Is Slafkovsky the worst #1 pick ever ?

[Cardiac Jerks]

Canes patiently awaiting the opportunity to offersheet him and then save his development

 

[HockeyVirus]

Odd time for the thread I thought he looked really good last night despite note scoring.

OP says he has no speed.. Doesn't match my eye test.

 

[MakoSlade]

Basement teams are bad at developing players. Largely, because they rush players onto the ice for monetary reasons.

Not sure about that. I hear Lafrenière is a byproduct of the Rangers being too good a team to develop top end talent. Something about not "spoon feeding power play minutes" or something like that.

Not saying players aren't rushed though...we do see that often. But basement or not, some teams draft and/or develop players well, some don't.

 

[Essenege]

This is a terrible take. Slaf is very noticeably improved from last year. Therme was always going to be an adaptation time. Exceptional players aside, it’s always that way, coming from Europe even more.

 

[Indrid Cold]

Dude will be fine. He might be one of those players that gets unlocked after being moved to a new team.

 

[Channelcat]

It's a shame that we don't develop #1picks. They should be treated like every other player.

 

[TGWL]

19 years old. Hasn't played 80 games in the league yet. Before it, one tournament on North American ice.

He made a number of good plays against the Sabres last night that didn't end up in points. He's reading the game a lot better and a lot faster than he did at any point last year. His work to keep the puck in, and move it to Newhook, led to the game winning power play goal last night.

It took Joe Thornton conservatively 3 years to establish himself. His first two years were deemed poor enough that it basically soured his entire tenure in Boston. It can, and does, take big guys longer to put it together. I'm not saying he's going to have peak Thornton production. Merely that it's way, way, too soon.

Joe Thornton was a good player in his second year, even putting up 22 points in his final 31 games and close to a ppg in the playoffs. He was a bit of a partier. His first season, they played him less than most teams play their 4th line players. He jumped like 6 minutes more per night average through those first 3 years. I guess the points weren't all there in the second second season, only reaching 40ish, but he was a good player.

 

[Bileur]

Not even close.

I was worried about him going to MTL. Fans are too impatient there. He’s definitely not a McDavid/Crosby/Bedard instant impact guy. Few are. He’s got a great toolbox and needs time to learn how to use it.

It’s been said 1,000,000 times but I guess it bears repeating.

1) All players develop at their own pace
2) Development isn’t linear.
3) Powerforwards/large players take longer to develop.

 

[Jee]

how 'bout you take a chill pill?

 

[ViD]

Yakupov?

Elite celebrations

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I'll never understand what people saw in this guy to pick him over Cooley. I had him 6th in my final rankings. A promising prospect but the definition of a project.

 

[LuGBuG]

This thread is worse compared to other threads then Slaf is as 1st overall compared to other first overalls.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

Yak put up some points in his first few years before completely cratering.

Probably an indicator that we shouldn't judge guys too early, no?

 

[scoopscj]

He's played 44 career games.

44.

Give him a little bit of time before labeling him.

As a Devil's fan I would hear.. "Nico's a bust... Jack's a bust"... etc. These kids take time. Now it's "Holtz is a bust."

My goodness remember when some prospects played into their early 20's in the AHL before being placed on an NHL roster?

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

Jiricek and Cooley might end up the better players but Slafkovsky is improving and will become a good player for us i actually think that he played good yesterday

and Slafkovsky is 19 and has like 40 NHL games lets relax...

 

[admiralcadillac]

I would certainly say he isn’t living up to 1st overall expectations but I would more certainly say it isn’t fair to call a player a bust who is 19 years old. Give him at least 2-3 more seasons and then we can assess him better

What are 1st overall expectations for 19 year olds?

 

[Frank Drebin]

I'm no scout, but I just can't see what the fuss is with him. Tuned in for 10 minutes yesterday and he went offside as if he didn't remember what the rule was

 

[cvaicunas]

Is this the worst thread ever? If you look back the last 25 years, you'll find more worse #1 picks.

The week is young, it may not even end up being the worst of this week.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

I'm no scout, but I just can't see what the fuss is with him. Tuned in for 10 minutes yesterday and he went offside as if he didn't remember what the rule was

this says everything....

Slaf had a good game yesterday

 

[Voight]

Played 7 good games in the Olympics and got overrated

& those were against sub par competition.

Habs rushed Slafkovsky for some dumb reason. He shouldn't of been in the NHL last year but they fell for shiny new toy syndrome.

 

[WreckingCrew]

Canes will take him off your hands for a 1st & a 3rd

 

[LeProspector]

He’s not going to be the worst. But he is one of the weakest in memory.

 

[jfhabs]

Odd time for the thread I thought he looked really good last night despite note scoring.

OP says he has no speed.. Doesn't match my eye test.

OP is just trolling or didn't watch him play this year.
Even tho he hasn't scored yet, he's been a very good playmaker and defensive player this year.
Points will come, but I don't think he'll be putting up 50+ this year.
That will probably be next year at 20yo...

 

[Gliff]

Jeff Gorton Top 10 picks:

JURAJ SLAFKOVSKY​

ALEXIS LAFRENIÈRE​

KAAPO KAKKO​

DAVID REINBACHER​

LIAS ANDERSSON​

VITALI KRAVTSOV​

Yikes.

Looks fine to me for a 19 year old who missed half his rookie season. Not exactly a star but the draft was not good at all in 2022.

I'm not writing him off at all, but don't write off a whole draft as bad because your team might have made a bad pick at 1.

I wouldn't trade Mintyukov for Slafkovsky and I'm sure half the teams in the top 10 feel the same.

 

[Albatros]

& those were against sub par competition.

Two goals against Finland, one each against Sweden and the United States. At 17 against seasoned pros.