Player Discussion Juraj Slafkovsky Discussion

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Even when he comes out pretty favourable stat wise with superstars at his current stage, I wonder how many were playing meaningful games on a dominant first line.
While also bringing the other elements that he does (defense, board work, etc.)

I still think there’s a possibility he could end up the best player on the team in his prime as crazy as that sounds. Not a guarantee of course. But I think he still has the most room to improve of anyone.

People always say we overrate our prospects and I think that WAS true but we’ve since overcorrected with now underrating them. Suzuki, Caufield and Hutson were all vastly underrated by this board. I can only see that trend continuing with this kid. All three of these forwards could end up cracking 100 pts in a year individually and I wouldn’t be that surprised.

I think we’re gonna be a powerhouse of a team sooner than later. We’re just getting started.

 

[ahmedou]

It's been a while since I didn't hear Cooley's name. It's been forever since I didn't hear Wright's name.

I'm hearing Slaf's name everytime and everywhere!

 

[ahmedou]

SLAFDEMI

 

[Skip Bayless]

 

[Mrb1p]

Slaf is dumb as rocks with the puck but Ive noticed hes getting much better at the defensive side of the game, hes very often playing the man to man perfectly but then he stops and thinks and loses his man, which I again, attribute to his subpar IQ.

Been a pretty good pick pocket/lane taker though, i think he would benefit from being used on the PK.

Hes basically a deluxe version of Armia, with a bit less skills but more consistency. I can get behind that player, he just needs to be off the first line and first PP, and if he magically grows a brain, he can comeback and Ill love him even more.

PutPlayersInTheirRightSeat

 

[Shutdown]

Slaf is dumb as rocks with the puck but Ive noticed hes getting much better at the defensive side of the game, hes very often playing the man to man perfectly but then he stops and thinks and loses his man, which I again, attribute to his subpar IQ.

Been a pretty good pick pocket/lane taker though, i think he would benefit from being used on the PK.

Hes basically a deluxe version of Armia, with a bit less skills but more consistency. I can get behind that player, he just needs to be off the first line and first PP, and if he magically grows a brain, he can comeback and Ill love him even more.

PutPlayersInTheirRightSeat

in november 2023 i said i could see him being on the PK by around this time - hasn't happened yet - but maybe next season with Armia gone. i agree he should be off PP1, so the PK is where he'll get his missing icetime.

don't know why you'd take him off the first line though - 5v5 isn't the powerplay. it's ok to try to balance out your lines.

 

[Mrb1p]

in november 2023 i said i could see him being on the PK by around this time - hasn't happened yet - but maybe next season with Armia gone. i agree he should be off PP1, so the PK is where he'll get his missing icetime.

don't know why you'd take him off the first line though - 5v5 isn't the powerplay. it's ok to try to balance out your lines.

Right now we have no one to replace him of course, and I can see him being a matchup player with Suzuki, but hes not a top liner, so that bugs me.

 

[Kennerback]

Slaf is dumb as rocks with the puck but Ive noticed hes getting much better at the defensive side of the game, hes very often playing the man to man perfectly but then he stops and thinks and loses his man, which I again, attribute to his subpar IQ.

Been a pretty good pick pocket/lane taker though, i think he would benefit from being used on the PK.

Hes basically a deluxe version of Armia, with a bit less skills but more consistency. I can get behind that player, he just needs to be off the first line and first PP, and if he magically grows a brain, he can comeback and Ill love him even more.

PutPlayersInTheirRightSeat

For star smarts and skills, we have Demidov, Hutson and Suzuki. For goals we have Caufield and Laine. Slafkovsky is not redundant. He's something completely different and will help the team because of it. Skill and just skill has been proven ineffecient in winning Cups.

 

[Mrb1p]

For star smarts and skills, we have Demidov, Hutson and Suzuki. For goals we have Caufield and Laine. Slafkovsky is not redundant. He's something completely different and will help the team because of it. Skill and just skill has been proven ineffecient in winning Cups.

Im still not sure what Slaf brings as a player besides volumetric air displacement.

