Player Discussion Juraj Slafkovsky, the high offensive potential edition.

[jrom]

Has nothing to do with boring… pay attention.

His history isn’t special. He had one good run. He was outclassed in the NHL and should have been sent down but wasn’t. Rushed?

Being rushed happens but you can’t really take it too slow. Why the risk then?

Hughes said something like « we could have sent him down… but if we did, he would have expected to produce, because he is in the AHL… what happens if he doesn’t ? »

Not sending a guy down because you are scarred he won’t produce is a HUGE red flag for me.

In the mean time… his play was subpar, did not drive possession, while facing very easy toughness of opposition. Look at the stats.

Then we learn that he hasn’t finished high school. Which adds to being a dim lightbulb… I know some didn’t care about this but I did. It shows a lack of a bunch of stuff (drive, brain, coachability, planification
and much more…)

On the other hand, what we saw was that he can’t keep his head up and is slow…

Then he gets injured…

I mean the ONLY thing going for him is his #1 rank, which has to be put in doupt at this point.

Hurray!!! if he does start training like Kobe and becomes a machine… but those are not the signs we are currently seeing… and it has nothing with being bored. lol

You’re mixing facts with your interpretation of them. Was this first season encouraging ? No. Was it the best approach to develop him ? Currently not looking good. Does he need to learn to play in a more “aggressive”environment, yes.

Then you equate not finishing high school with being dumb, non-coachable, no drive (attributes Craig Ramsey said were a strength for him). The guy was playing in Czechia at 15, Finland at 16 + various international tournaments, Olympics. What a dummy for not having finished high school during that light schedule lol.

No one knows what he will look like in 3 years (it’s boring to wait and see). So we all speculate and it’s fine, it’s HF. But presenting your feelings as facts doesn’t validate them, same with repeating ad nauseam “Liiga production” or “he’s the next Tage Thompson / Rantanen”.

 

[Gillings]

These two words don’t go together. lol

Are you saying he is bust or top 6?

He is already an NHL player. He was effective on the 4th line for an 18y/o

 

[Daida]

Then we learn that he hasn’t finished high school. Which adds to being a dim lightbulb… I know some didn’t care about this but I did. It shows a lack of a bunch of stuff (drive, brain, coachability, planification
and much more…)

19 is the age when everyone finishes high school in Slovakia. For the record it would be ok for him to finish a year or two later considering he had an individual study plan not really attending school, but he didn't. If anything, his academics are above average compared to other junior hockey players.

 

[Kojo]

I just watched few Highlights from Slaf this year. He is so huge and difficult to box out around the net at just 18 years old. imagine when he is gonna be 20/22 years old.
He also skate fast for a guy at this size
The only reason he didnt really produce on a regular basis is because he is not elite level.
He would have made 25 goals in Laval and everyone here would want him in Montreal next year.

Draisaitl had a mediocre rookie season too and look at him now. People are going to be proven wrong very soon.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Draisaitl had a mediocre rookie season too and look at him now. People are going to be proven wrong very soon.

Every prospect who faceplanted in their first year is Draisaitl and Thornton. It's the Draisaitl/Thornton rule, if you haven't heard.

 

[Kojo]

Every prospect who faceplanted in their first year is Draisaitl and Thornton. It's the Draisaitl/Thornton rule, if you haven't heard.

Wtf are you talking about?

 

[NotProkofievian]

Wtf are you talking about?

Development, baby. Hfboards habs style.

 

[The Great Weal]

Every prospect who faceplanted in their first year is Draisaitl and Thornton. It's the Draisaitl/Thornton rule, if you haven't heard.

We also got the "people called Tage Thompson and Valeri Nichuskin busts back then, look at them now" crowd. I'm not writing off Slaf at all, but to nobody's surprise, we didn't do the right thing keeping him up in the NHL. In fact, I'd argue KK/Chucky had more merit being in the NHL compared to Slaf. I do hope the Habs start him in the AHL this up coming year, he's going to have some great linemates to play with.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

We also got the "people called Tage Thompson and Valeri Nichuskin busts back then, look at them now" crowd. I'm not writing off Slaf at all, but to nobody's surprise, we didn't do the right thing keeping him up in the NHL. In fact, I'd argue KK/Chucky had more merit being in the NHL compared to Slaf. I do hope the Habs start him in the AHL this up coming year, he's going to have some great linemates to play with.

