Player Discussion Juraj Slafkovsky Discussion

[CzarDemidov]

If he never showed true high end upside, I’d worry more. He’s shown enough flashes where you know he has it. That’s more than half the battle.

It’s all about consistency and refining certain things.

This is his absolute floor. It’s a damn high floor.

This is arguably worse because it’s just miserable dealing with traces and teases of potential and impact. It’s like with Kostitsyn. Inconsistency is infuriating and divisive — some fans will see only the good and others will see only the bad. It’ll be like Galchenyuk and Drouin too “he’s only 21, he’s putting it together!” “He’s only 22, he’s already shown so much!”, etc.

If you want to bet or talk like he won’t get a single iota better, sure. I don’t know if you should be taken seriously or expect yourself to be. But if you need the attention that bad then who am I to deny you I guess?

Who has said this? No one! Strange comment to make, hope this makes you feel better about yourself though.

 

[Skip Bayless]

I don't like passive Slaf. There are games where he doesn't seem prepared. He has a lot more tools than Kapanen, but Kapanen is always ready for a one on one battle, to cut a passing line or go to the inside.

I think he hasn't fully internalized the flow of the NHL game, which is why sometimes he looks proactive and on the puck and sometimes he looks goofy and behind the play or not even facing the play, just looking for the puck. It comes and goes.

It reminds me of a young piano player who is thinking of what note comes next when playing a song, instead of just playing out of instinct. It just comes with practice and it becomes second nature...like muscle memory.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

This is arguably worse because it’s just miserable dealing with traces and teases of potential and impact. It’s like with Kostitsyn. Inconsistency is infuriating and divisive — some fans will see only the good and others will see only the bad. It’ll be like Galchenyuk and Drouin too “he’s only 21, he’s putting it together!” “He’s only 22, he’s already shown so much!”, etc.


Who has said this? No one! Strange comment to make, hope this makes you feel better about yourself though.

Who’s dealing lol. If anyone’s dealing it’s you. You’re the one running around saying everyone who likes Slaf is ‘cOpInG’.

Can’t you at least be funny like @Tabarouette?

 

[Shabs]

Explain this then

Love to see more of that

 

[CzarDemidov]

I think he hasn't fully internalized the flow of the NHL game, which is why sometimes he looks proactive and on the puck and sometimes he looks goofy and behind the play or not even facing the play, just looking for the puck. It comes and goes.

It reminds me of a young piano player who is thinking of what note comes next when playing a song, instead of just playing out of instinct. It just comes with practice and it becomes second nature...like muscle memory.

This same comment — both the observation of his inconsistency in his hockey sense and the hope of how he’ll get out of it — has been made about Slaf’s game for three straight years.

It is so unusual that a top drafted player has such bad hockey sense. I don’t understand it and it’s probably my own fault but it has felt all along like an Emperor’s New Clothes situation.

 

[CzarDemidov]

Who’s dealing lol. If anyone’s dealing it’s you. You’re the one running around saying everyone who likes Slaf is ‘cOpInG’.

Can’t you at least be funny like @Tabarouette?

I don’t understand what you’re saying, can you stick to hockey?

 

[Toene]

Just isnt good enough. He needs to wake the f*** up.

 

[DemidovSZN]

I could do with more crushing hits, but at this moment, my biggest criticism of his play is how slow he is to react.

Last night, Caufield dumped the puck, Slaf was F1...but he was so slow to react that Suzuki who was behind him had to turn on the jets to save the play. I feel like Suz and Caufield are getting frustrated with him.

The dumping is annoying, period.

I’ve been dying of seeing more of controlled zone entries by Suzuki (since he’s the center) or even Slaf or Caufield. Not sure if it’s the system or if Suzuki isn’t willing to do that more often. Not a fan of having the wingers waiting at the offensive blue line stationary and having them chasing the puck. You’ll take a look at how better Slaf is when he’s already activated and gives himself as an option when Suzuki or even Caufield carries the puck, he’ll receive it in the ozone and drives the middle more.

 

[Miller Time]

I really hope so. Right now Knies is trending to be a better player than Slaf

Not at all. Like not even in the same stratosphere.

Trend wise Slaf is much further along than Knies was at the same age.

And frankly unless Knies goes nuclear, it's not looking like he'll ever be in the same impact range.

Throw Slaf into a lineup where he is the 6th best forward of the top 6 right now and throw Knies into our current lineup... Nuff said.

