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

[RationalExpectations]

he's being a toxic troll on other websites

When people can‘t make a difference between toxicity and free speech on a forum designed to exchange points of view, maybe they are the ones who don‘t belong here. Just a thought.

He played his best game of the year. I think Evans and Armia suit him perfectly at this point. Evans has enough skills to complement him and Armia is excellent at puck recovery and creating space for his teammates to maneuver down low.

I am not sure about Evans but with Armia and Slaf you definitely have two wingers able to keep the puck in the O Zone.

 

[SlafySZN]

delete

 

[BenchBrawl]

2 in 2 ? Oh lawd he coming.

You should change back your avatar, good lord. This one doesn't suit your personality, my good man. You're the "too cool for school" fella around here, regardless whether you go to school or not. This doesn't work.

 

[ReHabs]

His development areas are not size/skill/speed/weight/ strength/growth like all the other Top draft picks. It’s to adapt his game to the NHL. The only place to do that is in the NHL.

Disagree — he needs to learn to make plays and 10min a night is not sufficient.

It could be that he’s a really fast learner, we’ll see over the next few games, but he needs to develop his game before ‘adapting’ to the NHL.

But this is all aside from the fact he had a good goal and return from injury. More of the same, show you belong. Let’s go baby.

 

[HuGort]

He's going to score quite a few goals in this league. Way he is playing at 18

 

[Mrb1p]

You should change back your avatar, good lord. This one doesn't suit your personality, my good man. You're the "too cool for school" fella around here, regardless whether you go to school or not. This doesn't work.

I like how you called me good lord

 

[BenchBrawl]

I like how you called me good lord

Deep down, you know I'm right Mrb1p. This avatar is like wearing a piece of clothing that isn't your style. It's not you. I have to mentally work to figure out it's you when reading your posts. Be generous. Be benevolent. Change it back to something more Mrb1p-esque. I believe in you.

 

[Kennerback]

Disagree — he needs to learn to make plays and 10min a night is not sufficient.

It could be that he’s a really fast learner, we’ll see over the next few games, but he needs to develop his game before ‘adapting’ to the NHL.

But this is all aside from the fact he had a good goal and return from injury. More of the same, show you belong. Let’s go baby.

He needs to learn to make plays in the NHL. With that said, I agree that 10 minutes is the bare minimum of icetime. Any lower and he needs ice time in the AHL. When he gets back, he needs to learn to make plays in the NHL.

Develop what in the AHL? His personality? His imagination? What he really needs is to adapt to the NHL. You adapt to the NHL in the NHL, not in the AHL.

 

[ReHabs]

He needs to learn to make plays in the NHL. With that said, I agree that 10 minutes is the bare minimum of icetime. Any lower and he needs ice time in the AHL. When he gets back, he needs to learn to make plays in the NHL.

Develop what in the AHL? His personality? His imagination? What he really needs is to adapt to the NHL. You adapt to the NHL in the NHL, not in the AHL.

He can develop his ability to make plays. He's not very good at that yet. If he becomes an NHLer based on what we know and see of him today, he will have a low ceiling. He needs to be far more creative and audacious... far more confident as a playmaker. It's good to see him on the PP and the freewheelin' style of the MSL Habs will help foster the right environment. I hope he earns the right amount of icetime.

The big picture is what matters because Suzuki+Caufield isn't enough. Hopefully Slafkovsky becomes a serious factor in our future and ongoing success.

 

[Kennerback]

He can develop his ability to make plays. He's not very good at that yet. If he becomes an NHLer based on what we know and see of him today, he will have a low ceiling. He needs to be far more creative and audacious... far more confident as a playmaker. It's good to see him on the PP and the freewheelin' style of the MSL Habs will help foster the right environment. I hope he earns the right amount of icetime.

The big picture is what matters because Suzuki+Caufield isn't enough. Hopefully Slafkovsky becomes a serious factor in our future and ongoing success.

He needs to adapt what he already knows how to do to the NHL tempo. He has many more tools in his tool kit that he will pull out and tweak accordingly. I believe he already has the very high ceiling. He’ll cruise to his ceiling playing in the NHL.

