Player Discussion The Slaf Thread - Parabolic Growth Edition

[Skip Bayless]

I hate Juraj Slafkovsky.

 

[Victoire HuGo]

He's playing with Dach because he can't keep up with the top line but he's still getting on the PP. If Slaf was a 3rd round pick or lower, he would have had a different contract, it's a nice benefit being a 1OA pick. Jacke Evans is having a terrific year, oddly enough.. his contract year...

I think that's simplifying things too much. Same as Armia it ignores that both players were playing good hockey last year and that everybody is sitting in the right chair for their role.

 

[sampollock]

just show effort
that is all the fan base wants. (he does not get benched for not scoring)

 

[Riggins]

There's also the possibility that they load up the top line next year with Caufield-Suzuki-Demidov. Slaf's PP1 time should also be long gone.

The major red flag was when Slaf was blasting the Slovak hockey federation at the beginning of the year and talking about how he gets harassed out in public when he's home in Slovakia. His head wasn't in the right place and it seems like he thought he arrived as a big star after his 50 points and big contract extension. He probably didn't prepare like he needed to both mentally and physically.

 

[rahad]

Yes, he's 20, way too soon to draw conclusions, but not too soon to evaluate his performance. We can be patient while still criticizing and setting expectations... although we do tend to swing too far to one side or the other...lol.

I understand that he is only 20 years old. At the same time, we are talking about a 1OV. I could understand being patient for Beck or second round pick.

As a 1OV our expectation are higher on him. We will see what he does next year. He is playing right with prime age Suzuki and Caufield.

 

[Jurivan Demidovsky]

7.6 million for 8 years starting next season.

This contract will age well. Slafkovsky will find his game and become a dominant player. Progress isn't linear. This is not Kotkaniemi. Don't count him out because you will end up eating crow.

He's pacing for a 48 point season right now, if he turns it up in the second half of the season he could hit 60 points. That would be a successful season.

 

[rahad]

There's also the possibility that they load up the top line next year with Caufield-Suzuki-Demidov. Slaf's PP1 time should also be long gone.

The major red flag was when Slaf was blasting the Slovak hockey federation at the beginning of the year and talking about how he gets harassed out in public when he's home in Slovakia. His head wasn't in the right place and it seems like he thought he arrived as a big star after his 50 points and big contract extension. He probably didn't prepare like he needed to both mentally and physically.

Yeah.... We will be in serious problem if a 19 years old Demidov outperform a 21 1OV Slaf in his first season in the NHL. We do need him to be a power forward beast for the success of this team. With the way the team is playing, we won't have another top 5 pick for a long time. If we want to win the stanley cup, We need Slaf to be a elite player in the NHL.

 

[sampollock]

any word on the benching??

 

[c3z4r]

yes, the team made a mistake.

Guy got a big head and stopped playing hard since he already got paid. I'd ship him in an instant alongside other significant pieces for EP.

 

[Skip Bayless]

No reason to panic. But I am disappointed that he's showing signs of complacency. I never thought it would be an issue with this kid.

 

[Habnot]

I am convinced most people on this board, especially the more critical, don't even watch the games.

Slaf is one of our strongest forecheckers and probably the best on the team to win loose pucks. The amount of plays he made this year leading to goals without points are not quantified. He plays a different role on the PP and he barely gets the puck so the points have dried up on PP. This is not on him.

Big players always get labeled as lazy. Jumbo Joe and Mario were considered lazy even later in the careers.

I think a lot of the push back comes from seeing Cooley outscore Slaf this year. This was always going to be the case - different type of players. That said, the Habs drafted Slaf because we fit into the team they are trying to build and a profile that is very hard to find. 5'10" centers/wing with size are a dime a dozen. 6'2-3 wingers with skills that can play on top line not so much.

 

[Rapala]

Heineman is the flavor of the month right now. It's early to put a ceiling on any young player but I don't think he'd top Slafkovsky's 50 pts ish pace playing those kind of minutes. Going by points per 60 is not a straight forward exercise. Not all players will automatically go off the second they are handed more minutes

Heineman is not the flavor of the month WTF.

