Player Discussion Juraj Slafkovsky discussion

[Heffyhoof]

I’m expecting a guy that’s the biggest player on the ice 95% of the time to not get pushed around

He hasn’t shown that so far

Yeah, he gets pushed around because he desperately has to take suicide passes or dig hard in the corners for his soft linemates. Evans will get a serious injury if he has to take over Slaf's role on the '1st' line.

All Slaf does is get pushed around, that's what I've read! Oh wait!? He's tied in 2nd overall for hits on the team with Anderson? Only 4 players have over 100 hits on the team and Slaf is one of them!? I don't even like Dach but even he has 97 hits. Suzuki/Caufield together don't even have as many hits as Dach yet both play more than anyone.

 

[ReHabs]

It seems slightly gross to cheer against a young talent, but considering how many 1000s of paragraphs you've typed against Slaf, I hope Sennecke is a worthless bust so you finally learn some measure of humility. Highly unlikely because even if Slaf does okay and Sennecke busts, you'll be posting the usual diarrhea.

Earlier you said you were laughing at “us”. This post doesn’t come across very humorously or well-spirited. Seems like you’re very mad actually. Mad and seething.

I never said Sennecke or even Demidov are certain successes — just like I also never said Slaf is a bust.

Slaf is having yet another bad season. Maybe he will refresh after the 4nations break. Hopefully he gets his head out of his ass.

And frankly, I never ever root against any player. Too old to care about that stuff. I tend to root against delusional, arrogant, and sometimes nasty fans. Fans who make illogical and irrational statements and demand everybody to share in the delusion or else they’re bad people.

All Slaf does is get pushed around, that's what I've read! Oh wait!? He's tied in 2nd overall for hits on the team with Anderson?

Both are worthless hitters. Try to understand this before reaching desperately for any argument.

There’s a reason why fans are frustrated with Slaf. He doesn’t play well!!

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Yeah, he gets pushed around because he desperately has to take suicide passes or dig hard in the corners for his soft linemates. Evans will get a serious injury if he has to take over Slaf's role on the '1st' line.

Not true

All Slaf does is get pushed around, that's what I've read! Oh wait!? He's tied in 2nd overall for hits on the team with Anderson? Only 4 players have over 100 hits on the team and Slaf is one of them!? I don't even like Dach but even he has 97 hits. Suzuki/Caufield together don't even have as many hits as Dach yet both play more than anyone.

Doesn’t matter

 

[cave troll]

All Slaf does is get pushed around, that's what I've read! Oh wait!? He's tied in 2nd overall for hits on the team with Anderson? Only 4 players have over 100 hits on the team and Slaf is one of them!? I don't even like Dach but even he has 97 hits. Suzuki/Caufield together don't even have as many hits as Dach yet both play more than anyone.

All his 100 hits combined used less force than the Gostisbehere's hit that levelled him.

 

[JianYang]

He’s already shown he can play physical. It’s a big part of why we drafted him. He’s got some size, he’s got some great, he’s got good skill and he has vision. Putting it all together will take time.

But if you’re expecting him to play a Tkachuk style of game you’ll be disappointed. I don’t think k he’s going to be a big mean power forward who gets into fights. But I do think he’ll win a lot of board battles and use his size to his advantage.

Yeah, there's different styles to being tough.

Slaf isn't going to go around starting fires, but he has already shown to be a disruptor on the forcheck. What I'd like to see him getter better is to use the size to hold on to the puck longer... kind of like how zubrus did.

He loves to dish the puck and getting those extra couple seconds to scan the ice could really help him find better consistency as a producer.

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

Can we stop with X player started with X many points Y games, he only exploded at X age ? We will always find someone who reached another level after X years in the league.


Look at Drouin, he had his best season at 28 years old, now he's close to a PPG after 24 games. Maybe we should never count someone out before 28 years old...


We can only wait and see, talk about his play from game to game and hope for the best. After all, the Kings and the Rangers are still waiting for Byfield and Lafrenière, we can give Slaf at least 2 more years.

 

[KevSkillz4]

When Slaf is on his game, he is a total beast. A player like the Tkachuk's. We all can expect a career like that from him. He have the ability to put impact like the Tkachuk's and that will be the best thing to happen for the rebuild.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

When Slaf is on his game, he is a total beast. A player like the Tkachuk's. We all can expect a career like that from him. He have the ability to put impact like the Tkachuk's and that will be the best thing to happen for the rebuild.

He’s not like the Tkachuks. But he’s got potential to be beastly.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Can we stop with X player started with X many points Y games, he only exploded at X age ? We will always find someone who reached another level after X years in the league.


Look at Drouin, he had his best season at 28 years old, now he's close to a PPG after 24 games. Maybe we should never count someone out before 28 years old...


We can only wait and see, talk about his play from game to game and hope for the best. After all, the Kings and the Rangers are still waiting for Byfield and Lafrenière, we can give Slaf at least 2 more years.

