow, I digress. The point is we finally have a skills (and analytics) team. Nice to enter the 21st century...

 

[JoelWarlord]

TT was drafted in 2016. He was allowed to stay in the NCAA and unlike Slaf, he was not rushed to the NHL a mere few months after getting drafted.

I don’t think Thompson was rushed either, which is why it’s a shame Slaf was rushed. Big boys take longer, isn’t that right?

I don't think Thompson was rushed either, but I really struggle to imagine that you wouldn't be absolutely hammering our front office for not leaving him in the AHL if Tage Thompson was putting up 9 points in 41 games and then 12 points in 65 games in his first two NHL seasons for Montreal after only 20P during his first 46 AHL games.

But he has been rushed (this is a fact)

No, it is not. Rushed does not mean "player is in the NHL and not playing top 6 minutes". It means in the NHL before they are capable of learning and taking risks in the NHL and/or being coached to play an oversimplified game by a team desperately trying to win games.

If Slafkovsky is being "rushed" this year then he and 98% of draft year players in European leagues were also being "rushed" in their draft years, as this is once again exactly how European clubs routinely develop their young players. It doesn't happen in the NHL very often because most D+1 players simply do not have the tools to physically handle the NHL and make meaningful plays while they learn/develop, but Slafkovsky does. It's really that simple to me.

I agree. So he shouldn’t be compared to Slaf and the wishful thinking and smirking and scoffing when favourably comparing Slaf to Thompson is unnecessary.

I don't think it's wishful thinking. Thompson is a great player but he's not some generational megastar we can't possibly expect our guys to match up to. 15% of his points and 23% of his goals this season are from last night, which is in no way meant to diminish his play other than to say that Thompson is not going to sustain his current 120 point pace. He's a unique outlier that I don't think tells us very much other than that top-level pro sports are highly competitive and sometimes weird things happen and guys figure out technical hiccups and unlock their upside later in their careers.

He's 25 years old, I agree that the balance of probabilities suggest that it is not wise to expect or project Slafkovsky to reach the level of 22-23 Thompson, but we're still comparing an 18 year old rookie to a 25 year old in his prime with six years of pro experience, there is so much development time between the two that I think it's strange to treat Thompson as a completely unrealistic standard that Slafkovsky could never possibly approach.

 

[417]

Hmmm...could have sworn I seen that somewhere before

If he was still playing with Evans and Pez, then I think they would have sent him. But injuries occurred and when Slaf was given the Top-6 role, he took advantage of it and has shown that he is probably better served staying in the NHL.

I don't think it makes a difference.

He's playing roughly the same amount of minutes in the top 6 as he was in the bottom 6.