Context matters

 

[Pat Riot]

Not at all. Like not even in the same stratosphere.

Trend wise Slaf is much further along than Knies was at the same age.

And frankly unless Knies goes nuclear, it's not looking like he'll ever be in the same impact range.

Throw Slaf into a lineup where he is the 6th best forward of the top 6 right now and throw Knies into our current lineup... Nuff said.

Context matters

Not even in the same stratosphere ? Homer a little bit arent you. They are comparable player IMO

 

[Miller Time]

Not even in the same stratosphere ? Homer a little bit arent you. They are comparable player IMO

Go look it up.

 

[Kojo]

This is arguably worse because it’s just miserable dealing with traces and teases of potential and impact. It’s like with Kostitsyn. Inconsistency is infuriating and divisive — some fans will see only the good and others will see only the bad. It’ll be like Galchenyuk and Drouin too “he’s only 21, he’s putting it together!” “He’s only 22, he’s already shown so much!”, etc.


Who has said this? No one! Strange comment to make, hope this makes you feel better about yourself though.

Are you predicting that Slaf will have off ice issues like those three?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Not even in the same stratosphere ? Homer a little bit arent you. They are comparable player IMO

I like Knies and he may well be the better player in the long run but Slaf is ahead of him at the same age.

 

[Mrb1p]

Are you predicting that Slaf will have off ice issues like those three?

None of those guys had off ice issues at 21

 

[Kojo]

None of those guys had off ice issues at 21

Drouin asked for a trade when he 20. Then he got suspended by his team when he was 21.

 

[Mrb1p]

Drouin asked for a trade when he 20. Then he got suspended by his team when he was 21.

Is that off ice?

 

[Kojo]

Is that off ice?

I also heard that he was very upset when he got sent back to the Q, but maybe it's only a rumor.

I never liked that trade, I thought those were red flags.

 

[Skip Bayless]

The dumping is annoying, period.

I’ve been dying of seeing more of controlled zone entries by Suzuki (since he’s the center) or even Slaf or Caufield. Not sure if it’s the system or if Suzuki isn’t willing to do that more often. Not a fan of having the wingers waiting at the offensive blue line stationary and having them chasing the puck. You’ll take a look at how better Slaf is when he’s already activated and gives himself as an option when Suzuki or even Caufield carries the puck, he’ll receive it in the ozone and drives the middle more.

The dumping is necessary because you don't always break out cleanly. All the best teams dump and chase, but they also retrieve and cycle, we only chase.

We have a weak team with weak players who waste all of their energy trying to win 50/50 battles all over the ice.

 

[TheBuriedHab]

I just don't know what happened to 2nd half Slaf from last year. That dude would win every board battle and keep almost every play alive Scored a bunch of greasy goals infront of the net. This year he's either killing plays or getting manhandled on the boards.

 

[Mrb1p]

I just don't know what happened to 2nd half Slaf from last year. That dude would win every board battle and keep almost every play alive Scored a bunch of greasy goals infront of the net. This year he's either killing plays or getting manhandled on the boards.

Is this real though? Or is it a machination of our collective mind trying to cope? I believed it too.

Im struggling to recall a stretch of game where he was that though, Id love to watch it again.

 

[Kojo]

I want Slaf to be more like Marian Hossa. Not Knies.

Caufield - Suzuki - Laine
Slafkovsky - Crosby - Demidov

I think Crosby would get most points on this team. But I don't think we can get him.

 

[No More Subban]

I want him to be more like Marian Hossa. Not Knies.

Caufield - Suzuki - Laine
Slafkovsky - ? - Demidov

I think '?' would get most points on this team. But I don't think we can get Crosby.

Not sure I'd want a line of 3 lefties and another one with righties. Gotta mix it up.

 

[Kojo]

Not sure I'd want a line of 3 lefties and another one with righties. Gotta mix it up.

The second line is better though. More balanced and their backhand shots are lethal.

 

[TomKosto]

I want Slaf to be more like Marian Hossa. Not Knies.

Caufield - Suzuki - Laine
Slafkovsky - Crosby - Demidov

I think Crosby would get most points on this team. But I don't think we can get him.

Slaf doesnt have the offensive instinct and two way game Hossa had.

 

[Kojo]

Slaf doesnt have the offensive instinct and two way game Hossa had.

He needs more reps. He seems to be on the right path. You don't acquire hockey instincts at birth.

Hossa was better at the same age but Juraj is a big guy, takes more time for them to adapt to the NHL.