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

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There is also speculation that Santa Claus is real and that the earth is a spec of dust under a giants fingernail..........can we avoid using Trumpian tactics to support our theory please and thank you. Evidence is fun you should try it.
I’ll make the effort to get something more tangible. But there’s indirect evidence, like the Flyers really liked Slafkofsky and Cutter Gauthier among the Forwards.

Also quote from GM Fletcher: “you look at Tampa and Colorado. They have a lot of high-end talent that is packaged in often times in big or competitive or speedy frame.” Which would also hint at Gauthier and Slafkofsky.

Look at all Fletcher’s comments, they were looking for a big power Forward. They had no plan to take a D. And they wanted attitude. Fletcher talked about players that could fit with Tortorella. Just think for a second having Wright and Tortorella together right now.:)
 
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Adjustment. New coach, new system, new teammates, new role, new competition and a new town. He's had a couple of months to adjust to the Habs and the NHL. Throwing all that out of the window for just 10 games in the AHL would be crazy.
But it would allow people who want to be right to feel better.
 
Whatthe downside of Slaf playing 10 AHL games and then revisiting where he is playing ?
Guy scores 2 goals in 2 games and the first thought on your mind is to send him in the AHL.
Lol. Timing for that suggestion could be better, agreed. But when he isn't scoring a goal a game, thinking it might make sense. If he goes there and is lights out, maybe we say his development won't be helped being there. If he isn't dominating, maybe a longer stint makes sense.

I think about how Patches was doing well enough to be in the bottom 6 for Martin, but he publicly let it be known he wanted to play top 6 on the AHL. He went to the AHL and after not much time there he came back a scorer at the NHL level.

I remember how Galchenyuk impressed and people thought oh he is one of our 12 best forwards keep him.

Then all of a sudden, he had issues.

Then there is Kotkaniemi and there were people who said let's not screw up like Chucky, send him down. But most thought he looked good and this would not be a mistake like Chucky to keep him.

Then all of a sudden, he had issues.

So I'm just thinking maybe we should be open to trying a different approach.
 
Whatthe downside of Slaf playing 10 AHL games and then revisiting where he is playing ?

Lol. Timing for that suggestion could be better, agreed. But when he isn't scoring a goal a game, thinking it might make sense. If he goes there and is lights out, maybe we say his development won't be helped being there. If he isn't dominating, maybe a longer stint makes sense.

I think about how Patches was doing well enough to be in the bottom 6 for Martin, but he publicly let it be known he wanted to play top 6 on the AHL. He went to the AHL and after not much time there he came back a scorer at the NHL level.

I remember how Galchenyuk impressed and people thought oh he is one of our 12 best forwards keep him.

Then all of a sudden, he had issues.

Then there is Kotkaniemi and there were people who said let's not screw up like Chucky, send him down. But most thought he looked good and this would not be a mistake like Chucky to keep him.

Then all of a sudden, he had issues.

So I'm just thinking maybe we should be open to trying a different approach.
Slafkovsky is already better offensively than KK. He’s going to produce more this season than KK ever did. If KK would have spent 2 years in the AHL, Slaf would still be better offensively. Why? Because KK wasn’t that good.
 
With Suzuki, Dach and Monahan on the team and other centers in 2023 draft (Bedard, Fantilli, Carlsson, Yager, Dvorsky) it is now so obvious why HuGo did not mind to pass on Wright and pick a real unicorn with Slaf.
 
Whatthe downside of Slaf playing 10 AHL games and then revisiting where he is playing ?

Lol. Timing for that suggestion could be better, agreed. But when he isn't scoring a goal a game, thinking it might make sense. If he goes there and is lights out, maybe we say his development won't be helped being there. If he isn't dominating, maybe a longer stint makes sense.

I think about how Patches was doing well enough to be in the bottom 6 for Martin, but he publicly let it be known he wanted to play top 6 on the AHL. He went to the AHL and after not much time there he came back a scorer at the NHL level.

I remember how Galchenyuk impressed and people thought oh he is one of our 12 best forwards keep him.

Then all of a sudden, he had issues.

Then there is Kotkaniemi and there were people who said let's not screw up like Chucky, send him down. But most thought he looked good and this would not be a mistake like Chucky to keep him.

Then all of a sudden, he had issues.

So I'm just thinking maybe we should be open to trying a different approach.
I honestly think the downside is hurting his obviously growing confidence. He has show he can play at this level so unless he gets 5 mins a game he shoukd stay here imo
 
With Suzuki, Dach and Monahan on the team and other centers in 2023 draft (Bedard, Fantilli, Carlsson, Yager, Dvorsky) it is now so obvious why HuGo did not mind to pass on Wright and pick a real unicorn with Slaf.
Monahan was not on the team then. The decision was purely on who they thought was the best player. The answer will not be known for years, and frankly as long as Slaf is a big part of our success, I don't mind or care if Wright is also good.
 
I think about how Patches was doing well enough to be in the bottom 6 for Martin, but he publicly let it be known he wanted to play top 6 on the AHL. He went to the AHL and after not much time there he came back a scorer at the NHL level.
Revisionist history. Pacioretty scored 3 goals in 52 NHL games in his second pro season. Nice of him to ask for a demotion before they kicked his ass down.
I remember how Galchenyuk impressed and people thought oh he is one of our 12 best forwards keep him.