Heineman works his ass off shift in shift out every game end of story.
Full marks for what he has done thus far using his wheels and his physique.
I watched Heineman bully a puck along the boards and out of our zone against two players last night.
I've never seen Slaf do that ever.

A line is made up of three players and the more diversity you have the better.
Slaf isn't currently bringing his best game we see glimpses of it but there is not enough consistency.
Heineman is consistently the same player no matter what line he is on.

My guess is our top line would be more dynamic with the speed and consistency Heineman brings to the table at this point.
Personally I think he's a much better winger than Newhook who made that line more dangerous with his speed alone.

Marty resorted to using Evans to help generate some decent play on the first line that resulted in the tying goal last night.
He's nowhere near satisfied with his first line and it ain't Batman and Robin who are the problem.

 

[Bombshell11]

No reason to panic. But I am disappointed that he's showing signs of complacency. I never thought it would be an issue with this kid.

one of the very first things he said at the 2022 rookie camp is that he knows hes a slow starter... he always had that trait if you ask me

 

[VT]

I am Slovak, so no one can accuse me of bias.
I think Juraj should reflect on his play and five-game healthy scratch would help him a lot (if he is playing with an injury, it will also help him to be able to heal.
I understand that he is young. But there are certain things that don't excuse him.

 

[Gustave]

He’s slow. Slow in his decisions, slow skating and slow to no release.

Something’s afoot here, I don’t like it. I really don’t like that he already had a talking to and for MSL to decide to bench someone… it was needed.

He’s not pulling through when we need him to. I don’t like that fact. He got going last season when the season was done for. Growing pains for sure but bothersome regardless.

 

[morhilane]

He looks normal. People create scenarios.

Just like on twitter when Demidov was benched earlier in the season and they showed him on the bench, people said he was sulking and pouting while he was just…there and living lol.

I didn't say he was sulking and pouting like some others, just that he didn't too happy, especially if you compare to the other players in the same shot as him who are clapping and laughing while he's all serious self-massaging his legs.

 

[BLONG7]

So is Gallagher and Anderson, they work very hard yet everyone complains about those contracts. I don't see the on-ice effort this year, just glimpses of skill. He isn't engaged at all. If you told me he played last night I would have said BS.

I'm rooting for him, but man it's hard to like his game this year even though he's so young.

Good points, but one thing, his contract is for 950K..............the bigger one hasn't started yet. Andy and Gally have been pretty good this year, but have stunk the last 3-4 seasons, which is why for good reason people $hit on those crazy contracts....

Slaf has to get it together, and most people, including the guys who gave him the contract feel he will morph into the player we all want to see. If not.......no worries there will be many critics at that time.......

I don't care about the contract not my money...is it horrible to want to see the effort that garnered him success last year? He just isn't moving his feet. Last year he was a beast along the boards...what changed? I know he can do it..he showed it last year...we just want to see that again.

This is on his coaches, to impress upon him.
His TOI should depend on his efforts....

 

[SlafySZN]

yes, the team made a mistake.

Guy got a big head and stopped playing hard since he already got paid. I'd ship him in an instant alongside other significant pieces for EP.

Lmao, EP the known try hard player.

I just love how our 20 years old is a ‘’mistake’’ and not good enough but will give Slaf and significant pieces plus the farm team for a guy his team wants to ship out because of consistency, effort problem at his big age.

 

[Jurivan Demidovsky]

He’s slow. Slow in his decisions, slow skating and slow to no release.

Something’s afoot here, I don’t like it. I really don’t like that he already had a talking too and for MSL to decide to bench someone… it was needed.

He’s not pulling through when we need him to. I don’t like that fact. He got going last season when the season was done for. Growing pains for sure but bothersome regardless.