Always good to see how a player is tracking. But it’s also important to keep perspective. A lot of players don’t pop until 23.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

When Slaf is on his game, he is a total beast. A player like the Tkachuk's. We all can expect a career like that from him. He have the ability to put impact like the Tkachuk's and that will be the best thing to happen for the rebuild.

The Tkatchuk bros are all bark and bite. Slaf barely barks and barely bites.

 

[OldCraig71]

Keep him off the first line for at least the first 5 games after the break and let him play against weaker competition. They can move Heineman up and have Slaf play with Armia and Evans. We saw him change his style when demoted from the first line and he needs to show more of that.

 

[River Meadow]

Keep him off the first line for at least the first 5 games after the break and let him play against weaker competition. They can move Heineman up and have Slaf play with Armia and Evans. We saw him change his style when demoted from the first line and he needs to show more of that.

Agreed.

Imagine how much of a different player and style he would have had in terms of tenacity,etc. had he been placed in the AHL and had to pay his dues before being given a spot on the 1st line in the NHL.

 

[Rapala]

Keep him off the first line for at least the first 5 games after the break and let him play against weaker competition. They can move Heineman up and have Slaf play with Armia and Evans. We saw him change his style when demoted from the first line and he needs to show more of that.

Personally I would prefer he gives us a number of good games showing us the energy he displayed on that 4th line before we promote him again. I actually want to put Dach in the hot seat to see if he has anything at all for this team. I would also give him PP2 as a bonus for not working his ass off for a good part of his season.

 

[CHfan1]

Keep him off the first line for at least the first 5 games after the break and let him play against weaker competition. They can move Heineman up and have Slaf play with Armia and Evans. We saw him change his style when demoted from the first line and he needs to show more of that.

If Evans hasn’t been traded or signed by the time they play again I’d like to see him play with Caufield and Suzuki (especially if they are planning on trading him). This would, hopefully, show he can play up and down the lineup.

Then, as you said, play Slafkovsky lower in the lineup. I agree, I think he played well lower in the lineup last game and he needs to show more of that before moving back up.

 

[OneSharpMarble]

Does it ever work to draft a player hoping he becomes more physical or starts to use his size? It's like the meme of the guy saying flies must be stupid to fall into Venus fly traps but fans fall into this one each time. If a player isn't physical by the time they are drafted they ain't never gonna be physical!

 

[SlafySZN]

Does it ever work to draft a player hoping he becomes more physical or starts to use his size? It's like the meme of the guy saying flies must be stupid to fall into Venus fly traps but fans fall into this one each time. If a player isn't physical by the time they are drafted they ain't never gonna be physical!

Slaf is plenty physical.

There’s a difference in using your size to play your game and being a Tkachuk type. Every player with size doesn’t have to play like them.

 

[Guess]

The Tkatchuk bros are all bark and bite. Slaf barely barks and barely bites.

When Slaf is on, his compete level is comparable.

 

[Rapala]

When Slaf is on, his compete level is comparable.

It's clear to me he is still learning the checking side of the game. It's not inbred in him and it's easy to tell by some of the bad angles he takes and not finishing his check when he gets there a bit late...

When he is skating well and staying on his pins he's hard to handle. I'd like to see him win more battles on the fore-check coming away with the puck cleanly and more often along the boards. This is all stuff he can work on with Adam Nicholas. The other thing he needs to do more of is drag defenders out of position by driving the net more often without the puck he's got two line-mates who are poison in space.

 

[Tabarouette]

When Slaf is on, his compete level is comparable.

Bro what is this, the fanfic thread?

Mine are way too spicy to post

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

When Slaf is on, his compete level is comparable.

We're not talking about the same thing, but while we're at it, showing compete every once in awhile is NOT the same thing as having compete. The bros have been competitive from day one, day in and day out. Not Slaf. The unicorn fantasies seem less and less likely. Competition has adjusted from last season, to Slaf's limited bag of tricks. He needs to develop new tricks, new habits and I fear his vision is limited to accomplish this and will always be looking to others, teammates and coaches, to find out what he could do different, which is not a recipe for the unicorn fantasies to come to fruition.

 

[Habs]

When Slaf is on his game, he is a total beast. A player like the Tkachuk's. We all can expect a career like that from him. He have the ability to put impact like the Tkachuk's and that will be the best thing to happen for the rebuild.

he's not even close to any Tkachuk lol, never will be

 

[HabsForHire]

Agreed.

Imagine how much of a different player and style he would have had in terms of tenacity,etc. had he been placed in the AHL and had to pay his dues before being given a spot on the 1st line in the NHL.

rushed like KK and chucky. definition of insanity is doing the same over and over expecting different results. Demidov not being able to come over right away was a blessing. but the whole rushing our prospects should be a discussion for another day

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

rushed like KK and chucky. definition of insanity is doing the same over and over expecting different results.

That description works only if it's the same person commiting the actions. Hughes had nothing to do with KK and Galchenyuk. Habs are not a monolith.