Is Slafkovsky the worst #1 pick ever ?

[Divine]

Yeah, Slaf can be the biggest bust in the NHL ever, it won't alter the fact that the Leafs are pathetic, with all your great players... Even a talentless team like Habs went farther, isn't that sad ?

This thread is about Slaf though.

He scored a nice shootout goal today.

 

[Bring Bak Damphousse]

You're confusing individual stats and team stats.

Yeah, one is far more important than the other, no individual points for Slaf, he did give us the win though

 

[Kennerback]

You could have stopped it at lead a team - baby steps.



The second and third overall picks in that draft are much better than him if you take bias aside.

I would have said that a month ago. I can’t comment on Nemec. But I’d now take Slaf over Cooley.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

I'll take my chances.

We have a double down on 12

 

[SergeConstantin74]

Slaf has been the Habs most consistent player for the past two weeks or so. Too bad Caufield is in a scoring slump because #20 has been distributing gifts on his stick blade.

 

[Divine]

I would have said that a month ago. I can’t comment on Nemec. But I’d now take Slaf over Cooley.

I wouldn't, but time will tell.

 

[the paisanos guy]

He could always skate the puck through the neural zone again, like that one time

he's skating through your neural zone rent free

 

[Plastic Joseph]

I was wondering why this thread got bumped. I checked his stats tonight - nothing as usual.

Then I realized... it was bumped because he scored a shootout goal against a struggling rookie goaltender.

The bar for 1st overall picks really is low these days.

that's just it - you checked the box score.

Even before OT the broadcast called him payer of the game. He was a menace on the forecheck and used his frame many times to create chances

 

[Divine]

that's just it - you checked the box score.

Even before OT the broadcast called him payer of the game. He was a menace on the forecheck and used his frame many times to create chances

I don't doubt Slaf's ability to be an NHL caliber player - which means some good games and some bad games.

The title though is specificially for his 1st overall status. For the best player in a draft class, he hasn't been great yet. However, he's also not the worst 1st overall pick ever.

If Slaf was drafted in the 5th round, he would look great right now for his age. It's the lofty expectations of being the best player in an entire draft class that makes him look bad in comparison. Obviously with the 1st overall pick you're expected to pick the best player in the entire draft - so when they're not immediately great - people start questioning them. You don't get those same expectations with later round picks.

 

[Plastic Joseph]

I don't doubt Slaf's ability to be an NHL caliber player - which means some good games and some bad games.

The title though is specificially for his 1st overall status. For the best player in a draft class, he hasn't been great yet. However, he's also not the worst 1st overall pick ever.

If Slaf was drafted in the 5th round, he would look great right now for his age. It's the lofty expectations of being the best player in an entire draft class that makes him look bad in comparison. Obviously with the 1st overall pick you're expected to pick the best player in the entire draft - so when they're not immediately great - people start questioning them. You don't get those same expectations with later round picks.

I would hope not - he's 19 and he's one of the Habs best players right now

 

[Knies iT]

Looked like Semin in that "fight" against Clifton. Got bloodied by a 5'11 squid.

 

[SergeConstantin74]

What’s up with Leafs fans feeling threatened by a 19 yo bust?

 

[Baksfamous112]

I don't doubt Slaf's ability to be an NHL caliber player - which means some good games and some bad games.

The title though is specificially for his 1st overall status. For the best player in a draft class, he hasn't been great yet. However, he's also not the worst 1st overall pick ever.

If Slaf was drafted in the 5th round, he would look great right now for his age. It's the lofty expectations of being the best player in an entire draft class that makes him look bad in comparison. Obviously with the 1st overall pick you're expected to pick the best player in the entire draft - so when they're not immediately great - people start questioning them. You don't get those same expectations with later round picks.

Big players like Slaf takes a bit longer to adapt to the NHL especially when they used to play on bigger ice in Europe and more space/time to make plays. He’s definitely more visible on the ice and make more plays than earlier in the year/last year.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Slaf has arguably been the habs best player the last ~10 games

 

[The Great Weal]

I was wondering why this thread got bumped. I checked his stats tonight - nothing as usual.

Then I realized... it was bumped because he scored a shootout goal against a struggling rookie goaltender.

The bar for 1st overall picks really is low these days.

Man how insecure are Leafs fans lol. Slaf has been playing phenomenal hockey lately, none of the forwards can score so basically he's playing by himself. I was pretty skeptical of the pick and didn't think he was NHL caliber for a while but a switch has gone off or something because he's a complete beast right now. His shooting isn't good enough but that will change.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Just saw this thread title for the first time. Definitely not considering he’s only 19. Stupid thread. Someone close it

 

[AvroArrow]

7 points in 27 games in his sophomore year. On pace for a whopping 21 points! But habs fans be like "He won a board battle today, looks good"

Just saw this thread title for the first time. Definitely not considering he’s only 19. Stupid thread. Someone close it

10 points in his rookie year, only 7 points this year. You're lying to yourself if you think those aren't horrendous numbers for a #1 overall forward.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

7 points in 27 games in his sophomore year. On pace for a whopping 21 points! But habs fans be like "He won a board battle today, looks good"


10 points in his rookie year, only 7 points this year. You're lying to yourself if you think those aren't horrendous numbers for a #1 overall forward.

Who said they aren’t bad numbers? Certainly not me. But calling a 19 year old the worst number 1 pick ever before his career has even started is ridiculous

 

[JianYang]

It's the first time I tuned into a Habs game in a while, and he looked pretty good. If this is the way he's looked in the last little while, then it has to be encouraging.

 

[River Meadow]

Looked like Semin in that "fight" against Clifton. Got bloodied by a 5'11 squid.

19 year old VS. 30 year old

Would like to see you at 19 against a 30 year old trained athlete.

 

[Section88]

Looked like Semin in that "fight" against Clifton. Got bloodied by a 5'11 squid.

...Who cares about how a 1OA pick fights?

 

[Plastic Joseph]

7 points in 27 games in his sophomore year. On pace for a whopping 21 points! But habs fans be like "He won a board battle today, looks good"


10 points in his rookie year, only 7 points this year. You're lying to yourself if you think those aren't horrendous numbers for a #1 overall forward.

Byfield had nearly identical stats in his first 66 career games.

QB first 66 games - 18 pts
Slaf - 17 pts

So those were awful stats for a #2 pick, right? They were, but anyone with a brain should know that at age 19 most players are faaar from finished products. Not saying Slaf is QB, but judging anyone after 66 career games is dumb

 

[Devonator]

Far far to early to say he is a bust.....lets give him a couple of more years and then we can discuss where Slafs is.....

 

[kudla]

This is not going to age well.

 

[ijuka]

Slaf has been the Habs most consistent player for the past two weeks or so. Too bad Caufield is in a scoring slump because #20 has been distributing gifts on his stick blade.

Consistent as in, he's consistently scored 0 points?

Caufield might be in a scoring slump simply because he's made to play with Slafkovsky. Have you ever thought of that? Slafkovsky has done nothing to earn line mates like Caufield and just keeps getting gift wrapped undeserved opportunities and does nothing with them.