Player Discussion Juraj Slafkovsky discussion

[OldCraig71]

I agree with the angry/aggressive/more-dog comments. Slafkovsky has it in him. He just needs to pull a Bruce Banner and let his Hulkovsky emerge.

I keep thinking of that game against the Rangers. New York was playing dirty, getting away with obvious penalties, and Slafkovsky got angry. It was a beautiful thing. He was physically dominant, much stronger on the puck, scored a goal. There's a lot of runway left for this kid to learn how to channel that kind of focus without giving himself an ulcer.

I am serious when I say that when I first read this I saw "He just needs to pull a Bruce Jenner".

 

[salbutera]

LeClair was always a crash and bang player but Savard foolishly insisted on moving him to center and removing him from the board play that he was so dominant at. The following trade was a brain dead move just like the Chelios trade.

He wasn’t which was Savard’s main beef, Habs wanted LeClair to play like Neely… that just wasn’t in his DNA. With Philly Lindros played that style on the line, LeClair simply used his body to drive to the net

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

He wasn’t which was Savard’s main beef, Habs wanted LeClair to play like Neely… that just wasn’t in his DNA. With Philly Lindros played that style on the line, LeClair simply used his body to drive to the net

That just isn't true, When Leclair initially came up he was a winger who played a heavy game and dominated on the boards and Savard wanted the next Beliveau and moved him to center where he was in the middle of the ice. I was absolutely pissed as he clearly should have stayed on the wing which is exactly where Philly put him as soon as the acquired him.

He was never mean like Neely but to say that Leclair was not an absolute monster on the boards is egregiously wrong. He was a great forechecker who got on dmen with his high end speed and they invariably would cough up the puck as they would get plastered if they didn't. As he got older and his injury woes began to mount he certainly became less physical but to claim that it was not in his DNA is just false.

 

[ReHabs]

Slafkovsky (1OA) has now been lapped in points this season by Logan Cooley (2OA) and Shane Wright (4OA) and Lane Hutson (62OA).

He’s still 1st in standing of 2022 draftees career points with 90pts to Cooley’s 87pts albeit Slaf has played 42 more games than Cooley and 116 more games than Hutson who is 3rd place with 43pts.

In terms of career PPG Slaf is holding 4th but practically tied with Shane Wright who is 3rd by a hair. Cooley being the most productive forward and Hutson the most productive dman and most productive player overall, so far.

Development isn’t linear, as we often hear, so it’s worth asking if Slaf is passing the eye test and playing as the team intend .

With his recent demotion to a checking line, he played with more energy and directness but unlike Logan Cooley and Lane Hutson he is a long way from driving the play from a top line/pairing against top opposition.