Player Discussion Juraj Slafkovsky Discussion

[gusfring]

Playoff hockey appears too fast for him and several young players.

I'm giving Demidov a pass. His first taste in the NHL at age 19 is in the playoffs against a good team, plus his linemates are below par.

 

[Andy]

The Slaf expectations are insane.

He had a great game yesterday, but made two weird plays and reads and it’s all people can focus on.

It like people expect a perfect game and any mid read or one play fumble completely overrules any other positive play.

 

[Kojo]

We always hype up our highly rated/drafted prospects... for a good while..

Until the ones who continue to underwhelm are traded away, and then reality starts to set in.

Half the players he named were never really of the same calibre as Slafkovsky.

Mete?

 

[Tyson]

I'm giving Demidov a pass. His first taste in the NHL at age 19 is in the playoffs against a good team, plus his linemates are below par.

Demidov is % exempt from any criticism. Totally agree

 

[River Meadow]

His real issue is staying engaged, he seems to go on auto pilot more than he should.

Yeah, that's a good way to describe it.

He is not effective at all when he's going through the motions/on autopilot.

The playoffs is the time for him to go "BEAST MODE".

We should not be seeing him on auto pilot at this time of year.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Guys he's not your son, its fine.

He hasn't been good, were making the same excuses we (Including I) made for Kotkaniemi and Mete and Poehling and Galchenyuk and Kostitsyn and Perezhogin and Higgins and ...

Have you noticed that Hutson, Caufield, Suzuki, Guhle, Koivu, Subban, etc didn't need those excuse ? Theres just levels to players, and Slaf isn't in the second group, he's disappointing, thats all there is to it.

He’s been flat out better and out produced all those players mentioned in the first paragraph.

None of them could hang on a competitive and high performing 1st line*.

Edit: at the same age at the very least

 

[Kojo]

Demidov is % exempt from any criticism. Totally agree

One or two more years in the KHL and another in the AHL would greatly help him.

 

[CzarDemidov]

His real issue is staying engaged, he seems to go on auto pilot more than he should.

This is a much more worrisome issue than the anti-haters (lovers?) will admit.

A spry 21 year old can’t wake up to play a playoff game and then cries in the media in frustration? Okay forgivable, nerves and intensity and immaturity, but this lack of engagement was happening all season long and he called himself out two separate times. He said he needs to play more like Matthew Tkachuk and then he said he needs to play more like Brady Tkachuk and then he says he needs to play better, etc.

I appreciate his candour and it humanizes him to me, you see the guy really cares, but you and I really care for the Habs too. He’s there to perform and he’s not performed to expectations. He knows it and you and I know it. If we don’t see the Slafsquatch once this series it will be a big disappointment.

There are many skilled players in our recent history who were inconsistent and all of them were frustrating and difficult to love.

 

[Pazucha]

Damn imagine what this thread is gonna turn into when he has his first bad playoff game.

 

[GHJimmy]

I don’t hate him at all, he played well last night
Just think this is an embarrassing display mid playoffs

It's crazy their first playoffs appearance and they're getting a huge chunk of it, especially MSL being a complete tool for these players.
I mean I expect them to play but not like crazy good.

Ppl like you embarrass me sometimes for these forums

 

[Sasha Orlov]

It's crazy their first playoffs appearance and they're getting a huge chunk of it, especially MSL being a complete tool for these players.
I mean I expect them to play but not like crazy good.

Ppl like you embarrass me sometimes for these forums

You’re embarrassed for these forums because I don’t think our players should be crying in postgame interviews? Weird

 

[GHJimmy]

You’re embarrassed for these forums because I don’t think our players should be crying in postgame interviews? Weird

Wow, you've discovered feelings for a 21 year old barely understanding the depths of playoffs, the difference making, expected to be at the top level
people cry for the weirdest things too..

see how embarrassing you are

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Wow, you've discovered feelings for a 20 year old barely understanding the depths of playoffs, the difference making, expected to be at the top level
people cry for the weirdest things too..

see how embarrassing you are

Cry when the series ends, not in the middle of it
Put me on ignore if I’m causing you so much distress

 

[Kennerback]

This is a much more worrisome issue than the anti-haters (lovers?) will admit.

A spry 21 year old can’t wake up to play a playoff game and then cries in the media in frustration? Okay forgivable, nerves and intensity and immaturity, but this lack of engagement was happening all season long and he called himself out two separate times. He said he needs to play more like Matthew Tkachuk and then he said he needs to play more like Brady Tkachuk and then he says he needs to play better, etc.

I appreciate his candour and it humanizes him to me, you see the guy really cares, but you and I really care for the Habs too. He’s there to perform and he’s not performed to expectations. He knows it and you and I know it. If we don’t see the Slafsquatch once this series it will be a big disappointment.

There are many skilled players in our recent history who were inconsistent and all of them were frustrating and difficult to love.

Why do we get crybabies like Slaf, Crosby and McDavid. We need real men like Mike Ribeiro that laugh and never take anything too seriously.

 

[GHJimmy]

Cry when the series ends, not in the middle of it
Put me on ignore if I’m causing you so much distress

Nah this also reminds me of the time how embarrassing some fans were against Kirby dach on his Instagram, this is the same low level energy loser you have.

 

[Captain Mountain]

The fact that he’s a 1OA is why he was brought to the NHL early

The fact that he’s a 1OA is why he played like crap but was promoted to the Suzuki line (wherein he did very well for that half season and then not well for the subsequent season).

The fact that he’s a 1OA with half a good season under his belt is why he was given 60m and a max length contract

But it’s all tangential to the issue: game by game he’s not been the Slafsquatch you and I know he could be.

