Player Discussion Juraj Slafkovsky discussion

[ReHabs]

Slaf repeatedly calls his season a failure and an embarrassment but ReHabs is a bad guy for pushing back against the fan-driven narrative that everything is perfectly fine and tracking for lower PPG than last season is perfectly normal and there's nothing to say about it. At least the player himself isn't delusional.

Deebs, I wouldn't comment as much if I didn't think there's something to say. There's nothing much to say about Caufield, he kicks ass -- Slaf is more divisive, it's therefore more fun to talk about... well, until next season where his mega cap hit will mean he will attract a lot more criticism. If it's more of the same I wish good luck to all, it'll be a bloodbath in here and anywhere else where Habs fans crow.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Slaf repeatedly calls his season a failure and an embarrassment but ReHabs is a bad guy for pushing back against the fan-driven narrative that everything is perfectly fine and tracking for lower PPG than last season is perfectly normal and there's nothing to say about it. At least the player himself isn't delusional.

Your posts have been hyperbolic for three years.

 

[waitin425]

Slaf's description of his play should be taken at face value. That is how he feels about his play. The question and I think main difference between some posters views is whether he can and will get better (much better).

While Slaf's description aligns with most posters. I am willing to guess that where he is going in terms of talent does not align with several posters.

"See, see....even Slaf thinks he's playing like garbage"

That statement lacks the context of where he is going and agreement on that.

 

[ReHabs]

While Slaf's description aligns with most posters

Does it though? We have seen a lot more “it’s fine everything is fine be patient it’s fine this is development it isn’t linear it’s fine” than anything else. Meanwhile this isn’t the first time Slafkovsky says he is embarrassed by his season.

Slafkovsky is at odds with most of your observations and analysis of his performance all season long — the real question is how most of you will react to being proven wrong by the player himself.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Slaf's description of his play should be taken at face value. That is how he feels about his play. The question and I think main difference between some posters views is whether he can and will get better (much better).

While Slaf's description aligns with most posters. I am willing to guess that where he is going in terms of talent does not align with several posters.

"See, see....even Slaf thinks he's playing like garbage"

That statement lacks the context of where he is going and agreement on that.

A 50 point season isn’t garbage. But we know (and have seen) that he can play better. We also know he had an injury that he was playing through earlier this season.

I don’t know anyone who’s been really happy with him this season though. He set the bar a lot higher last year. Was really hoping for a step forward and that hasn’t happened.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Does it though? We have seen a lot more “it’s fine everything is fine be patient it’s fine this is development it isn’t linear it’s fine” than anything else. Meanwhile this isn’t the first time Slafkovsky says he is embarrassed by his season.

It doesn’t matter what he says. It matters how he plays. He looks very much like a 20 year old trying to find his game. Not all players develop at the same pace.

It’s likely he got an ass kicking by MSL over the break. We know he can play better, we’ve all seen it. If the break is what he needed to get his game going, great, but I still expect we’ll see ups and downs along the way.

Slafkovsky is at odds with most of your observations and analysis of his performance all season long — the real question is how most of you will react to being proven wrong by the player himself.

Neat trick. You’ve thrown doubt on this player for three years. Others have told you that 20 year old players can take a while to develop. You’ve used terms like ‘catastrophic mistake’ when talking about this guy. You’ve consistently tried to downplay the pick by comparison with other prospects who weren’t available to us in other drafts as well as fully matured players.

And now… if he breaks out. YOU were right all along? Awesome.

That is next level trolling and I commend you for it. Nice work.

 

[SlafySZN]

Delete

 

[waitin425]

Does it though? We have seen a lot more “it’s fine everything is fine be patient it’s fine this is development it isn’t linear it’s fine” than anything else. Meanwhile this isn’t the first time Slafkovsky says he is embarrassed by his season.

Slafkovsky is at odds with most of your observations and analysis of his performance all season long — the real question is how most of you will react to being proven wrong by the player himself.

Lots of "it's fines" in there. That is dressing it up a bit. I will admit that we have seen "a lot of be patient, development isn't linear" statements. I have made that statement several times and I suspect Slafkovsky wouldn't be at odds with where those who make that statement thinks he will arrive at. He believes in himself.

Where the divide happens is exactly in the be patient statement. One on hand you say...."see Slaf thinks he has sucked this year too" and yes we can agree on that. On the other hand is where the differences start. Many posters on here remained aligned with what we hope Slaf's think is (that he can and will do much better) while you take the divergent path at this point, arguing that we merely hope and that it is unlikely to happen based on 2.5 seasons thus far.

That is the crux of the argument.

Don't try and bolster your long standing disappointment in drafting Slaf and belief that he sucks with the simple fact that Slaf is currently not happy with his play.

 

[ReHabs]

That is the crux of the argument.

I wish it were, but you’re not correct about “the argument”.

It is important to reflect on why so many of you couldn’t admit to something as simple as a player having a bad season. It’s that simple, it’s been that simple all along.

