Oh look a 20 year old playing in his 3rd year, who is a prototypical power forward needs time to develop.
Player Discussion Juraj Slafkovsky Discussion
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41 pts now with 16 games left. Last year he had 50 points. He is on pace to beat last years total. Could possibly get to 55 pts.
If he gets into the mid 50's especially after the back half of the season with all those hits and playing like we know he can. Will the haters still doubt him? What does he need to do to fully arrive in their minds?
If he gets into the mid 50's especially after the back half of the season with all those hits and playing like we know he can. Will the haters still doubt him? What does he need to do to fully arrive in their minds?
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Give the kid time.
I am telling you. He's never had to learn to use his frame until he reached the nhl. Smaller players in juniors learn how to leverage their size because they have to at the age.
Slaf has never had to do this. He's learning consistency, it'll come because he's actually a smart and dedicated kid. His vision and passing are very high level.
I am telling you. He's never had to learn to use his frame until he reached the nhl. Smaller players in juniors learn how to leverage their size because they have to at the age.
Slaf has never had to do this. He's learning consistency, it'll come because he's actually a smart and dedicated kid. His vision and passing are very high level.
Suzuki had 41 points in 71 games in his 3rd post-draft season. Slaf has the same total so far in 63 games. I’m not worried, give him some time.
Only 6pts behind superstar Cooley who's dead cold the last 7games
Both will be great players , Cooley will out score slaf in Oct Nov Dec .
Slaf will take over Feb March April .
I know which one I want on my team .
Yes for a draft that many thought is busting as a whole it is turning to be quite good
I love the way he went back to the lab during the break and stepped up his game. This has been the memo on Slaf for years: ambitious, hard-working, high character guy with intangibles, self-critical and humble, stepping up when challenged, a willing learner, not hiding or crumbling under the spotlight.
That's why I was so disappointed in the first half of the season when he seemed to be floating on the ice, not moving his feet and letting the game pass him by. I'm glad he proved me wrong. In retrospect, that had more to do with him still adjusting to the speed of the game, finding his playstyle and perhaps the weight of expectation after the end of last year than it did with him cashing his new check and mailing it in.
That's why I was so disappointed in the first half of the season when he seemed to be floating on the ice, not moving his feet and letting the game pass him by. I'm glad he proved me wrong. In retrospect, that had more to do with him still adjusting to the speed of the game, finding his playstyle and perhaps the weight of expectation after the end of last year than it did with him cashing his new check and mailing it in.
I'm confident this season will be a good learning experience for him, and he'll never take a couple months to find his game ever again. He's made to play a specific style of hockey and he needs to stick to that going forward. As long as he does that, he'll be golden.
He'll be back at the inevitable slow down.
Calling folks who doubt him haters is not a mature remark.
Boring gaslighting. There are very clearly posters actively cheering his struggles.
There is a difference between doubters and haters. Not all doubters are haters. We all know who the haters are.
I still can't believe how obvious it is Slaf is the DREAM winger for this lil magic duo of ours..
Even before Slaf existed on the radar it was like "boy.. it'd suuuuure be great to find a lefty with size and hockey smarts and a dash of speed to help Nick and Cole"
Someone emerged
They pulled trigger and they got their f***ing man
He may not be the unicorn, but he is definitely the player that line needed
(Maybe the unicorn is split in half and the other part is Demidov , who will single handedly SAVE our 2nd line and turn us into an East Conf. Contender)
Even before Slaf existed on the radar it was like "boy.. it'd suuuuure be great to find a lefty with size and hockey smarts and a dash of speed to help Nick and Cole"
Someone emerged
They pulled trigger and they got their f***ing man
He may not be the unicorn, but he is definitely the player that line needed
(Maybe the unicorn is split in half and the other part is Demidov , who will single handedly SAVE our 2nd line and turn us into an East Conf. Contender)
I honestly don't even know who to compare him to. He's so unique.
