F Juraj Slafkovsky - TPS, Finland U20 (2022 Draft)

[Captain97]

Slafkovsky-Suzuki-Caufield would be awesome !

Agreed perfect compliment to that line, has the skill to play with those two but also makes up for Caufield being small (I understand Suzuki is shorter but he isn't small)

 

[KevSkillz4]

Slafkovsky-Suzuki-Caufield would be awesome !

Agree!!

 

[Eggtimer]

Maybe they can play together at an all star game one year. Devils and Habs in same conference so it could happen one year. Otherwise , I just don’t see the Devils trading for Suzuki and Cauflield.

Slafkovsky-Suzuki-Caufield would be awesome !

 

[HuGort]

Slaflovsky has Josh Anderson size and speed with Pastrnak shot

 

[hellwar9]

 

[peto10]

 

[Doc5]

Was curious and looked it up, his PPG puts him around 10th or 11th place. Behind the likes of Granlund, Kakko, Barkov, Puljujarvi, Laine, Lehkonen and so on. So I am not entirely sure what to make of it.

 

[xyzed]

it basically means that only 2 players had more than 6 pts. Its just another view how to look at the stats. Obviously favors Slafkovsky but doesn't say that much

 

[Antiillafire]

Was curious and looked it up, his PPG puts him around 10th or 11th place. Behind the likes of Granlund, Kakko, Barkov, Puljujarvi, Laine, Lehkonen and so on. So I am not entirely sure what to make of it.

View attachment 533385

Few things.
First: How do we factor in team tactics/makeup? TPS is a defensive team, and that strategy obviously works for them as Slafkovsky and company has made it further than most players on that list. They scored 151 goals this regular season and let in just 137, not a huge gap, as a whole they don’t score much but keep the puck out of the net.
Let’s see how that compares to those teams that the guys on the list have played for (not including dman).

Mikael Granlund HIFK: 185 goals for, 152 against
Kakko TPS: 154 goals for, 152 against
Barkov Tappara: 178 goals for, 145 against
Puljujarvi Karpat: 178 goals for, 126 against
Laine Tappara: 177 goals for, 136 against
Lehkonen Kalpa: 172 goals for, 145 against
Terevainen Jokerit: 183 goals for, 155 against
Ikonen blues: 145 goals for, 165 against
Armia Assat: 176 goals for, 132 against

Of course this is the regular season, but you can see the considerable gaps in production. And I don’t think 1 17-18 year old is providing an extra 30-35 goals. TPS has continued their brand of hockey in the post season. They don’t score a ton, but they play defensively and that’s how they win.

Second: To build on the previous points the tactical setup that Slafkovsky is instructed to perform could be considerably different than how lehkonen, teravainen or puljujarvi was deployed.

Could Slafkovsky’s production be better in the post season? Sure it could, but I don’t think just looking at those numbers paints the entire picture of TPS path to the finals (in comparison to those other players and their teams).

Finally: If TPS got eliminated in 4,5,6,7 games like guys on this list did, he’d have a higher PPG. If they lost in 4, he’d be tied for first. If they lost in 5, he’d slot in right behind Laine.

 

[majormajor]

Few things.
First: How do we factor in team tactics/makeup? TPS is a defensive team, and that strategy obviously works for them as Slafkovsky and company has made it further than most players on that list. They scored 151 goals this regular season and let in just 137, not a huge gap, as a whole they don’t score much but keep the puck out of the net.
Let’s see how that compares to those teams that the guys on the list have played for (not including dman).

Mikael Granlund HIFK: 185 goals for, 152 against
Kakko TPS: 154 goals for, 152 against
Barkov Tappara: 178 goals for, 145 against
Puljujarvi Karpat: 178 goals for, 126 against
Laine Tappara: 177 goals for, 136 against
Lehkonen Kalpa: 172 goals for, 145 against
Terevainen Jokerit: 183 goals for, 155 against
Ikonen blues: 145 goals for, 165 against
Armia Assat: 176 goals for, 132 against

Of course this is the regular season, but you can see the considerable gaps in production. And I don’t think 1 17-18 year old is providing an extra 30-35 goals. TPS has continued their brand of hockey in the post season. They don’t score a ton, but they play defensively and that’s how they win.

Second: To build on the previous points the tactical setup that Slafkovsky is instructed to perform could be considerably different than how lehkonen, teravainen or puljujarvi was deployed.

Could Slafkovsky’s production be better in the post season? Sure it could, but I don’t think just looking at those numbers paints the entire picture of TPS path to the finals (in comparison to those other players and their teams).

Finally: If TPS got eliminated in 4,5,6,7 games like guys on this list did, he’d have a higher PPG. If they lost in 4, he’d be tied for first. If they lost in 5, he’d slot in right behind Laine.

On the other hand TPS' top line is actually scoring at a high clip, including Pyyhtia who is only two years older than Slafkovsky. That Slafkovsky's line doesn't score much could be on him or his linemates I wouldn't know.

 

[JabbaJabba]

TPS' offence relies on 1st line and there's not much depth after that. Slafkovsky is the 5th best point producer on his team in these playoffs with his six points. That is good.

 

[Antiillafire]

On the other hand TPS' top line is actually scoring at a high clip, including Pyyhtia who is only two years older than Slafkovsky. That Slafkovsky's line doesn't score much could be on him or his linemates I wouldn't know.