I got it wrong about his development — he didn’t need to develop elsewhere. I’ve not made any comments about the mis-development of him or other prospects *because* I’ve learned that I don’t know better and the way I analyzed it was wrong. I got it wrong, I adjusted, I move forward. You won’t see me make the same argument about another young player’s development.

We watch practically every game — why was it so hard (or impossible) for so many of you to see what so many others plainly saw? Reflecting on that should help…

That is, unless you didn’t actually think he was fine and everything was fine, but just didn’t want to admit it or concede the simple point because it would require telling an uncomfortable truth.

The crux of the argument is simply that we won’t fall for the emperor’s new clothes routine. Lying, as it were.

If a player is doing well, we can say he’s doing well. If he’s not, well, he’s not doing well. Slaf is embarrassed by his season and I’m embarrassed by Habs fans who refused to admit he’s having a bad season.

 

[JIMVINNY]

I wish it were, but you’re not correct about “the argument”.

It is important to reflect on why so many of you couldn’t admit to something as simple as a player having a bad season. It’s that simple, it’s been that simple all along.

I got it wrong about his development — he didn’t need to develop elsewhere. I’ve not made any comments about the mis-development of him or other prospects *because* I’ve learned that I don’t know better and the way I analyzed it was wrong. I got it wrong, I adjusted, I move forward. You won’t see me make the same argument about another young player’s development.

We watch practically every game — why was it so hard (or impossible) for so many of you to see what so many others plainly saw? Reflecting on that should help…

That is, unless you didn’t actually think he was fine and everything was fine, but just didn’t want to admit it or concede the simple point because it would require telling an uncomfortable truth.

The crux of the argument is simply that we won’t fall for the emperor’s new clothes routine. Lying, as it were.

If a player is doing well, we can say he’s doing well. If he’s not, well, he’s not doing well. Slaf is embarrassed by his season and I’m embarrassed by Habs fans who refused to admit he’s having a bad season.

Total strawman. Most of us have no problem admitting he's not playing at the level we hoped, but we think that this is part of a process that will end with him being a very good player for a long time. There's huge gap between Sunshine and Rainbows (basically no one) & Doom and Gloom (you). That huge gap is where the "he's not been great, but he's young and he'll get there" group of us reside.

I get it though. When you're at one extreme of the spectrum, it probably feels like everyone else is disagreeing with you. And in truth, they are. Not with everything you say, just the "abandon ship" part of your argument.

 

[Jeune Poulet]

I got it wrong about his development — he didn’t need to develop elsewhere.

Oh yes he did! Kinda sad that you got bullied into changing your mind on this one.

We've completely messed up the development of one of our top prospect and set him back in his development. This also created unnecessary contractual difficulties, as Slafkovsky shouldn't even be in the last year of his ELC. Nor should he already bee extended to a gross contract he has not earned.

And in the process, we've probably shaved off a good 15 points off his points-per-season upside.

Thanks Gorton and MSL! Great moves there!

 

[ReHabs]

Oh yes he did! Kinda sad that you got bullied into changing your mind on this one.

We've completely messed up the development of one of our top prospect and set him back in his development. This also created unnecessary contractual difficulties, as Slafkovsky shouldn't even be in the last year of his ELC. Nor should he already bee extended to a gross contract he has not earned.

And in the process, we've probably shaved off a good 15 points off his points-per-season upside.

Thanks Gorton and MSL! Great moves there!

The ELC, UFA age, and contract stuff is different — and all worthy of criticism. He shouldn’t be on his last ELC year, that’s for sure.

But I was wrong about insisting he would develop badly in the NHL. Other than his knee injury, there is no evidence that he’s been harmed by being placed in the NHL. I was insisting on that and I can’t back it up. His big hot streak last year showed a player who could play in the NHL, I was more or less arguing that he wouldn’t be able to… totally wrong. He even stopped eating hits… as often.

Total strawman. Most of us have no problem admitting he's not playing at the level we hoped, but we think that this is part of a process that will end with him being a very good player for a long time. There's huge gap between Sunshine and Rainbows (basically no one) & Doom and Gloom (you). That huge gap is where the "he's not been great, but he's young and he'll get there" group of us reside.

I get it though. When you're at one extreme of the spectrum, it probably feels like everyone else is disagreeing with you. And in truth, they are. Not with everything you say, just the "abandon ship" part of your argument.

“Total strawman” then makes an explicit strawman. Not sure if this is a joke.

 

[JIMVINNY]

The ELC, UFA age, and contract stuff is different — and all worthy of criticism. He shouldn’t be on his last ELC year, that’s for sure.

But I was wrong about insisting he would develop badly in the NHL. Other than his knee injury, there is no evidence that he’s been harmed by being placed in the NHL. I was insisting on that and I can’t back it up. His big hot streak last year showed a player who could play in the NHL, I was more or less arguing that he wouldn’t be able to… totally wrong. He even stopped eating hits… as often.


“Total strawman” then makes an explicit strawman. Not sure if this is a joke.

Well yes, it kinda was. I was intentionally exaggerating your position so that I could then "graciously" pretend to understand why you seem to feel so attacked by everyone.

 

[ahmedou]