 

[Belial]

He needs to adapt what he already knows how to do to the NHL tempo. He has many more tools in his tool kit that he will pull out and tweak accordingly. I believe he already has the very high ceiling. He’ll cruise to his ceiling playing in the NHL.

I agree, we got the right Unicorn this time! he will be a force going forward

 

[Canad13ns]

I'd call it a difference in definition as well. This year's scenario is Montreal playing an 18 year old who isn't physically overmatched in the NHL, during a season with no pressure to win games, and with a deliberate and publicly communicated plan to ease him into the NHL + small ice without micromanaging a million defensive positioning nuances. That is a very different situation than a veteran hardass coach begrudgingly having to use a young player on a team that's trying to make the playoffs and stapling that young player to the 4th line as a punishment while screaming about defensive coverage mistakes and ripping them in the media.

The descriptive context around why and how a young player is used in the NHL (and physical readiness of course) matters a lot when considering the risk factors around a player being rushed. If he isn't clicking and earning a bigger role after the 9 games are up then I do expect them to send him down (although I don't really care if they give him 10-15 games instead, the ELC minmax stuff is unimportant IMO) but I don't have any issue with his usage thus far. He's not physically overwhelmed, he's learning at the NHL level, and there's enough positive moments for coaches to build on and instill confidence.

Great post!

Reading the back and forth about where Slaf should be playing, I think you articulate the unique circumstances that might make the NHL the right place in this case.

There are risks too obviously. Looking back I saw there were only 6 other players in Canadiens history who played as 18 years olds, two recent, KK and Galchenyuk, and before that you have to go back to 1984. So the circumstances should be required to be special, and I understand people having doubts. If Slaf doesn’t eventually dominate in the league, people will for sure say he was rushed. But dominating in the league isn’t guaranteed even for top draft picks so we’ll never know. Really hoping he does become a dominant force in a few years wherever he spends his time developing.

 

[Tyson]

Great post!

Reading the back and forth about where Slaf should be playing, I think you articulate the unique circumstances that might make the NHL the right place in this case.

There are risks too obviously. Looking back I saw there were only 6 other players in Canadiens history who played as 18 years olds, two recent, KK and Galchenyuk, and before that you have to go back to 1984. So the circumstances should be required to be special, and I understand people having doubts. If Slaf doesn’t eventually dominate in the league, people will for sure say he was rushed. But dominating in the league isn’t guaranteed even for top draft picks so we’ll never know. Really hoping he does become a dominant force in a few years wherever he spends his time developing.

You can see the potential and you can see that he is making great strides.
He doesn't look out of place and in fact he he is starting to look comfortable.
The game is starting to slow down for him.
As long as he keeps looking comfortable there is no reason to send him anywhere.

 

[Andy]

At this point, it's hard for me to say that he shouldn't be in the nhl. He's improving game-to-game and doesn't looking completely overmatched or out of place.

The pressure of not having to win allows MSL and the development team to bring him in slowly and let him work on his game at the nhl level.

In 6 games he's already stronger on the boards, winning more battles, better at forechecking, more patient on the transition, has a stronger stick and loses the puck less, is able to find open ice and is getting his shot off more.

From the beginning, people have said that for Slaf it isn't who he is at the draft table, it's about who he's going to be. Every game so far Slaf is better that the previous game and that's such a good sign.

 

[OldCraig71]

Last night he looked much better than in his other games for me at least. It was like he gained an extra gear or a confidence boost to do more especially without the puck, he was really good at times on the forecheck. He is only 18 years old and even though he is a physical specimen, he's kind of like the younger brother that's bigger and stronger than everyone else but doesn't realize it yet.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Even in limited minutes tonight, he flashed mostly every shift and he flashed different things each shift.. what will be the goal is getting those flashes to be consistent (the same battle we have with Dach) and having him display all those different qualities together, rather than in pieces.

Was physical, strong on the boards, showed his heavy shot on the goal, made some good passes, showed his soft hands, was tenacious on the forecheck and turned pucks over.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

He needs to learn to make plays in the NHL. With that said, I agree that 10 minutes is the bare minimum of icetime. Any lower and he needs ice time in the AHL. When he gets back, he needs to learn to make plays in the NHL.

