Player Discussion Juraj Slafkovsky discussion

[Kennerback]

Zegras is miles ahead of Slaf in terms of offensive IQ, talent and skill,

However, Slaf is 3inches taller...

Talent and skill are a wash except for shooting which Slaf isn’t really into. I’ll give Zegras the IQ advantage on paper. The size and strength Slaf will have at Zegras’ age (23) will open up a bunch of doors that will never be available to Zegras and far outweigh his IQ advantage.

 

[Habs]

he certainly doesn't have any moves, decent shot when he uses it. Dude is starting to look like Sergio Momesso out there.

 

[River Meadow]

Talent and skill are a wash except for shooting which Slaf isn’t really into. I’ll give Zegras the IQ advantage on paper. The size and strength Slaf will have at Zegras’ age (23) will open up a bunch of doors that will never be available to Zegras and far outweigh his IQ advantage.

Talent and skill is not a wash for Zegras/Slaf, I would say.

Watch Zegras, he has much more offensive upside and skill than Slaf,

With that said, you're right that if Slaf uses his body correctly, he can ultimately be more effective than Zegras as a player, especially in the playoffs.

 

[Heffyhoof]

I would keep him off the first line after the break until he earns his way back.

Despite my obvious Slaf bias, I'd argue that no player deserves being forced to carry the Suzuki Caufield duo. Each their own a superb player but after multiple years it is painfully obvious that they have ~0% chemistry. I felt embarrassed having to watch Evans, properly our 4th line center, try his best to make what he could of lazy passes and the lack of corner/board play. Meanwhile the demoted guy and his line killed it.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Despite my obvious Slaf bias, I'd argue that no player deserves being forced to carry the Suzuki Caufield duo. Each their own a superb player but after multiple years it is painfully obvious that they have ~0% chemistry. I felt embarrassed having to watch Evans, properly our 4th line center, try his best to make what he could of lazy passes and the lack of corner/board play. Meanwhile the demoted guy and his line killed it.

Nah. Suzuki looks hurt right now though. He’s completely lost out there. Can’t even bring the puck into the offfensive zone now.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

I don’t think his contract is an anchor even if he barely gets better, which he will. Cap is going up enough and he should be at least a 2nd line LW

 

[Habs]

I don’t think his contract is an anchor even if he barely gets better, which he will. Cap is going up enough and he should be at least a 2nd line LW

Slaf is going to be a 2nd line C?

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Who cares if hes 6.4 dude plays like Caufield. Literally Latendresse but without a good wrist shot

 

[River Meadow]

Who cares if hes 6.4 dude plays like Caufield. Literally Latendresse but without a good wrist shot

Yeah but did you see him at the 2022 Olympics?

7 goals in 7 games, baby!

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Yeah but did you see him at the 2022 Olympics?

7 goals in 7 games, baby!

...and 50 points in his first full NHL season, last year, as a 20 year old...

 

[LaineBOOM]

...and 50 points in his first full NHL season, last year, as a 20 year old...

AND he was playing with MEN already as a 17-year-old in Finland.

 

[Scriptor]

Slapped-Silly is just not a very mean person -- And it shows in his play on the ice. The physicality you will get from him, IMO is puck possession, maybe, à la Armia, but not aggression and checking will be more as part of that puck possession than as an intimidation force.

Opponents will never fear Slafkovsky barrelling down on them. In his first season, when he placed an overly aggressive hit on a player and got suspended for it, he came back to play and was a complete lamb out on the ice.

Slafkovsky seems --as mentioned by another -- to be more in the mold of a Latendresse than a Lindros (pick your 'L').

I think he should perhaps be tried out at C with this season now having been charred to death wit the last two losses before the 4-Nations break.

Caufield - Tzatziki - Dach
Armia - Slapped-Silly - Laine
Newhook - Beck - Dvorak
Anderson - Evans - Gallagher

Armia and Slapped-Silly should give two forwards that can protect and keep the puck long enough to get it to an open Laine for a shot.

 

[HuGort]

AND he was playing with MEN already as a 17-year-old in Finland.

International play can fool people

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Yeah but did you see him at the 2022 Olympics?

7 goals in 7 games, baby!

Juramir Jagkovsky

The size and strength Slaf will have at Zegras’ age (23) will open up a bunch of doors that will never be available to Zegras and far outweigh his IQ advantage.

That theory seems less likely with every passing game. Size means nothing when you don't have the IQ to use it.

 

[CHwest]

Slapped-Silly is just not a very mean person -- And it shows in his play on the ice. The physicality you will get from him, IMO is puck possession, maybe, à la Armia, but not aggression and checking will be more as part of that puck possession than as an intimidation force.

Opponents will never fear Slafkovsky barrelling down on them. In his first season, when he placed an overly aggressive hit on a player and got suspended for it, he came back to play and was a complete lamb out on the ice.

Slafkovsky seems --as mentioned by another -- to be more in the mold of a Latendresse than a Lindros (pick your 'L').

I think he should perhaps be tried out at C with this season now having been charred to death wit the last two losses before the 4-Nations break.

Caufield - Tzatziki - Dach
Armia - Slapped-Silly - Laine
Newhook - Beck - Dvorak
Anderson - Evans - Gallagher

Armia and Slapped-Silly should give two forwards that can protect and keep the puck long enough to get it to an open Laine for a shot.

Honestly I was hoping for John Leclair. You are right he is to soft, he needs to build either a mean streak (can't see it) orrr a real hatred of loosing, which for me seems possible. Maybe if we start winning some of that will come. For right now he seems fully content with where he is at, I wish some of his teammates would take him to task about his attitude, but he seems to be to darn likeable.