Player Discussion Juraj Slafkovsky Discussion

[didimentionlarseller]

looks like a really bad pick at 1OA - im starting to think Cooley will be more physically dominant

he caused the first goal tonight in a playoff game we had just taken the lead with his lazy play - his in game response to that is just nothing

 

[Mrb1p]

Yeah Slaf to me is a bust. Im done. Hes never gonna live it up. He talks a whole lot but doesnt skate.

Hes not that guy.

Hes a fine 2nd line tweener, useful but hes disappointing as hell.

 

[TomKosto]

I don't know what this guy is waiting for to start hitting and using his body.

It’s not in him.

 

[didimentionlarseller]

poke check poke check poke check poke check poke check poke check poke check falls over poke check poke check poke check poke check poke check poke check stands around watching poke check poke check poke check gets outskated poke check poke check poke check poke check

 

[Miller Time]

Creating a lot of chances offensively and despite the one miscue, playing well at both ends of the ice.

Bank on a big game from him on home ice for game 3.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Needs to play more physical. That being said, he's played well. Glad he's getting to see what playoff hockey is all about. Win or lose this series he'll be better for it.

 

[Wats]

Really sucks he handles/bobbles the puck like Kotkaniemi and hits like him. But he's a net front presence that wins board battles in ozone.

 

[DemidovSZN]

I don't know what this guy is waiting for to start hitting and using his body.

No one throwed more hits than him this game other than Ovi and Anderson.

And he used his body pretty well, especially in the first and 3rd period.

 

[DemidovSZN]

Yeah Slaf to me is a bust. Im done. Hes never gonna live it up. He talks a whole lot but doesnt skate.

Hes not that guy.

Hes a fine 2nd line tweener, useful but hes disappointing as hell.

Bye!

There's gonna be smarter conversations here.

 

[Erika]

Yeah Slaf to me is a bust. Im done. Hes never gonna live it up. He talks a whole lot but doesnt skate.

Hes not that guy.

Hes a fine 2nd line tweener, useful but hes disappointing as hell.

Go check the first 5 playoffs years of Mitch Marner and Austin Matthews and tell me if they were better.
Not every players evolves like Crosby and McDavid.
So you are giving up on a 21 years old 1st overall ? lol Hughes and Gorton will be more patient than you. He will still put at least 60 points next year. This is a learning experience for everyone, including Slaf. Just chill.

 

[TheBuriedHab]

Great game by Slaf. It's not surprising that our best players tonight were Slaf, Anderson and Dvorak. Big boys.

 

[Skip Bayless]

Slaf cares. He's not the player he is expected to be yet, and it's getting to him.

 

[TomKosto]

Slaf cares. He's not the player he is expected to be yet, and it's getting to him.

Seems a little sensible, the series is not done, dont cry Slaf

Joke apart, he always says the right things but he needs to talk less and do more.

 

[Habs4Life]

Seems a little sensible, the series is not done, dont cry Slaf

Joke apart, he always says the right things but he needs to talk less and do more.

hes still very young at least he cares. Just needs the drive to keep getting better!

 

[Miller Time]

Slaf cares. He's not the player he is expected to be yet, and it's getting to him.

Hopefully he translates all that emotion into drive in the offseason.

For all the skilll & talent that guys like Crosby & McD have, it's their relentless work ethic that put them where they are.

 

[shamrun]

Slaf cares. He's not the player he is expected to be yet, and it's getting to him.

Good coaching should be in order. Simpilfy your game.....dont just try to win pucks with poke checks. Win the body position and secure the puck for the other skilled players.

 

[TomKosto]

He should spend the summer with Gallagher to become a frontnet presence. At his size, could be a real pain for goalies.

 

[Miller Time]

He should spend the summer with Gallagher to become a frontnet presence. At his size, could be a real pain for goalies.

Ummm have you been watching our PP?

Did you miss last night's 2 goals?

 

[TomKosto]

Ummm have you been watching our PP?

Yea pretty much a disaster trying to force feed Laine.

I’m not talking only on the PP. Young Gally was ALWAYS driving the net, he made a carreer out of it, he was not the most skilled but always went to the net, getting under goalies nerves.

Slaf doesnt seems a have the skills to drive the net a la Byfield but he could be a really good player if he model his game like Gallagher did or someone like Holmstrom back in the days for the Wings. Yea you gonna suffer from crosschecks but that’s how you show how tough you are. He doesnt need to model his game after Brady Tkachuk like he said, it’s just not in him.

 

[Miller Time]

Yea pretty much a disaster trying to for feed Laine.

I’m not talking only on the PP. Young Gally was ALWAYS driving the net, he made a carreer out of it, he was not the most skilled but always went to the net, getting under goalies nerves.

That's because he couldn't do much else, even in his youth (& I was one of gally's earliest believers, knew he'd top 30 goals in his prime from his rookie year)

There isn't a player on our team you couldn't say that about, everyone could use a little more of that in their game... For Gally it was/is literally his only way to play in the NHL.

