Is Slafkovsky the worst #1 pick ever ?

[CauZuki]

I don't believe I'm speaking to that tone at all - you just sound sensitive.

He could have stayed in Finland and developed further. Large guys take way longer to develop. Very few are ready for the NHL at 18, especially ones who weren't even seen as the best prospect in their draft by many. I think he will be a fine NHLer, but there is always the possibility that him just trying to keep his head above water in the NHL stunts his offensive growth.

I'm a Penguins fan - they did that with Staal. Difference is, Staal was an absolute stud defensively right out of the box.

Slafkovsky is 220 pounds he is not tall and lanky who needs year to fill into his frame. I simply disagree with your take as I know the environment that failed those rushed prospects in MTL is no longer present. Habs are comitted to the rebuild and Marty St-Louis has gotten a lot out of his youngsters. Slafkovsky got injured last year which can happen but has shown glimpses of his talent and now with time and confidence is actually producing at the expected rate.

 

[I Hate Philadelphia]

Lafreniere is on pace for a career high 45 points in his fourth full NHL season as #1ovr pick.

Will be interesting to see if Slaf is this bad too.

 

[AvroArrow]

All you talk about is production, the kid went from being lost on the ice at 18 to being our best forward almost every night in the past 2 weeks.He should be compared to Cooley and Wright. Everybody is talking about disappointing for a first overall pick as if the other guys are out there killing the league lol

Look at you guys , you've had like 4 ppg players on the roster and won one round in like 8 years so even you understand there's more to winning hockey games than point production.

Would we prefer a mcdavid crosby bedard hughes yeah obviously lmao

He's legitimately buzzing out there so yeah people are going to defend him while he is playing great at least until he reverts to his useless 18 year old self which usually isn't how development goes

Production is all that matters

Look at our several playoff losses, the reason why ? Lack of production from the stars

Production matters, pretending i doesn't is a joke lol. He's not some gritty 3rd line guy, he's the #1 pick.

 

[Zilo44]

Production is all that matters

Look at our several playoff losses, the reason why ? Lack of production from the stars

Production matters, pretending i doesn't is a joke lol. He's not some gritty 3rd line guy, he's the #1 pick.

Zegras produces yet he cheats all the time.

 

[deleted user]

Production is all that matters

Look at our several playoff losses, the reason why ? Lack of production from the stars

Production matters, pretending i doesn't is a joke lol. He's not some gritty 3rd line guy, he's the #1 pick.

Yeah and Montreal isn't at the level of competition that your team is. You're right, producing is a great thing and a necessary one. The difference is that Montreal is still building up. Slaf doesn't need to step in and immediately be PPG or something. As long as he's developing and showing signs of progress, that's a good thing! I'll trust the ppl watching him night in and night out. They seem to be saying he's looking better. I'm also aware he had an injury first year.

Would be awesome if he had better numbers right now, of course, but the kid is being shit on constantly by ppl who aren't even watching him night in, night out.

Rooting for him.

 

[JTG]

Slafkovsky is 220 pounds he is not tall and lanky who needs year to fill into his frame. I simply disagree with your take as I know the environment that failed those rushed prospects in MTL is no longer present. Habs are comitted to the rebuild and Marty St-Louis has gotten a lot out of his youngsters. Slafkovsky got injured last year which can happen but has shown glimpses of his talent and now with time and confidence is actually producing at the expected rate.

It has nothing to do with MTL. Large prospects take longer. He could have benefited from playing in lower Euro leagues for a few years while he molded his game.

 

[NobleSix]

Production is all that matters

Look at our several playoff losses, the reason why ? Lack of production from the stars

Production matters, pretending i doesn't is a joke lol. He's not some gritty 3rd line guy, he's the #1 pick.

It has more to do with the fact your team is constructed like shit. Top heavy with horrible depth, bad defense with no #1 defenseman, and a couple fringe NHL goaltenders.

You wouldn't need elite production out of 4 players in the playoffs if the rest of the team was constructed like a true contender and not a total paper tiger.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

It has nothing to do with MTL. Large prospects take longer. He could have benefited from playing in lower Euro leagues for a few years while he molded his game.

For the large prospects, they are typically going from being the biggest/strongest kid in their junior league to being a teenager playing against grown men, and the difference in physical strength is pretty significant. What worked against the kids in junior for the big guys isn't necessarily going to work against even the smaller NHLers, because there's just not enough power behind it until they are generally in their early 20s.

Because of this, I'm not sure how playing in European leagues against lesser competition would really benefit him that much beyond just allowing him to physically mature outside of the NHL spotlight.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Dude is 19, we have no idea what he is yet.

 

[Bouboumaster]

How low are the standards in Montreal that calling a guy who only has 12 points on the year "not good" is considered "troll"

Legitimate 4th line production out of a 1st overall pick in his 2nd year but keep coping lol. He may improve, actually I'd bet he improves no way he can get worse, but at this moment he really isn't good and I'm not sure how that's even remotely debatable.

