Player Discussion Juraj Slafkovsky Discussion

[Miller Time]

ngl you make some valid points for sure.

I hope you're right about Slaf, and you very well may be. I'll be happy if so.

I expect him to get points playing on our top line and getting the opportunities he gets. I'm more concerned with his general play.

He has the frame and size to physically dominate and cause chaos if he so chooses but he does so very rarely, and he doesn't have the skill to dominate in the skills department. There should be a balance of course. If he wakes up in the playoffs, as many are predicting, that will completely change things, and I'll gladly eat my humble pie, served on a bed of fresh lettuce.

Im actually least concerned about his general play... I see a player that regularly uses his reach, size and strength to win puck battles very few players could win... He's strong on the boards and you can see the increasing technique, rather than pure physicality, that he's executing.

I might be wrong... But not unlike in his first season & half, when he wasn't putting up any points, you could tell he was working on his game, rather than just trying to bull his way around.

I get the appeal of watching a guy his size just rely on force... But from a development and ceiling maximization pov, learning how to execute efficiently across a wide range of skills is a far better ROI... And one of the hardest things to get an ultra talented & physically gifted young athlete to do.

The brute force isn't going anywhere. When/as he puts it all together, he'll Bea dominant 200ft player... That's what I see unfolding, and perhaps why I'm less concerned with either the pure point totals, or the "bull in a china shop" aspects various skeptics are pining for.

Time will tell.

 

[Miller Time]

Wrong about what?

Little early for the I was wrong talk, no?

Some called him a bust after his rookie season... Doubled down on it after the start of his second season...

Others swore we ruined his development by playing him in the NHL... Double down on it despite his success thus far.

They were wrong. some owned it and moved on, others keep going the homer Simpson chasing the roast pig route.... "My argument's still good... It's still good... It's still good...".

Not every young talent exolodes out of the gate. Just as his 21 year old point totals don't guarantee he'll be better than those elite players who didn't produce as well as he has this early (Kucherov had 18 career NHL points at the same age), they also don't prove he won't develop into an elite player because some other 1OA forwards scored more at his age... How he's playing (rather than what his output is) & how his game is progressing are more important indicators... Appears hard for some to see past their preconceived notions and/or misguided expectations.

 

[rik schau]

Honestly, give me a physical 60 point Slaf (25 goals) and I’d say yes. I’m fine with that. I’m hoping this year is just an off year.

He's not that though and nice attempt to dodge an easy question. Credit to you though as at least you semi answered where as to whom the question was directly put to or his bootlickers haven't got the stones to do so. Well we have a term for those type of mice round here and it ain't none too complimentary.lol

Are you aware that the next two seasons his salary will be ten million, that's a lot of greenbacks for 60 point man even if he does become a brute force, but that does not look like it's in his DNA. And if he is getting that, what do you think that Hutson or Demidov will want and deserve.

 

[TomKosto]

That extension was signed too soon. Should be 5-6m.

 

[Tyson]

That extension was signed too soon. Should be 5-6m.

You may be right or maybe he ends up being an 80 point player with a terrific bargain of a contract. 21 years old.

 

[ahmedou]

Ahmedou gonna give this gift to Slaf.

My Hockey Tops and Trainning Methods CD by Alex Kovalev!

 

[Victoire HuGo]

He was responsible without the puck yesterday but man yesterday was an eye opener talent level between him and Demidov. I like Slaf but I can already tell Demidov will be the more impactful player and most important piece of the rebuild which bodes well if Slaf is now our 4th or 5th best player going forward

 

[sbhatt]

I want to see a more 'earn it' attitude from the coaches towards Slaf to get his compete level up. If he's sleepwalking, as he has been for several games now, you swap him and Demidov out without hesitation on both line 1 and the first powerplay unit. He will either rise up to the challenge and earn his spot back, or prove the coaches were right and Demidov will continuously out-perform him, and the team will benefit. It's a win-win for the team.

 

[Egresch]

That extension was signed too soon. Should be 5-6m.

Can you guys stop with this BS on his contract? There are 96 forwards in NHL who are 40-60 pts. 19 are on ELC, remaining 77 players average salary is 5.376M and I bet you most of them did not play alongside Kirby Dach most of the season. He is already worth 6M, 7.6M will be a bargain.

 

[waitin425]

He was responsible without the puck yesterday but man yesterday was an eye opener talent level between him and Demidov. I like Slaf but I can already tell Demidov will be the more impactful player and most important piece of the rebuild which bodes well if Slaf is now our 4th or 5th best player going forward

This is the biggest key. Slaf is no slouch and if a guy like him is your 4th or 5th offensive option......we are in incredible shape. Being that option....even as a former #1 overall does not make him a bust.

 

[Victoire HuGo]

This is the biggest key. Slaf is no slouch and if a guy like him is your 4th or 5th offensive option......we are in incredible shape. Being that option....even as a former #1 overall does not make him a bust.

The whole first overall thing is misguiding when it doesn't take into account the draft in itself. If Slaf ends up top 5 pick when it's all said and done in a redraft. Scouts made the right call.

 

[Naslundforever]

Again, aside from some of his slow mental processing at times, my main gripe was that play where he was all alone, with all the time and space in the world, and he just wanted to dish the puck away as if it was a hot potato, probably because that's what he's used to doing 99.8% of the time with his line mates.

I don't blame Slaf, I question the way we're developing him. There's still time.

Are we just gonna glue him to 2 superior players and have him be the goffer forever and ever?

One powerplay presence he skated through the crease by himself alone and casually went and posted himself bottom right corner in his usual position. Habs had the puck he never even looked at a teammate, he was not a target the whole way.

Was in the slot with the puck alone another time, never looked at the net and gave back it to the D.