 

[Kennerback]

Im still not sure what Slaf brings as a player besides volumetric air displacement.

He's a Power Forward in the broad sense of the word. All PF are a bit different from each other. How exactly he'll end up looking in the end, IDK. But he'll be able to do things offensively other players on the team can't do by virtue of being so big and strong.

Guaranteed some time in the future teams will be jealous that we have him. He's the typle of player that one day (in weeks, months, one or two seaons) we wake up and he's suddenly an absolute bulldozer.

 

[LaP]

Right now we have no one to replace him of course, and I can see him being a matchup player with Suzuki, but hes not a top liner, so that bugs me.

Ideally you want to spread your talent at 5v5. Yzeman was not playing with Fedorov outside the PP. Forsberg was not playing with Sakic outside the PP. Crosby was not playing with Malkin outside the PP. Caps started to be succesful in playoffs once they were able to split Backstrom and Ovy after Kuz graduated. There's exception obviously but more often than not it's better to spread fo talent at 5v5.

Ideally you want to use guys who can bring something else than offense on your first line when you spread your talent. Slaf check that box for sure. Caufield-Suzuki-Slaf is one of the most productive 5v5 line in hockey since the half season mark. Ideally we want to add skills to the 2nd line to make it more threatening.

 

[KevSkillz4]

He's a Power Forward in the broad sense of the word. All PF are a bit different from each other. How exactly he'll end up looking in the end, IDK. But he'll be able to do things offensively other players on the team can't do by virtue of being so big and strong.

Guaranteed some time in the future teams will be jealous that we have him. He's the typle of player that one day (in weeks, months, one or two seaons) we wake up and he's suddenly an absolute bulldozer.

Also, Slaf have great playmaking ability and great shot aswell. Great hands.

He have the talent to put great numbers in this league. Some people underrated his hockey IQ, he make great simple play with great forecheck, great pass in all areas of the ice.

He is build to be a playoff beast aswell!

 

[Rapala]

Move your feet big boy everything will work out just fine.

 

[Mrb1p]

Ideally you want to spread your talent at 5v5. Yzeman was not playing with Fedorov outside the PP. Forsberg was not playing with Sakic outside the PP. Crosby was not playing with Malkin outside the PP. Caps started to be succesful in playoffs once they were able to split Backstrom and Ovy after Kuz graduated. There's exception obviously but more often than not it's better to spread fo talent at 5v5.

Ideally you want to use guys who can bring something else than offense on your first line when you spread your talent. Slaf check that box for sure. Caufield-Suzuki-Slaf is one of the most productive 5v5 line in hockey since the half season mark. Ideally we want to add skills to the 2nd line to make it more threatening.

You listed 6 centers, of course they didnt play together. All these players still had legit top liners on their lines.

 

[Mrb1p]

He's a Power Forward in the broad sense of the word. All PF are a bit different from each other. How exactly he'll end up looking in the end, IDK. But he'll be able to do things offensively other players on the team can't do by virtue of being so big and strong.

Guaranteed some time in the future teams will be jealous that we have him. He's the typle of player that one day (in weeks, months, one or two seaons) we wake up and he's suddenly an absolute bulldozer.

I hope its true, but most players you see their strength right away. Slaf doesnt have that ever since hes been in the NHL.

I wish they let him simmer a year in liiga man...

 

[LaP]

You listed 6 centers, of course they didnt play together. All these players still had legit top liners on their lines.

The reason they did not play together did not matter much. It was better for their team that they did not play together. It made their 2nd line lot more dangerous and it makes the first line harder to counter. Can't have just one line in playoffs. The PP is where you put all your eggs in the same basket with wingers playing "defense" and centers playing wingers.

 

[OldCraig71]

Slaf needs to improve his shot release and keep his feet moving and then he will take the next step as a player. He has improved defensively and is a very good passer.

He is probably relieved to have Demidov joining the team because it takes some of the focus off of him.

 

[Kennerback]

I hope its true, but most players you see their strength right away. Slaf doesnt have that ever since hes been in the NHL.

I wish they let him simmer a year in liiga man...

