Player Discussion Juraj Slafkovsky discussion

[CHwest]

I never heard the reports of him partying it up before, but if true, it would explain a lot. The end of last year he was looking like he would develop into that beast we all hoped for. Not many signs of that player this year.

I’m not proclaiming he’s done or can’t improve, but I’m not going to pretend this season has been a positive outcobe for Slaf. He looks like a passenger on his line 90% of the games this year.

Definitely a passenger, he was drafted to be a difference maker, even if the points are not coming throw your body around and control the boards, pretend you care.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I haven't changed my mind and doubt I ever will

Going Slaf over Cooley was ridiculous and not just from a BPA POV but also a need POV

We've been starving for top centers yet drafted the project at the wing, the giant winger, the type of player that rarely hits.

Taking Slaf and Reinbacher hurts, we're lucky we landed Demidov and a guy like Hutson but imagine this top 6

Caufield Suzuki Demidov
Leonard Cooley Dach

Next year would have been a blast

Cooley was camera shy on draft weekend. I understand why they didn't pick him. Scared he would get eaten alive in the spotlight.

 

[cave troll]

Wait, you really think that CC+ Slaf + Demidov+ Suzuki + Guhle + Hutson is the core that will give us Stanley Cup in the future? We need superior players in our roster to do that.

 

[ReHabs]

Wait, you really think that CC+ Slaf + Demidov+ Suzuki + Guhle + Hutson is the core that will give us Stanley Cup in the future? We need superior players in our roster to do that.

You guys forgot Dach and Newhook

 

[Toene]

Wait, you really think that CC+ Slaf + Demidov+ Suzuki + Guhle + Hutson is the core that will give us Stanley Cup in the future? We need superior players in our roster to do that.

Why not? It's a pretty good crop of young players.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Cooley was camera shy on draft weekend. I understand why they didn't pick him. Scared he would get eaten alive in the spotlight.

Reinbacher was much more shy and goofy

 

[Pat Riot]

Yep...not a single attemp this season with the one timer on the pp....unreal.

I would like to know exactly what was his Summer training last Summer... I don't know but he had 5 months to improve or working on his strength technique etc....

Not a single attempt is wild. You would expect a player his size to at least have a decent shot. He has a lot of hits in his stats this season but I dont see a lot of crushing hits. Very underwhelming this season. His salary could become a problem next season if he doesnt find another level in his game. Not only for the cap management but for how the other players feel about their own salary

 

[DAChampion]

Hughes said in an interview that part of the reason they rushed Slaf to the NHL was that they didn't want him to be overly reliant on his size, which he would be in lower leagues like LIIGA or AHL.

But then Hughes apparently also said that they don't want Slaf playing like Patrick Hughes, they want him to use his body and his power more.

To me that doesn't add up.

 

[austin316]

Sure appears he’s going the same way as Galchenyuk and KK.

 

[Ozmodiar]

Slaf hes the only forward with a left hand shot on the PP unit. How come he never get the chance to shoot the puck? He should be able to find some space.

4th best shooting option amongst the forwards, and plays down low.

 

[Jabba11]

Sure appears he’s going the same way as Galchenyuk and KK.

It's very worrisome

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Sure appears he’s going the same way as Galchenyuk and KK.

But at least he's handsome

 

[Pat Riot]

4th best shooting option amongst the forwards, and plays down low.

but the only left hand shooting option

 

[DAChampion]

Sure appears he’s going the same way as Galchenyuk and KK.

It was flabbergasting to see this team make the same mistake of rushing a forward prospect to the NHL.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

It was flabbergasting to see this team make the same mistake of rushing a forward prospect to the NHL.

There was insane justifications here at the time that they weren't "rushing him" and that they were
"developing him in the NHL".

That MSL was so good at his job that he could teach Slaf more than he could learn anywhere else

 

[Pat Riot]

Hughes said in an interview that part of the reason they rushed Slaf to the NHL was that they didn't want him to be overly reliant on his size, which he would be in lower leagues like LIIGA or AHL.

But then Hughes apparently also said that they don't want Slaf playing like Patrick Hughes, they want him to use his body and his power more.

To me that doesn't add up.

I dont think Slaf would have outmuscled the competition in the AHL.

 

[Jabba11]

At what age is it okay to consider him a bust?

Because right now, it seems like his ceiling is a 2nd line powerforward with 55-65pts max.