Do you think it’s his age that has prevented him from making a bigger impact? I don’t think so.

This is a pretty oversimplified view of history, empirically incorrect view of Slafkovsky's season and frankly a misunderstanding of Slafkovsky as a player.

He was not just brought into the NHL early because he was a 1st OA pick. He was brought into the NHL early because as a rebuilding team management though they could offer better development for him here than he would get in Europe. And considering he was playing in Finland for a team that doesn't really develop guys, that isn't an outrageous view.

And the point is moving him up to play with Suzuki and Caufield was the right call. He was a better fit than anyone else. And he did play well this season there, just not as consistently as some would like (and others demand).

But a problem is that he isn't going to be "Slafsquatch" consistently because that's never been his game. And expecting it is unfair and unrealistic. What the hope is that he engages more consistently, because when he does he's a special player. And it is not unusual for young players to take time in doing that. Time that some fans in this market are frequently unwilling to give.

The patience in the rebuild has been nice, but you'd think Montreal was rebuilding longer than Buffalo, Detroit, Ottawa, etc. the way some fans are complaining about guys playing in the playoffs a year or two ahead of schedule. To say nothing about immediately wanting the team to spend like crazy in Free Agency and Trades.

And its literally just Montreal fans, some media and fans who hate the Canadiens. Everyone outside of the toxic bubble is talking about how nice it is Montreal was able to make the playoffs and its good experience and a sign the rebuild is progressing well.

A lot of criticism of Slafkovsky and the team in general seems to be born of not seriously paying attention to what happens in the rest of the league and what other teams do or look like. There's nothing unique about a player like Slafkovsky struggling to find the right level of engagement all the time and then figuring it out later, so the pearl clutching about it seems excessive. He'll figure it out or he wont, but there isn't really a reason to be concerned about it right now.

 

[CzarDemidov]

Why do we get crybabies like Slaf, Crosby and McDavid. We need real men like Mike Ribeiro that laugh and never take anything too seriously.

Putting aside the laughably different contexts… There’s nothing wrong with Slaf being emotional. He should play better. If he played like Crosby or McDavid he could weep between every intermission.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

He was definitely frustrated in the 3rd period but he wasn't giving up on pucks, even at the end of his shift

He wasn't the most effective but nobody really was vs Washington, but at least he was active trying to disrupt plays.

We've been chasing the puck for 2 games straight so frustration is definitely starting to set in. You just want to hit someone but then you realize you can't even catch anyone to hit and the sadness kicks in

 

[Redux91]

Why do we get crybabies like Slaf, Crosby and McDavid. We need real men like Mike Ribeiro that laugh and never take anything too seriously.

Dude..
Thank you.

The making fun of Slaf for actually caring about all this is absolutely disgusting.
It's pathetic really.

I actually liked Sasha too for a while there..

 

[Kennerback]

There’s nothing wrong with Slaf being emotional. He should play better. If he played like Crosby or McDavid he could weep between every intermission.

Gets paid too much, cries when not Crosby, this kid really deserves all the hate he gets.

 

[Miller Time]

He's glued to Caufield/Suzuki and the 1st PP unit.

Do you really think this is the best representation of what makes him rare/special? Be honest.

It's his size and full package of tools to be utilized within that size, isn't it?

It's odd that you think he is a passenger, rather than a contributor, to that line... Did you watch game 1? Slaf played a major role in both goals created by that line. The goals don't happen without his direct contributions, yet he got 0 points to show for it... that has been a relatively frequent occurrence throughout the season. I don't think his linemates , coaches or opposing coaches would share your "passenger " perception.

Again, the issue appears to be the lens rather than a grounded assessment.

I didn't say points was "the best" way to ground his impact, simply a direct and largely irrefutable starting point. One that quite clearly places him in a very small % of NHL players historically (NHL production by the age of 21).

Slaf's size and tool kit are special, yes... But what's more rare is the way he's translated that to the impact he's having at the NHL level at his age. Nichuskin, a player that had a very similar unique set of physical and skill as a prospect was still struggling to produce in his D6 season... Tage Thompson another similar example.

Conversly, Caufield also displayed rare & special impact early in his NHL career... What he was able to do as an 20 year old NHL rookie in his first playoffs was pretty unique.

So it's not the mix of attributes that I'm speaking to, it's the NHL impact at his age that is quite rare.

If this is his best, and he doesn't keep improving even at a lower end of expected natural progression, then sure... the current level of impact at 24-25-26 would be far less special or rare (though he'd still be a good NHL top 6 player)... But that would require a very cynical and pessimistic outlook. Even modest progression from where he is today would equate to high end top line performer.

If he were to experience the kind of bump in play & impact that many other unique players with the blend of physical/skill attributes tend to experience as they physically mature and maximize their tools.... Well, then we're talking unicorn/HOF type career trajectory a la Jagr/Rantanen.

Either way, as of today, it remains odd to be discounting or ignoring the very obvious ways that his play, both impact and production output, place him in a very rare group of NHLers.

 

[Miller Time]

I’m much bigger than both and have never cried in my life but nice try

Wow. That sucks.

I feel sorry for you.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Why do we get crybabies like Slaf, Crosby and McDavid. We need real men like Mike Ribeiro that laugh and never take anything too seriously.

And this is just from game 2! lol.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Why do we get crybabies like Slaf, Crosby and McDavid. We need real men like Mike Ribeiro that laugh and never take anything too seriously.

We're not done yet, no need for tears. Save them until we're eliminated, we still need you.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

I’m much bigger than both and have never cried in my life but nice try

Seriously?!? That’s insane lol.