Then all of a sudden, he had issues.
"All of a sudden" - in his FIFTH season!!! And AFTER he became a ppg player!
Then there is Kotkaniemi and there were people who said let's not screw up like Chucky, send him down. But most thought he looked good and this would not be a mistake like Chucky to keep him.

Then all of a sudden, he had issues.
Kotkaniemi should not have been a 3OA. Point final. Had he been drafted lower and not seen and sold as a saviour, he could have been developed more slowly. But the balance and stamina issues would still have been challenges, and possibly attitude as well. No method of development would have had him close to holding Brady's jockstrap.
So I'm just thinking maybe we should be open to trying a different approach.
On ice, the Galchenyuk path was not bad, except it frustrated those who wanted him at center from the start. But re his off-ice issues, I think the team IS indeed trying a different approach with the billeting.
 
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Slaf playing better each game. I still think dominating a league and compiling points would be a good thing for him, however, he seems like he is growing into an NHLer
Yeah I agree. It'd be interesting to see his progression if he were to stay 10 more games. Did you hear wright got scratched on the games his grandparents went to Seattle to watch? Lol
 
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Slaf playing better each game. I still think dominating a league and compiling points would be a good thing for him, however, he seems like he is growing into an NHLer

I concur.

Yeah I agree. It'd be interesting to see his progression if he were to stay 10 more games. Did you hear wright got scratched on the games his grandparents came to Seattle to watch? Lol

Imagine if we drafted Wright and saw Slaf scoring these goals with NJ....

Holy moley.

I know it's way too early to even say this but so far, for right now, we made the right choice.
 
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the argument of "He's better then Kotkaniemi was so he should stay" doesn't seem like a smart one. If you just want him to be better then sure but the discussion about "where he should play" should be about "where should he play where he can become WAY better then Kotkaniemi".
 
We desperately need a Sad/Crying react button on this site.

The way I try to see it is that it's unlikely we're in our current position (with new management, a lot of younger players coming into their own, a good 2022 draft) if previous management keeps Sergachev and drafts Tkachuk. Add a 30 goal scoring almost 70 point scorer last year and the team isn't at the bottom, maybe a rebuild is out of the question and even MB is still here treading water. It's tough know. They lost that one big time, but they also got Suzuki, Caufield and Guhle in situations where they had no business getting players of that quality.

In any case, cheering for Slaf to keep it up, because he's showing more and more. He's showing quite a bit actually. I know they said they wanted to best player in 5 years, but he's the best player from that draft right now too.
 
The way I try to see it is that it's unlikely we're in our current position (with new management, a lot of younger players coming into their own, a good 2022 draft) if previous management keeps Sergachev and drafts Tkachuk. Add a 30 goal scoring almost 70 point scorer last year and the team isn't at the bottom, maybe a rebuild is out of the question and even MB is still here treading water. It's tough know. They lost that one big time, but they also got Suzuki, Caufield and Guhle in situations where they had no business getting players of that quality.

In any case, cheering for Slaf to keep it up, because he's showing more and more. He's showing quite a bit actually. I know they said they wanted to best player in 5 years, but he's the best player from that draft right now too.

Very true.

If we did draft some of these great players and made better trades we would be a much better team drafting way higher up...
 
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Tkachuk’s value goes way beyond his stats. He’ll be in our crease yapping for the next decade.

I agree but at the same time I'm relieved we avoided him for leadership reasons (like requesting to be team captain as part of contract negotations). Not sure who goes first, him or the team (same for his brother in Florida).
 
Getting 20 minutes is better than getting 10…

And again, I hate the idea of him slowing down mid season and then we send him down…
If he continues to improve, he won't always be at 10 mins per game. As he continues to get a grasp of things. I can't see MSL not increasing his mins per game.
 
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If he continues to improve, he won't always be at 10 mins per game. As he continues to get a grasp of things. I can't see MSL not increasing his mins per game.
I don’t think it’s a huge mistake or anything. Maybe this is the right path to take. I’ve just seen this so many times in the past.

The big difference is MSL. I have faith in him. So, maybe this is the way to go. Personally I’d have put him in the minors but he seems to be gaining confidence so they could be ritght in doing things this way… I guess we’ll see.
 
I don’t think it’s a huge mistake or anything. Maybe this is the right path to take. I’ve just seen this so many times in the past.

The big difference is MSL. I have faith in him. So, maybe this is the way to go. Personally I’d have put him in the minors but he seems to be gaining confidence so they could be ritght in doing things this way… I guess we’ll see.
He is the difference maker for me LG. If we still had one of our previous coaches. I wouldn't be as enthusiastic about keeping him up with the Habs. Some people are stating that we're "throwing him to the wolves" and make comparisons to how KK or Galchenyuk were treated. I don't see any of that. What I'm seeing is a young player, slowly getting better, more comfortable game by game.

Look back at some of the preseason games. Then watch how much he's improved since then. As I mentioned earlier, he's slowly being spoon fed more opportunities. He's not overwhelmed, so I believe he will continue to be handed more mins.

Also as I mentioned earlier. If he seems to be stagnating, then I'd send him down. I haven't seen that yet.
 
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