I see Slaf's strength right away. Plus he's huge, you can't teach 250 pounds. But I can't tell you how many time I've seen this type of player suddenly just killing it from one day to the next. I've come to have a bit of a feel for it. One day the player is average. The next day, he's the one player in the NHL I want on my team.

It's happened a bunch of times. For example, Bertuzzi, Johan Franzen, Lucic... I remember in all these cases, I was WTF just happened to this player... It's very different from a pure skill player.

 

[Heffyhoof]

It was accepted wisdom that those 2 were orders of magnitude better than Slaf. They very well could end up better but the gap is certainly not what people were projecting.

Both are pacing for around 50 points in their D+2. It didn't take Carlsson and Fantilli barely matching Slaf's D+2 for me to not take posters who are 'prospect experts' seriously, but it's a helpful reminder.

 

[Skip Bayless]

I see Slaf's strength right away. Plus he's huge, you can't teach 250 pounds. But I can't tell you how many time I've seen this type of player suddenly just killing it from one day to the next. I've come to have a bit of a feel for it. One day the player is average. The next day, he's the one player in the NHL I want on my team.

It's happened a bunch of times. For example, Bertuzzi, Johan Franzen, Lucic... I remember in all these cases, I was WTF just happened to this player... It's very different from a pure skill player.

Yup, big guys like Slaf just suddenly start dominating. And I'm pretty sure he will get there. His baseline is higher than most of what those big fellas started with.

People are traumatized because of guys like McCarron and Kotkaniemi, but you need to understand that those guys are AHL tier talent.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Both are pacing for around 50 points in their D+2. It didn't take Carlsson and Fantilli barely matching Slaf's D+2 for me to not take posters who are 'prospect experts' seriously, but it's a helpful reminder.

At this moment, Slaf show more potential in NHL level than Carlsson and Fantilli. Some people still complain. That's crazy lol!

 

[Junohockeyfan]

I see Slaf's strength right away. Plus he's huge, you can't teach 250 pounds. But I can't tell you how many time I've seen this type of player suddenly just killing it from one day to the next. I've come to have a bit of a feel for it. One day the player is average. The next day, he's the one player in the NHL I want on my team.

It's happened a bunch of times. For example, Bertuzzi, Johan Franzen, Lucic... I remember in all these cases, I was WTF just happened to this player... It's very different from a pure skill player.

Bigger players take time. Takes time to get coordination in particular. When i saw Slaf play in the World Championships, he blew me away. A mix of size, speed, good shot and strength. Then he gains a lot of weight (albeit muscle) and enters the NHL slow, uncoordinated and lacks awareness of his surroundings.

He's slowly catching up in terms of physical development. He doesn't look as unbalanced. Next step is to gain confidence that he can drive play and do what he wants out there. It will come.

 

[habbubba]

I see Slaf's strength right away. Plus he's huge, you can't teach 250 pounds. But I can't tell you how many time I've seen this type of player suddenly just killing it from one day to the next. I've come to have a bit of a feel for it. One day the player is average. The next day, he's the one player in the NHL I want on my team.

It's happened a bunch of times. For example, Bertuzzi, Johan Franzen, Lucic... I remember in all these cases, I was WTF just happened to this player... It's very different from a pure skill player.

Really? since when. Heard he was 220

 

[Kennerback]

Really? since when. Heard he was 220

He was 237 at 18. There are stories they made him slim down. But at 25, he'll be 250 for sure. At that age they won't be able to keep his weight anywhere close to 225. Possibly even more than 250 then. Sundin played at 260 and he was drafted at 190.

 

[habbubba]

He was 237 at 18. There are stories they made him slim down. But at 25, he'll be 250 for sure. At that age they won't be able to keep his weight anywhere close to 225. Possibly more that 250. Sundin played at 260 and he was drafted at 190.

You do know that heights and weights are very often fudged right. There is no reason for him at his height to become 250 unless he's putting on a boatload of muscle that he doesn't need for the game today and that at that weight it most likely will hinder his skating ability and he needs to work on that and other things