3 years older, but there is history there too. Teemu Pulkinnen outscored teravainen in the playoffs when he was 2 years older, Kasperi Kapanen outscored Aho when he was 1 years older and Goldobin outscored Aho when he was 2 years older. There is also the opposite, Puljujarvi the way out produced Hintz in the 2015-16 playoffs but who is the better player now?

 

[majormajor]

3 years older, but there is history there too. Teemu Pulkinnen outscored teravainen in the playoffs when he was 2 years older, Kasperi Kapanen outscored Aho when he was 1 years older and Goldobin outscored Aho when he was 2 years older. There is also the opposite, Puljujarvi the way out produced Hintz in the 2015-16 playoffs but who is the better player now?

Two years and three months to be precise.

I'm not saying Pyyhtia is the better prospect, the point is really that TPS has high scoring players.

 

[Doc5]

Few things.
First: How do we factor in team tactics/makeup? TPS is a defensive team, and that strategy obviously works for them as Slafkovsky and company has made it further than most players on that list. They scored 151 goals this regular season and let in just 137, not a huge gap, as a whole they don’t score much but keep the puck out of the net.
Let’s see how that compares to those teams that the guys on the list have played for (not including dman).

Mikael Granlund HIFK: 185 goals for, 152 against
Kakko TPS: 154 goals for, 152 against
Barkov Tappara: 178 goals for, 145 against
Puljujarvi Karpat: 178 goals for, 126 against
Laine Tappara: 177 goals for, 136 against
Lehkonen Kalpa: 172 goals for, 145 against
Terevainen Jokerit: 183 goals for, 155 against
Ikonen blues: 145 goals for, 165 against
Armia Assat: 176 goals for, 132 against

Of course this is the regular season, but you can see the considerable gaps in production. And I don’t think 1 17-18 year old is providing an extra 30-35 goals. TPS has continued their brand of hockey in the post season. They don’t score a ton, but they play defensively and that’s how they win.

Second: To build on the previous points the tactical setup that Slafkovsky is instructed to perform could be considerably different than how lehkonen, teravainen or puljujarvi was deployed.

Could Slafkovsky’s production be better in the post season? Sure it could, but I don’t think just looking at those numbers paints the entire picture of TPS path to the finals (in comparison to those other players and their teams).

Finally: If TPS got eliminated in 4,5,6,7 games like guys on this list did, he’d have a higher PPG. If they lost in 4, he’d be tied for first. If they lost in 5, he’d slot in right behind Laine.

Thanks for that, I don't watch any Liiga so I am definitely not informed. I watched Slafkovsky highlights and hope the Habs can get him but then I wasn't too impressed by the numbers. You bring up good points though, context matters.

 

[jfhabs]

Thanks for that, I don't watch any Liiga so I am definitely not informed. I watched Slafkovsky highlights and hope the Habs can get him but then I wasn't too impressed by the numbers. You bring up good points though, context matters.

I don't follow enough to have a clear opinion either, but could Liiga be better now then it was because of all the guys who came back from Russia?

 

[montreal]

 

[JabbaJabba]

I don't follow enough to have a clear opinion either, but could Liiga be better now then it was because of all the guys who came back from Russia?

The KHL players joined for like the last three weeks of the regular season and some didn't even play in the playoffs. There were 14 KHL players who came so I don't think they boosted the overall quality of the league that much in so short time. Slafkovsky's team didn't get any players, though their opponent in the finals has two.

 

[Antiillafire]

Got an assist today. Has 2 points in 3 games in Liiga finals but TPS looks like they are about to get swept.

 

[ijuka]

End of third he performed some nice dangles and walked through 2 Tappara players.

 

[mirec04]

It is a shame that none of our TVs has bought the rights for these final games. I think that lot of people in Slovakia would watch it.

 

[Eggtimer]

Any chance he makes it to 3rd overall ? Id say unlikely . And virtually impossible he falls to 4th. I want him on the Devils in a massive way but just don’t see it happening at all unless we win the lotto or a team swaps picks with us trading up .

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Any chance he makes it to 3rd overall ? Id say unlikely . And virtually impossible he falls to 4th. I want him on the Devils in a massive way but just don’t see it happening at all unless we win the lotto or a team swaps picks with us trading up .

He's no lock for #2. Still a chance someone takes Nemec or Cooley before him.

 

[FlyguyOX]

Any chance he makes it to 3rd overall ? Id say unlikely . And virtually impossible he falls to 4th. I want him on the Devils in a massive way but just don’t see it happening at all unless we win the lotto or a team swaps picks with us trading up .

I think after Wright that the next 4 could go in any order. Nemec, Jiricek, Slof, Cooley.

 

[Eggtimer]

I think after Wright that the next 4 could go in any order. Nemec, Jiricek, Slof, Cooley.

Dammit, Devils need at least one of the RHD but it’s not looking good.

 

[Hostile Offer]

On the other hand TPS' top line is actually scoring at a high clip, including Pyyhtia who is only two years older than Slafkovsky. That Slafkovsky's line doesn't score much could be on him or his linemates I wouldn't know.

TPS pretty much has only one line that can generate consistent offense 5v5. The rest are more or less in a checking role and that probably hurts Slaf's production. I don't really see a lot of chemistry between him and his linemates (Rodewald and Steenbergen lately), like you can see he is by far the most talented player on his line but he's also trying to do all the heavylifting on offense by himself which doesn't work for the most part. He can definitely make great use of his linemates when given space but in these tight playoff games there just isn't much of it.