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

[stastny12]

Playing his best game so far. Still have to wait for @ExpatHabs to weigh in before we can declare his assist "real", though.

this is really good one, I have to admit

 

[Skip Bayless]

Next time any of you mfs tell me size doesn't matter.

 

[HuGort]

Slafkovsky has 4 points in his last 6 games at just around 13 minutes per game.

 

[jrom]

Slafkovsky has 4 points in his last 6 games at just around 13 minutes per game.

That’s almost half a year of Liiga production

 

[BaseballCoach]

This is a really under-rated play by Slaf, for several reasons: it shows his commitment, his IQ, and really good speed.

To think some people were questioning his hockey IQ and even his overall intelligence.

Smh.

 

[The Great Weal]

Even though his play is nothing like KK, his similar rookie-year production pace is giving me PTSD lol. Of course, Slaf is a better skater, doesn't fall after someone sneezes on him, and takes less than 10 seconds to get a shot off.

 

[SlafySZN]

Even though his play is nothing like KK, his similar rookie-year production pace is giving me PTSD lol. Of course, Slaf is a better skater, doesn't fall after someone sneezes on him, and takes less than 10 seconds to get a shot off.

The thing is that KK never got better, when he arrived he was looking pretty good but then he regressed probably because of how they handled him. Slafkovsky is getting better and better, started with limited ice time and progressively getting more responsibilities, practicing with the team and getting 1 on 1 development with a guy like Adam Nicholas, KK never had that here.

Even guys like Cole or Dach are getting 1 on 1 with Nicholas, which is awesome.

 

[Sagikev]

That’s almost half a year of Liiga production

Liiga is a harder, therefore a better league than the NHL confirmed.

 

[JHabs]

He's going to be a Star for a decade.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

This is a really under-rated play by Slaf, for several reasons: it shows his commitment, his IQ, and really good speed.

To think some people were questioning his hockey IQ and even his overall intelligence.

Smh.

That is not remotely an indication of IQ........I have seen this done in most levels of youth hockey lol. My D partner did it to me once and he had the hockey IQ of a cement truck. Slaf is a creative/outgoing kid but absolutely has egregious tunnel vision at this point in his development. This play is much more an example of his gregarious nature than it is of hockey iq.

For the record, before all of the bawling starts from his sycophants......I love the kid and think he is a great prospect but he has a long way to go before we can compliment him on his hockey IQ. I don't necessarily subscribe to the notion that you either have it or you don't.......I believe it can be taught if the concepts are new and the player simply has never tried to see the game through a particular lens unlike those who have tried and couldn't pick it up. He very well may never be a high IQ player but the more that his puck protection skills evolve the less he will require a high hockey IQ to be an effective power forward.

Anyways.....he is only 18 and only a fool would say such a talented kid can't improve his hockey IQ/vision, but we shouldn't be looking at plays like this as an indication of progress in this area as there is zero correlation between the two.

 

[BaseballCoach]

That is not remotely an indication of IQ........I have seen this done in most levels of youth hockey lol. My D partner did it to me once and he had the hockey IQ of a cement truck. Slaf is a creative/outgoing kid but absolutely has egregious tunnel vision at this point in his development. This play is much more an example of his gregarious nature than it is of hockey iq.

For the record, before all of the bawling starts from his sycophants......I love the kid and think he is a great prospect but he has a long way to go before we can compliment him on his hockey IQ. I don't necessarily subscribe to the notion that you either have it or you don't.......I believe it can be taught if the concepts are new and the player simply has never tried to see the game through a particular lens unlike those who have tried and couldn't pick it up. He very well may never be a high IQ player but the more that his puck protection skills evolve the less he will require a high hockey IQ to be an effective power forward.

Anyways.....he is only 18 and only a fool would say such a talented kid can't improve his hockey IQ/vision, but we shouldn't be looking at plays like this as an indication of progress in this area as there is zero correlation between the two.

Whatever, it was a great play. His critics put down Slaf's speed and claim that he could not be focused enough to pull this play off. It's the whole 150 ft I'm looking at, including how much ground he gained on everyone, then the boost to Kova, plus that he picked up the loose puck and cleared it out of the zone at the end.