Like he was on automatic, no playing, improv, never pretending to do one thing but doing another… Pretty weird.

Confidence? Pooped?

I feel body strength and xp will turn him into a better-than-most player but watching Demi, Suz or Hutson is like watching a different sport with the anticipation and constant out-smarting of the opposition.

 

[waitin425]

The whole first overall thing is misguiding when it doesn't take into account the draft in itself. If Slaf ends up top 5 pick when it's all said and done in a redraft. Scouts made the right call.

Glad to see you are a deep thinker Mr. Hugo!

The main boards are all over the fact that we could have had a Michkov - Cooley - Demidov line. Who the hell knows what that would have looked like?

If Slaf ends up a 60-70 point power forward who leads us in hits.....those types of players don't grow on trees and are essential for playoff hockey.

 

[Kennerback]

He was responsible without the puck yesterday but man yesterday was an eye opener talent level between him and Demidov. I like Slaf but I can already tell Demidov will be the more impactful player and most important piece of the rebuild which bodes well if Slaf is now our 4th or 5th best player going forward

Alot of people believed Demidov would be great on Day 1. It’s what I expect from Celebrini and Bedard. Crosby, Lemieux and Gretzky. They’re high skill star forwards. The learning curve is much faster. The expectations are sky high and they should be sky high.

A power forward is a totally different thing, they get there at 22 or 23 years. There’s dozens of example. Slaf’s right on track.

 

[Victoire HuGo]

Alot of people believed Demidov would be great on Day 1. It’s what I expect from Celebrini and Bedard. Crosby, Lemieux and Gretzky. They’re high skill star forwards. The learning curve is much faster. The expectations are sky high and they should be sky high.

A power forward is a totally different thing, they get there at 22 or 23 years. There’s dozens of example. Slaf’s right on track.

I'm a believer in Slaf but I take a 90+ points winger over a 65 ish winger with size

 

[Kennerback]

I'm a believer in Slaf but I take a 90+ points winger over a 65 ish winger with size

I take Slaf at 65 vs Michkov at 90.

 

[waitin425]

I take Slaf at 65 vs Michkov at 90.

I do too....but only if we already have 90+ point winger in Demidov and 90+ point centre in Suzuki.

 

[rik schau]

I'm a believer in Slaf but I take a 90+ points winger over a 65 ish winger with size

Of course you do,everybody with common sense would. A physical winger can be obtained much easier than a high scoring winger.

 

[Andy]

I thought he played very well yesterday. Won a ton of battles, had some great scoring opportunities, got lucky on Caufield's shot. Played great without the puck and does a lot of non-sexy work in the defensive zone.

Slaf is not Celebrini, Bedard, McDavid, MacKinnon level. He never was going to be. I think at some point people need to just get over it. He is not a finesse player. He's not going to rack up points beating people one-on-one, skating circles around defenders in the offensive zone. He's going to grind the puck out, either in the d or o-zone, and he;s going to make sharp passes that create opportunities for his line mates.

Back-to-back 50 point seasons before the age of 21.

He does so much grinding work for Cole and Nick in the o-zone, and his breakout passes after winning possession in the D zone are also underappreciated because they often send off Nick and Cole towards good offensive rushes.

 

[schwang26]

He's not that though and nice attempt to dodge an easy question. Credit to you though as at least you semi answered where as to whom the question was directly put to or his bootlickers haven't got the stones to do so. Well we have a term for those type of mice round here and it ain't none too complimentary.lol

Are you aware that the next two seasons his salary will be ten million, that's a lot of greenbacks for 60 point man even if he does become a brute force, but that does not look like it's in his DNA. And if he is getting that, what do you think that Hutson or Demidov will want and deserve.

I wasn’t trying to dodge the question. He has looked like I described (at times) so it’s not like he can’t. If he’s a power forward putting up 60 points, I’d be fine with that salary. Even if Slaf became a ppg player (which I doubt he will) , guys like Demidov and Hutson will end up with huge contracts anyway.

 

[dauv]

The whole first overall thing is misguiding when it doesn't take into account the draft in itself. If Slaf ends up top 5 pick when it's all said and done in a redraft. Scouts made the right call.

I agree with this sentiment. Especially considering we might have the best player from this draft in Hutson. Hutson will have to repeat next year to cement this status. I am cautiously optimistic that the Habs have drafted 2 top 5 players from this draft and 3 top 20 (I am assuming Beck becomes a top 20 drafted player from his draft class, if not higher)

 

[dauv]

Glad to see you are a deep thinker Mr. Hugo!

The main boards are all over the fact that we could have had a Michkov - Cooley - Demidov line. Who the hell knows what that would have looked like?

If Slaf ends up a 60-70 point power forward who leads us in hits.....those types of players don't grow on trees and are essential for playoff hockey.

SMALL

 

[dauv]

Of course you do,everybody with common sense would. A physical winger can be obtained much easier than a high scoring winger.

I disagree that a physical winger "WITH SKILL" is easy to obtain but agree that a physical winger is easy to obtain

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

He was responsible without the puck yesterday but man yesterday was an eye opener talent level between him and Demidov. I like Slaf but I can already tell Demidov will be the more impactful player and most important piece of the rebuild which bodes well if Slaf is now our 4th or 5th best player going forward

Well... yeah.

But that's not surprising. Slaf was number one in a weak draft. Levshunov, Cellebrini... both would've gone before him. So no, it's not surprising that Demidov is better. But that doesn't mean that Slaf isn't going to be good.

 

[Victoire HuGo]

Well... yeah.

But that's not surprising. Slaf was number one in a weak draft. Levshunov, Cellebrini... both would've gone before him. So no, it's not surprising that Demidov is better. But that doesn't mean that Slaf isn't going to be good.

He's still a 19 year old who was playing his first NHL game on NA sized rink