He is so calm with the puck. He makes these passes that I never expect. Like they sometimes actually dont make sense.
He has this awesome ability of gaining the zone, quickly getting boxed out, but uses his size just long enough to make a pass to Suzuki or Cole entering the zone. It's such a nothing play visually, but it creates so many scoring chances.
It's hard to appreciate his game because while he makes spectacular passes, so many more chances come from really smart, simple passes in the neutral zone or just after gaining the blue line.
He is so calm with the puck. He makes these passes that I never expect. Like they sometimes actually dont make sense.
He has this awesome ability of gaining the zone, quickly getting boxed out, but uses his size just long enough to make a pass to Suzuki or Cole entering the zone. It's such a nothing play visually, but it creates so many scoring chances.
It's hard to appreciate his game because while he makes spectacular passes, so many more chances come from really smart, simple passes in the neutral zone or just after gaining the blue line.
The kid wants to get better each and every game out...........wants being the key word here. Does it happen every game, not all season, he struggled the first 3 months.......the last two months he is once again playing much better.
50-55 pts again would be great especially with such a slow start, again this season.
Keep saying it guys, he is 20 about to be 21 and is getting better all the time.
He needs to find consistency. It's a challenge for most young players, but many never do.
I've mentioned it in another thread but I hope it finally clicks for him this time. He lacked an identity earlier in the year, he didn't know how to create space. He's very skilled, but if you're not a Panarin or Kaprizov type talent, trying to deke NHL top pair defensemen is close to impossible. Those players can read the angle of defensemen skates, the play developing, etc in an instant on top of having incredible hands and deceptiveness. The point though is they end up creating space for themselves and for their linemates. Slaf can do it, only he has to do it with his size. When he does it though, there are few players in the league who can do it as effectively, since he's so massive and strong. Then, he can properly use his brilliant passes. Add a good front net presence and more shooting and he can be a special player.
I've mentioned it in another thread but I hope it finally clicks for him this time. He lacked an identity earlier in the year, he didn't know how to create space. He's very skilled, but if you're not a Panarin or Kaprizov type talent, trying to deke NHL top pair defensemen is close to impossible. Those players can read the angle of defensemen skates, the play developing, etc in an instant on top of having incredible hands and deceptiveness. The point though is they end up creating space for themselves and for their linemates. Slaf can do it, only he has to do it with his size. When he does it though, there are few players in the league who can do it as effectively, since he's so massive and strong. Then, he can properly use his brilliant passes. Add a good front net presence and more shooting and he can be a special player.
Cashing his new cheque?? LOL The new deal hasn't started yet. The kid, has never mailed anything in, no matter his pay grade.
It hasn't started yet but he did 'secure it', either way he knows he's got 60 million$ on the way no matter what is what the guy meant to say I think
Did that impact his play early in the year?well it's tough to say..
But I GET what he means in a sense
For me, he was clearly just 'overthinking everything' the first few months lol
Also, can we stop with the worse 1OA forward thing with Slaf?
He's been better than Laf, and I would even argue that he's way more of an interesting 1OA than RNH. Outside D+1, Slaf and RNH's paces aren't extremely different.
Then there is Yakupov who was terrible.
Can we just start believing the player we have and stop trying to have hot takes? Thanks.
He's been better than Laf, and I would even argue that he's way more of an interesting 1OA than RNH. Outside D+1, Slaf and RNH's paces aren't extremely different.
Then there is Yakupov who was terrible.
Can we just start believing the player we have and stop trying to have hot takes? Thanks.
My main issue with Slaf this year is that, at times, it felt like his controller was turned off.
He is much more pro-active now without the puck, but he still has those lapses when he just gives up on a play in which he still had a chance to disrupt and prevent the next action by the opponent. I don't think he realizes just how much ice he can actually cover and how much he can impact the game.
I get maybe that he tried playing a more cerebral type of game, but it just doesn't suit him. He just doesn't have the natural feel for that, he is just caught in no man's land.