Develop what in the AHL? His personality? His imagination? What he really needs is to adapt to the NHL. You adapt to the NHL in the NHL, not in the AHL.

The reason to send him down would be the ice time he’d get.

I don’t think he looks out of place in the NHL but he could be getting more ice and dominating the minors. To me that’s a better use of his time. He can always come up later or next year.

What’s the rush?

 

[Andy]

The reason to send him down would be the ice time he’d get.

I don’t think he looks out of place in the NHL but he could be getting more ice and dominating the minors. To me that’s a better use of his time. He can always come up later or next year.

What’s the rush?

With the way he’s been progressing game to game, I don’t see the need to rush him out of the nhl. He could very well progress to the point where the coach trusts him with more minutes by mid-season.

I’m very impressed with how raw he looked at the start of camp and how he’s already refined a lot of edge in just a handful of games.

How quickly he overcomes the learning curve will be the most telling aspect of his future.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

With the way he’s been progressing game to game, I don’t see the need to rush him out of the nhl. He could very well progress to the point where the coach trusts him with more minutes by mid-season.

I’m very impressed with how raw he looked at the start of camp and how he’s already refined a lot of edge in just a handful of games.

How quickly he overcomes the learning curve will be the most telling aspect of his future.

I hate the scenario where he struggles mid season and we send him down then. I’d much prefer we send him down now and he forces us to bring him up.

He’s approaching the 9 game mark. Good excuse to do it.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

The reason to send him down would be the ice time he’d get.

I don’t think he looks out of place in the NHL but he could be getting more ice and dominating the minors. To me that’s a better use of his time. He can always come up later or next year.

What’s the rush?

I guess it comes down to what’s better for his development: less time against superior opposition or more time against inferior opposition? If the kid is not being overwhelmed at the NHL level , I fall among those who fail to see how his development will be enhanced playing 5 to 7 minutes more against inferior players while being surrounded by lesser talented teammates and coaches.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I guess it comes down to what’s better for his development: less time against superior opposition or more time against inferior opposition? If the kid is not being overwhelmed at the NHL level , I fall among those who fail to see how his development will be enhanced playing 5 to 7 minutes more against inferior players while being surrounded by lesser talented teammates and coaches.

The one thing that I do like about him being in the NHL is that he’s learning under MSL. That should help.

I don’t think it’s disastrous if we keep him up but most players do some time in the minors. I do think he’d probably learn something and get something out of it if he got heavy ice time there.

 

[ClasslessGuy]

I’m sure that watching a couple games from the box (injured) was beneficial to him

 

[ChesterNimitz]

The one thing that I do like about him being in the NHL is that he’s learning under MSL. That should help.

I don’t think it’s disastrous if we keep him up but most players do some time in the minors. I do think he’d probably learn something and get something out of it if he got heavy ice time there.

The kid has shown he can skate at the NHL level. He is a physical presence on the ice. He’s getting scoring chances. He’s getting an opportunity to play on the power play. He’s scoring . He’s part of a growing young core of players on an ascending team. His respected coach says he is improving each game. He seems to be a popular player among his teammates. I can’t see the logic in sending him to Laval so he can play two more shifts a period against inferior opposition.

But above all, professional sports is entertainment. Most fans want to see Slafkovsky play. If he’s sent down who takes his place Dadonov? Pez? Some other call up?

 

[BaseballCoach]

The kid has shown he can skate at the NHL level. He is a physical presence on the ice. He’s getting scoring chances. He’s getting an opportunity to play on the power play. He’s scoring . He’s part of a growing young core players on an ascending team. His respected coach says he is improving each game. He seems to be a popular player among his teammates. I can’t see the logic in sending him to Laval so he can play two more shifts a period against inferior opposition.

But above all, professional sports is entertainment. Most fans want to see Slafkovsky play. If he’s sent down who takes his place Dandonov? Pez? Some other call up?

I'm for keeping Slaf here at this time, but the bolded reason is weak. It's certainly not "above all"!

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

I’m sure that watching a couple games from the box (injured) was beneficial to him

Funny how that is.

People get way too obsessed with TOI for development.