Prospect Info: Devils Win #2 Overall -- Slafkovsky vs. Jiricek vs. Nemec

[Hisch13r]

If the devils won the first pick would the unanimous decision be wright?

Might end up trading down but if we kept it then yeah it's probably Wright.

Yes and they said the same thing about Raymond and many other players that have turned out really well.

His model is based on numbers and while it shouldn’t be completely dismissed there is so much more than productions that goes into scouting.

Raymond had great U20 production in his D-1. Slaf's was considerably worse than the rest of the high profile players to have played in the Finnish U20 recently

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Might end up trading down but if we kept it then yeah it's probably Wright.



Raymond had great U20 production in his D-1. Slaf's was considerably worse than the rest of the high profile players to have played in the Finnish U20 recently

Their Bader cards based solely on the numbers are very similar. They both have/had a very good skillset that projected well but were questioned as top picks due to their production.

 

[NJ DevLolz]

Although the Worlds is a short tournament that means little, I'll be curious to see how he looks against NHLers.

 

[Hisch13r]

Although the World's is a short tournament that means little, I'll be curious to see how he looks against NHLers.

I mean the short Olympics did wonders for his stock

 

[NJ DevLolz]

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This makes me feel a little better. His team looks to have had an abysmal offense. Best producer had 39 points in 56 games

I mean the short Olympics did wonders for his stock

Yeah, but Fitz specifically mentioned that you can only put so much stock in these

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I mean the short Olympics did wonders for his stock

Yup. As I said he showed them the one thing they hadn’t seen from him yet. Putting it all together for production. Hadn’t been able to produce all year in LIIGA with limited opportunity. Got an opportunity on NHL-sized ice with his national team against good competition and did really well and produced. He had been hanging around most rankings still regardless of his poor production because of everything else. Showed them something they had been waiting to see and then showed improved production with a little more opportunity when he got back to league play as well.

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This makes me feel a little better. His team looks to have had an abysmal offense. Best producer had 39 points in 56 games


Yeah, but Fitz specifically mentioned that you can only put so much stock in these

And he was playing in the bottom 6.

 

[beekay414]

Lack of production in a European MEN'S league should never...under any circumstance...be compared to lack of production in the friggin' OHL lol

 

[devilsblood]

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This makes me feel a little better. His team looks to have had an abysmal offense. Best producer had 39 points in 56 games

You also have to ask, did he play much pp? Was their pp any good? Who was on his line? Did he get a lot of shots on net?

All the things we use to evaluate players in the NHL. Not sure why some are so quick to just look at points when we are talking a draft prospect.

And he was playing in the bottom 6.

Well you do have to ask, why was he playing bottom 6? Answer might be, he didn't earn being higher in the lineup. Or it might be, not a great decision by the coach.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

You also have to ask, did he play much pp? Was their pp any good? Who was on his line? Did he get a lot of shots on net?

All the things we use to evaluate players in the NHL. Not sure why some are so quick to just look at points when we are talking a draft prospect.

The NHL scouts know all of this and lot more and they spend a ridiculous amount of time looking at it and more importantly watching the prospects.

You also have to ask, did he play much pp? Was their pp any good? Who was on his line? Did he get a lot of shots on net?

All the things we use to evaluate players in the NHL. Not sure why some are so quick to just look at points when we are talking a draft prospect.


Well you do have to ask, why was he playing bottom 6? Answer might be, he didn't earn being higher in the lineup. Or it might be, not a great decision by the coach.

Yes forsure. Or it might be that he’s a young kid from another country. A lot of coaches will favour older veteran players and might be hesitant to throw a 17 year old kid from Slovakia in their top 6.

 

[devilsblood]

The NHL scouts know all of this and lot more and they spend a ridiculous amount of time looking at it and more importantly watching the prospects.

Ya, obviously, and that goes for the online scouting services as well.

I get the concern, but I wouldn't write him off just because of the lack of production, I'd look into the reasons why.

 

[beekay414]

Where I stand is, if we pass on one of the RHD for a forward, it damn well better be a forward of Slafkovsky's mold, and not another small, skilled prospect. I'm all for taking talent for talent but, at some point, the pieces need to fit.

 

[Hisch13r]

Where I stand is, if we pass on one of the RHD for a forward, it damn well better be a forward of Slafkosky's mold, and not another small, skilled prospect. I'm all for taking talent for talent but, at some point, the pieces need to fit.

It's so weird how people act like we're going to be filled up to the brim with small forwards. Long term we're going to have TWO. Add Cooley and that's THREE. You'd think our entire top 6 was filled with 5'9 150 pound guys the way people talk about it. Tampa just won back to back Cups with 3 of their centers being 5'10 or smaller.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Ya, obviously, and that goes for the online scouting services as well.

I get the concern, but I wouldn't write him off just because of the lack of production, I'd look into the reasons why.