Slaf doesnt seems a have the skills to drive the net a la Byfield but he could be a really good player if he model his game like Gallagher did or someone like Holmstrom back in the days for the Wings. Yea you gonna suffer from crosschecks but that’s how you show how tough you are. He doesnt need to model his game after Brady Tkachuk like he said, it’s just not in him.

I think he's a really good player right now. He could be a great player if he keeps improving... Good thing he's 21.

But disagree fully that modelling his game on those types is his way to get there... That would be a disappointment frankly as he's got the tools to be a far more dominant player once he fully matures physically and mentally.

 

[TomKosto]

That's because he couldn't do much else, even in his youth (& I was one of gally's earliest believers, knew he'd top 30 goals in his prime from his rookie year)

There isn't a player on our team you couldn't say that about, everyone could use a little more of that in their game... For Gally it was/is literally his only way to play in the NHL.



I think he's a really good player right now. He could be a great player if he keeps improving... Good thing he's 21.

But disagree fully that modelling his game on those types is his way to get there... That would be a disappointment frankly as he's got the tools to be a far more dominant player once he fully matures physically and mentally.

He never showed us one great decking through 2-3 guys that resulted in a goal in three years. He tend to look to pass the second he get the puck or to drop it behind the D. Like I said, he needs to find his identity. I dont see him beeing a highlight machine like Byfield, I dont see him beeing a power foward like Tkachuk. I can see him becoming a pain in the ass in the paint. He still can get 70pts playing this way. I dont think his celling is higher than that. To say it would be a waste of his potential is laughable. Lots of great teams had that net presence. Holmstrom (Det), BigBuff (Chi), Brown (LA), Hyman (Edm), etc.

In conclusion, Slaf needs to find his identity and the way he wants to play, the sooner the better.

 

[Mrb1p]

Go check the first 5 playoffs years of Mitch Marner and Austin Matthews and tell me if they were better.
Not every players evolves like Crosby and McDavid.
So you are giving up on a 21 years old 1st overall ? lol Hughes and Gorton will be more patient than you. He will still put at least 60 points next year. This is a learning experience for everyone, including Slaf. Just chill.

Marners first 5 seasons (Started in his D+2)
61, 69, 94, 67, 67.
Matthews's first 5 seasons (Started in his D+1)
69, 63, 74, 80, 66
Slafs first 5 season
10, 50, 51

You realize that Marner put up more assists than Slaf had points in their first three seasons ?
Matthews put up more goals than Slaf had points in their first three seasons?

These players are just not the same. It's fine, Slaf can be a "good" player for us, but he's disappointing, he's just not the big fast strong powerforward that HuGo thought he'd be.

 

[Erika]

Marners first 5 seasons (Started in his D+2)
61, 69, 94, 67, 67.
Matthews's first 5 seasons (Started in his D+1)
69, 63, 74, 80, 66
Slafs first 5 season
10, 50, 51

You realize that Marner put up more assists than Slaf had points in their first three seasons ?
Matthews put up more goals than Slaf had points in their first three seasons?

These players are just not the same. It's fine, Slaf can be a "good" player for us, but he's disappointing, he's just not the big fast strong powerforward that HuGo thought he'd be.

You didn't read what I wrote. I was comparing their playoffs performance to Slaf, not regular seasons.
They were soft, chockers in the playoffs and the reasons why the Leafs couldn't get out of the first round for the past 5 or 6 years.

 

[TomKosto]

Marners first 5 seasons (Started in his D+2)
61, 69, 94, 67, 67.
Matthews's first 5 seasons (Started in his D+1)
69, 63, 74, 80, 66
Slafs first 5 season
10, 50, 51

You realize that Marner put up more assists than Slaf had points in their first three seasons ?
Matthews put up more goals than Slaf had points in their first three seasons?

These players are just not the same. It's fine, Slaf can be a "good" player for us, but he's disappointing, he's just not the big fast strong powerforward that HuGo thought he'd be.

Yea Hugo said in an interview this year that he didnt drafted Slaf to be a Jack Hughes, he drafted him to be a powerfoward. If he wanted someone playing a skilled game, he would had selected an other player (his words). Thing is, Slaf is not a power foward. Still think he can get a decent carreer of being a frontnet monster.

Thing is, it was a really bad year to draft first overall. I wanted Cooley with the pick too, but still, not a great year to draft first. At least we got Hutson out of that draft.

 

[TomKosto]

You didn't read what I wrote. I was comparing their playoffs performance to Slaf, not regular seasons.
They were soft, chockers in the playoffs and the reasons why the Leafs couldn't get out of the first round for the past 5 or 6 years.

Marner had 21pts in 25games, its not that bad. Problem with the Leafs for me was the way they overspend on 3 players. They never shoulda sign Tavares IMO. Their defensive, goalies and depth during those years were really not good. Anyway comparing Marner and Slaf is non sense.