Like his assist, the backcheck was real.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Whatever, it was a great play. His critics put down Slaf's speed and claim that he could not be focused enough to pull this play off. It's the whole 150 ft I'm looking at, including how much ground he gained on everyone, then the boost to Kova, plus that he picked up the loose puck and cleared it out of the zone at the end.

Like his assist, the backcheck was real.

They were both good plays but they are hardly special. The kid has a ton of heart and works his ass off so no surprise on the back check. The frantic fondling every time he does something positive is just annoying as is the over the top negative narrative. He had a decent game but all of his warts were still on display as would be the case for almost any 18 year old kid so I am not sweating it. I am just trying to be a voice of reason amidst the volatility of the mob.

 

[xX SEYF Xx]

He is making corrections to his game. He's improving the more the season goes on. He uses his stick and body positioning better than when he was earlier in the season. He's already improved along the boards. He comes out of those battles with the puck more often now.

Hughes said he drafted Slaf based on him becoming a great player down the road. The improvements we have seen are eye opening.
Wait until he matures and gets experience. He will be a handful for the best of the best Dmen.

Looking at his progression this season so far, now picture him in 4 years/300ish games from now...

He'll be 22


Automatic smile or you have a problem

 

[26Mats]

I really don't know what to think about this kid

He looked like easily one of our best players last night, I was hoping MSL threw him out to start 3v3 because he looked ready to feast. But at the same time, he still left himself open to get rocked a few times. So he's playing really well, but he's still not making the corrections he needs to make.

I see the flashes though and it's possible he ends up even better than Suzuki and Caufield.

Yes, those flashes, at such a young age reveal he could be better even that Suzuki and Caufield. The ceiling is sky high. But we can't get ahead of things. He may not reach those heights, and that's ok...Suzuki and Caufield are damn good.

 

[willzyix]

Slaf's progression this year has been immense, honestly. I questioned his hockey IQ at the time of the pick but it's clear that he's quite smart. Knows where to be on the ice, works on his deficiencies to improve, can find teammates with crisp, hard passes, and has a pretty nice shot.

The rest is going to be experience, but he's been looking really good,

 

[ZUKI]

This is a really under-rated play by Slaf, for several reasons: it shows his commitment, his IQ, and really good speed.

To think some people were questioning his hockey IQ and even his overall intelligence.

Smh.

projection

Liiga is a harder, therefore a better league than the NHL confirmed.

Eat that haters !
Liiga is the best of the best

 

[ZUKI]

He's going to be a Star for a decade.

or for 2 decades

 

[Runner77]

 

[HuGort]

Even though his play is nothing like KK, his similar rookie-year production pace is giving me PTSD lol. Of course, Slaf is a better skater, doesn't fall after someone sneezes on him, and takes less than 10 seconds to get a shot off.

Trade Drouin for KK? I'd like to get KK back with this development team. See what happens? In his rookie year, and Bubble KK played well at times.

 

[River Meadow]

Fair enough.

I just have a difficult time seeing how 3-4 week tournament where he might play as little as 4 games, against weaker opposition than he's currently facing, have an effect over the long term development.

But hey...TSN has done a wonderful job brainwashing folks into thinking playing in this tournament is some gateway to stardom.

3-4 week tournament IF they win a medal would mean the world to him for the rest of his life.

 

[Kennerback]

Next milestone: 2 point game. Habs in dire need of offense.

 

[jiboy]

His play on the PP is interesting , he has quite nice poise with the puck and wont hesitate to go with quick one touch pass when he has to.

He is disruptive with his stick on the forecheck wich is cool to see .

He is going to be a very useful player in the future for sure if he doesnt get concussed too much in his learning phase. He seems to have gotten a bit more wary of his surroundings since he got rocked by Schenn.

 

[FF de Mars]

Trade Drouin for KK? I'd like to get KK back with this development team. See what happens? In his rookie year, and Bubble KK played well at times.

I'm not sure it's a good idea when prospects like Beck and Mesar are on their way.

 

[MON4NHLTOR4MLB]

Only thing I’ll say is when he’s on the PP, he’s gotta stop calling for it and just be ready and open, it alerts the defenders instead of just being ready and unleashing

 

[Kojo]

Only thing I’ll say is when he’s on the PP, he’s gotta stop calling for it and just be ready and open, it alerts the defenders instead of just being ready and unleashing

He's always ready and open, that's why he constantly request the puck. It's not his fault that the Habs suck on the PP.