Did he really get "a talking to" or did he get a motivational talk? Which one seems more likely with this coaching staff? So he was benched for a bit, I heard someone say he was rubbing his knee in a video, he looked upset, etc etc. We don't really know what's going on. We shouldn't panic until next season when the contract actually kicks in. He had a bad game and his confidence looks low out there. He's gonna turn it around but it might take a bit of time and it could be a bit of a bumpy road.

 

[Sorinth]

I understand that he is only 20 years old. At the same time, we are talking about a 1OV. I could understand being patient for Beck or second round pick.

As a 1OV our expectation are higher on him. We will see what he does next year. He is playing right with prime age Suzuki and Caufield.

MacKinnon in his D+3 and D+4 seasons was a 50 point player and there was lots of talk about being a bust/disappointment for a 1st OA pick. Patience isn't just for 2nd round picks.

 

[sampollock]

He’s slow. Slow in his decisions, slow skating and slow to no release.

Something’s afoot here, I don’t like it. I really don’t like that he already had a talking too and for MSL to decide to bench someone… it was needed.

He’s not pulling through when we need him to. I don’t like that fact. He got going last season when the season was done for. Growing pains for sure but bothersome regardless.

he needs additional coaching.
KH needs to find a coach or skating coach to work with him

 

[Victoire HuGo]

Heineman is not the flavor of the month WTF.

Heineman works his ass off shift in shift out every game end of story.
Full marks for what he has done thus far using his wheels and his physique.
I watched Heineman bully a puck along the boards and out of our zone against two players last night.
I've never seen Slaf do that ever.

A line is made up of three players and the more diversity you have the better.
Slaf isn't currently bringing his best game we see glimpses of it but there is not enough consistency.
Heineman is consistently the same player no matter what line he is on.

My guess is our top line would be more dynamic with the speed and consistency Heineman brings to the table at this point.
Personally I think he's a much better winger than Newhook who made that line more dangerous with his speed alone.

Marty resorted to using Evans to help generate some decent play on the first line that resulted in the tying goal last night.
He's nowhere near satisfied with his first line and it ain't Batman and Robin who are the problem.

My point is that Heineman was not even in our top 10 for the Habs prospect rankings. Fast forward to January and he's now better than Slafkovsky. I like Heineman but the thought is a little ridiculous. I'm not making excuses on Slaf's current play but I think patience is needed

 

[Gustave]

Did he really get "a talking to" or did he get a motivational talk? Which one seems more likely with this coaching staff? So he was benched for a bit, I heard someone say he was rubbing his knee in a video, he looked upset, etc etc. We don't really know what's going on. We shouldn't panic until next season when the contract actually kicks in. He had a bad game and his confidence looks low out there. He's gonna turn it around but it might take a bit of time and it could be a bit of a bumpy road.

Suzuki and Caufield both went to him on the bench (nothing even close to the Marner incident) is what I meant.

 

[Habs]

I am convinced most people on this board, especially the more critical, don't even watch the games.

Slaf is one of our strongest forecheckers and probably the best on the team to win loose pucks. The amount of plays he made this year leading to goals without points are not quantified. He plays a different role on the PP and he barely gets the puck so the points have dried up on PP. This is not on him.

Are you really watching the games this year? he's falling all over the ice and his puck retrieval has been dismal. Last year you would be correct, but he is not winning the battles this year at all and is often on his ass for some reason. When was the last time you remember Slaf letting a one-timer go or a slapshot that hit the net? I know he's lost his spot on the circle to Cole and Laine, but his first thought is 'pass' instead of a shot. He's a different player this year

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Yeah.... We will be in serious problem if a 19 years old Demidov outperform a 21 1OV Slaf in his first season in the NHL. We do need him to be a power forward beast for the success of this team. With the way the team is playing, we won't have another top 5 pick for a long time. If we want to win the stanley cup, We need Slaf to be a elite player in the NHL.

Serious problem? What? If Slaf has 65 pts at 21 AND Demidov is even better at 20 that is a huuuuge win , not a problem lol.