Like for example, on my own team Bertuzzi only has 13 points, that's f***ing awful and he really hasn't been an impact player at all this season. I would not even try and argue against it, lol.

There is a f***ing dumb take if I ever saw one

 

[AvroArrow]

It has more to do with the fact your team is constructed like shit. Top heavy with horrible depth, bad defense with no #1 defenseman, and a couple fringe NHL goaltenders.

You wouldn't need elite production out of 4 players in the playoffs if the rest of the team was constructed like a true contender and not a total paper tiger.

Cool didn't realize this was a Leafs thread but keep trying to change the subject lol

 

[JianYang]

How low are the standards in Montreal that calling a guy who only has 12 points on the year "not good" is considered "troll"

Legitimate 4th line production out of a 1st overall pick in his 2nd year but keep coping lol. He may improve, actually I'd bet he improves no way he can get worse, but at this moment he really isn't good and I'm not sure how that's even remotely debatable.

Like for example, on my own team Bertuzzi only has 13 points, that's f***ing awful and he really hasn't been an impact player at all this season. I would not even try and argue against it, lol.

Well, I think most people would have agreed with you except he has looked better lately, and has pushed himself on to the top line which happens to be clicking with him.

Either way, asking if a current 19 year old is the worst draft pick ever is highly premature.

 

[ole ole]

Slafkovsky is 220 pounds he is not tall and lanky who needs year to fill into his frame. I simply disagree with your take as I know the environment that failed those rushed prospects in MTL is no longer present. Habs are comitted to the rebuild and Marty St-Louis has gotten a lot out of his youngsters. Slafkovsky got injured last year which can happen but has shown glimpses of his talent and now with time and confidence is actually producing at the expected rate.

6 ft 3 isn't short.

 

[Nothingbutglass]

Cool didn't realize this was a Leafs thread but keep trying to change the subject lol

You were the one that mentioned Bertuzzi and Leafs playoff failings. Do you even know what you post?

 

[Ignite111]

Laf is

 

[icerocket]

I think he might be the best under 20 player in the league right now.

 

[BLONG7]

Production is all that matters

Look at our several playoff losses, the reason why ? Lack of production from the stars

Production matters, pretending i doesn't is a joke lol. He's not some gritty 3rd line guy, he's the #1 pick.

Your team is poorly constructed..........that's why you get no where in the playoffs...............ONE playoff round win in what 20 years???

Leaf fans chirping in a habs thread...............what could go wrong eh.

 

[CauZuki]

6 ft 3 isn't short.

I didn't call him short , I said he is not tall and lanky like Kotkaniemi who wasn't filled out. He is tall and mostly filled out which is very impressive for his age.

 

[CanadienShark]

6 ft 3 isn't short.

I think they meant that he's already filled out, not just lanky for 6'3.

 

[brentashton]

Seems to have no particular talent, no skill, no speed, big with no big man qualities, doesn’t produce points, his shot is bad, his passing is average… Is he the worst first pick ever ?

Wow, pump the breaks. Yakupov, Greg Joly, so many have gone before him. He’s what 20? A lot of runway yet.

 

[QJL]

Lafreniere is on pace for a career high 45 points in his fourth full NHL season as #1ovr pick.

Will be interesting to see if Slaf is this bad too.

Make sure you compare correctly. Lafreniere has scored more goals at even strength than Zibanejad since entering the league. He has averaged 1:16/TOI on the PP in his career. Laf is actually a decent player. He is primarily deployed 5v5 and is a good player there. Haven’t seen anything from Slaf.

 

[I Hate Philadelphia]

Make sure you compare correctly. Lafreniere has scored more goals at even strength than Zibanejad since entering the league. He has averaged 1:16/TOI on the PP in his career. Laf is actually a decent player. He is primarily deployed 5v5 and is a good player there. Haven’t seen anything from Slaf.

His numbers are indicative a useful player taken in the 2nd / 3rd round, not a #1ovr pick.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Dude is 19, we have no idea what he is yet.

The most mysterious and unique prospect I've ever seen in a Montreal jersey.

His strength is unbelievable for his age, especially the way he plays recently.

 

[JTG]

For the large prospects, they are typically going from being the biggest/strongest kid in their junior league to being a teenager playing against grown men, and the difference in physical strength is pretty significant. What worked against the kids in junior for the big guys isn't necessarily going to work against even the smaller NHLers, because there's just not enough power behind it until they are generally in their early 20s.

Because of this, I'm not sure how playing in European leagues against lesser competition would really benefit him that much beyond just allowing him to physically mature outside of the NHL spotlight.

Because in Europe he'd be playing in a pro league...against men.

 

[AvroArrow]

Your team is poorly constructed..........that's why you get no where in the playoffs...............ONE playoff round win in what 20 years???

Leaf fans chirping in a habs thread...............what could go wrong eh.

Not chirping just stating facts, his point totals are horrendous by any standard. Considering he was a first overall pick, they look even worse and his team is still in the basement, now in year 2. Try sticking to the subject, if you want to talk about the Leafs playoffs feel free to bump any of the 1000 threads already made on it.