 

[Nicko999]

Why not? It's a pretty good crop of young players.

There is not a single PPG guy in there.
Demidov might be but he is a question mark still.
Suzuki ideally is a 2C. If he is a 1C, you better have a deep team.
Caufield has never scored 30 goals in a season yet.
Ghule is not a #1D and injury prone.
Slaf is a 50 pts forward, 2nd line forward.
Hutson is very promising, I agree.

 

[Victoire HuGo]

At what age is it okay to consider him a bust?

Because right now, it seems like his ceiling is a 2nd line powerforward with 55-65pts max.

If Caufield is a 70-75 points guy, Suzuki 75-80, Demidov a 70 pts guy, Hutson a 65 pts D and Slafkovsky a 60 pts winger with size, is the sky really falling?

 

[ReHabs]

There was insane justifications here at the time that they weren't "rushing him" and that they were
"developing him in the NHL".

That MSL was so good at his job that he could teach Slaf more than he could learn anywhere else

"The best place to learn to play in the NHL is the NHL"

Anyway I accepted the L on the development war of 2022-2024 because Slaf did look like he was as good as anyone would expect in the second half of last year. So I'm not picking that fight again.

I think it wasn't his development that went sideways, it was him as a prospect. You can't hammer steel into gold.

At what age is it okay to consider him a bust?

Because right now, it seems like his ceiling is a 2nd line powerforward with 55-65pts max.

He's obviously not a bust. And if pushed his biggest backers will claim a 55-65pt winger is actually perfectly fine and right.

 

[Victoire HuGo]

Reminder Blake Wheeler, a player with very similar tools only hit 64 pts in his D+8 season. Wasn't in the NHL until his D+5. So how about people take a chill pill.

"The best place to learn to play in the NHL is the NHL"

Anyway I accepted the L on the development war of 2022-2024 because Slaf did look like he was as good as anyone would expect in the second half of last year. So I'm not picking that fight again.

I think it wasn't his development that went sideways, it was him as a prospect. You can't hammer steel into gold.


He's obviously not a bust. And if pushed his biggest backers will claim a 55-65pt winger is actually perfectly fine and right.

So if as a 60 pt player his whole career and ends up top 3 of his draft year, the dude is clearly a bust? Please explain the mental gymnastics. I didn't know Slaf was considered a generational talent

 

[ReHabs]

Reminder Blake Wheeler, a player with very similar tools only hit 64 pts in his D+8 season. Wasn't in the NHL until his D+5. So how about people take a chill pill.

On his third team.

Not sure what you're getting at but you haven't thought this through. A player that takes 8 years to hit 64 points is a disappointment.

So if as a 60 pt player his whole career and ends up top 3 of his draft year, the dude is clearly a bust? Please explain the mental gymnastics. I didn't know Slaf was considered a generational talent

I just said he's not a bust, try to read in full before firing off a reply.

 

[Victoire HuGo]

On his third team.

Not sure what you're getting at but you haven't thought this through. A player that takes 8 years to hit 64 points is a disappointment.


I just said he's not a bust, try to read in full before firing off a reply.

Your reply sounded like sarcasm and with your stance hard to know when you're being serious or not.

Concerning Wheeler, so if the player is among the elite in his late 20s/early 30s, it's still a mistake?

And yes it was his 3rd team on a technicality but doesn't that prove my argument over being patient?

 

[ReHabs]

Your reply sounded like sarcasm and with your stance hard to know when you're being serious or not.

Slaf is not a bust.

Concerning Wheeler, so if the player is among the elite in his late 20s/early 30s, it's still a mistake?

Of course it's a mistake -- you draft players so they contribute as soon as possible, not 8 years and many managers/coaches/TEAMS later.

And yes it was his 3rd team on a technicality but doesn't that prove my argument over being patient?

The 'technicality' that completely dismantles your point? Yes, it is a relevant detail. A player who takes too long to get going is not a very interesting player for the team that picked him up.

Time is a valuable resource and teams have compete windows linked to the peaks and performances of their best players -- a player drafted FIRST OVERALL who doesn't get going until he's in his late 20s and a UFA is not relevant to the compete window in which he was drafted.

Hughes did not draft Slafkovsky so Slaf could contribute to the team the next Habs GM assembles.

 

[habdynasty]

Jake debrusk isn’t the only nhl player that has a stalker.