Ya but even they don’t see close to as much as the actual scouts. The scouts actually go to the games. Talk to coaches and people around. Talk to the players themselves. It’s actually unbelievable how much goes into it.

It's so weird how people act like we're going to be filled up to the brim with small forwards. Long term we're going to have TWO. Add Cooley and that's THREE. You'd think our entire top 6 was filled with 5'9 150 pound guys the way people talk about it.

I agree that if our scouts believe Cooley is better then we should take him. However, I personally believe Slafkovsky is the better prospect and if it’s really close to them they should probably go with the player that is a better fit.

 

[Guttersniped]

The fact that Slaf's already physically matured and 218 pounds also scares me. There's not much more room to grow. If he was at the same level but like 30 pounds lighter I'd feel more confident that as he put on more size he'd be able to improve his game considerably.

Statistically speaking, big players like him take longer, he’s got plenty of runway. This is a weird take.

If he was 30 pounds lighter I would be less interested, he would just be a very tall, lanky guy and there’s a limit to the weight guys can put on.

Power Skating can get him to go faster, that’s what you work on with bigger guys.

 

[beekay414]

It's so weird how people act like we're going to be filled up to the brim with small forwards. Long term we're going to have TWO. Add Cooley and that's THREE. You'd think our entire top 6 was filled with 5'9 150 pound guys the way people talk about it. Tampa just won back to back Cups with 3 of their centers being 5'10 or smaller.

And where were those centers drafted? Were they all top 2 picks? No? Then maybe you'd get my point that those types are found literally everywhere in the draft. When making that call, especially in a draft where the cluster of forwards aren't separated by much, you don't take more of what you got. That's not how this works.

 

[Hisch13r]

And where were those centers drafted? Were they all top 2 picks? No? Then maybe you'd get my point that those types are found literally everywhere in the draft. When making that call, especially in a draft where the cluster of forwards aren't separated by much, you don't take more of what you got. That's not how this works.

I don't see how that changes the point. You don't avoid Cooley because he's small and we have 2 small forwards. That's just stupid.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

This tournament is a huge opportunity for Slafkovsky to maybe win over a bunch of the people who only doubt him because of his production. I’m sure those people would feel much better if he has really good productions over the course of 14-17 games at a high level of international competition. Even if he puts up 4 or 5 points that would be really good.

Does anyone know if the World Championships are definitely played on international-sized ice. I think NHL sized ice would okay to his advantage.

 

[beekay414]

I don't see how that changes the point. You don't avoid Cooley because he's small and we have 2 small forwards. That's just stupid.

No but you certainly don't take him over 3 better options for this team.

 

[Hisch13r]

This tournament is a huge opportunity for Slafkovsky to maybe win over a bunch of the people who only doubt him because of his production. I’m sure those people would feel much better if he has really good productions over the course of 14-17 games at a high level of international competition. Even if he puts up 4 or 5 points that would be really good.

Does anyone know if the World Championships are definitely played on international-sized ice. I think NHL sized ice would okay to his advantage.

Kakko had 7 in 10. Laine had 12 in 10. 4 or 5 in 14-17 games would literally do nothing but reinforce my view.

No but you certainly don't take him over 3 better options for this team.

You don't take players based on need.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Kakko had 7 in 10. 4 or 5 in 14-17 games would literally do nothing but reinforce my view.



You don't take players based on need.

I meant 4 or 5 in this tournament. So 7-10 games. I was combining that and the Olympics. Say it’s 5 in 8 games. So he would have 12 in 15 games at major international tournaments against strong competition.

People are worried about 31 games of production at LIIGA level. 15 or so games at a higher level where he had good production should certainly mean something.

 

[beekay414]

You don't take players based on need.

Good thing I'm not. I'm taking them based on upside and what they offer this team compared to what Cooley offers.

 

[devilsblood]

Statistically speaking, big players like him take longer, he’s got plenty of runway. This is a weird take.

If he was 30 pounds lighter I would be less interested, he would just be a very tall, lanky guy and there’s a limit to the weight guys can put on.

Power Skating can get him to go faster, that’s what you work on with bigger guys.

We were just talking this in the locker room last night regarding an opposing player.

Tall lanky guys don't skate as well as tall thicker guys, as least in terms of being nimble. That was at least one theory, and it kind of made sense. The guy certainly said it with conviction.

You don't take players based on need.

True, but need is a consideration. It's in the equation.

 

[TrufleShufle]

If the devils won the first pick would the unanimous decision be wright?

Unanimous? Here?

 

[Billdo]

Unanimous? Here?

Would be such a Devils thing to win 1OA again in a draft with no generational consensus like they did in Hischiers draft with next years Bedard eligible.

 

[TrufleShufle]

True, but need is a consideration. It's in the equation.

Nope, if need, or helping the team or filling a hole is anywhere in the thought process whatsoever, even in a tiebreaker, it's bad. No team has ever, nor should ever do that. Don't bring it up again. He has spoken.