They butchered him directly into the NHL
They didnt send him in the WJC with literally everyone sending their top prospect except us.

Ya no chance they put him in the AHL this season , This franchise thinks every players can be a nhler at 18.

Id put RHP and Ylonen over him anyday and instead of rotting him on a 4th line in the NHL id rather see Pezetta eating 8min a night than Slaf getting the ''learning from the 4th line''

 

[nhlfan9191]

Draisaitl had a mediocre rookie season too and look at him now. People are going to be proven wrong very soon.

To be fair, Edmonton handled it the right way and sent him back to junior so this is a bad example. I like to hope if Slafkovsky didn’t get hurt when he did that they would’ve sent him back to the AHL/CHL. He did not belong at any point this season, but it was especially bad near the end.

 

[Jaynki]

Some people are more ready to believe that this is the worst draft in the history rather than seeing that Slaf has a worse D+1 season than several players selected after him. Good communication fromHuGo.

For me it s not a surprise, he is not better or worse than expected, let him time to play and develop (in the AHL in my opinion) and he could become a very good player. If he can become Rantanen that would be huge for the Habs, I doubt it because I don t see the same IQ but I am no pro scout and I hope that s what he becomes.

Who had a better D+1 season tho?

Its tough to evaluate to be honest because we don't know how Slafkovsky would have killed (or not) the NCAA. We don't know how Cooley would have done in the NHL. For example, Farrell killed the NCAA, yet he was not better than Slaf in the OG last year nor in the NHL this season.

Nemec, i haven't seen much but i don't think he did anything stellar this season. I remember Brandon f***ing Gignac schooling and dangling him tho. Jiricek was better but again its tough to argue in favor of him or Slaf imo. Lets not just talk about Wright as we were all obviously f***ing wrong.

 

[Jaynki]

Every prospect who faceplanted in their first year is Draisaitl and Thornton. It's the Draisaitl/Thornton rule, if you haven't heard.

Yes and every prospects who succeed in their first year are immediate stars. This is the Yakupov/Galchenyuk/Kotkaniemi rule.

 

[Mrb1p]

Who had a better D+1 season tho?

Its tough to evaluate to be honest because we don't know how Slafkovsky would have killed (or not) the NCAA. We don't know how Cooley would have done in the NHL. For example, Farrell killed the NCAA, yet he was not better than Slaf in the OG last year nor in the NHL this season.

Nemec, i haven't seen much but i don't think he did anything stellar this season. I remember Brandon f***ing Gignac schooling and dangling him tho. Jiricek was better but again its tough to argue in favor of one or another imo. Lets not just talk about Wright as we were all obviously f***ing wrong.

Literally everyone in the draft had a better development season than Slaf.

 

[The Great Weal]

Lets not just talk about Wright as we were all obviously f***ing wrong.

I really hate this thinking and someone needs to clarify this for me. Why does it matter who we wanted? Are we the ones making the decisions that are going to affect the team? Are we the ones getting paid handsomely to do this with unlimited resources? No, we aren't. It's the exact same thinking as the people saying "ya but many here wanted Zadina instead of KK" as if what I just said doesn't still apply. Our word means f*** all compared to the paid professionals actually trying to draft the best player possible with that pick. Also, Wright/Zadina fell more than expected so there were some obvious red flags that we didn't have access to but the actual NHL teams did.

 

[Kairi Zaide]

Literally everyone in the draft had a better development season than Slaf.

bUt ThEy DiDn'T pLaY iN tHe NhL hOw Is ThAt PoSsIbLe

 

[Mrb1p]

I really hate this thinking and someone needs to clarify this for me. Why does it matter who we wanted? Are we the ones making the decisions that are going to affect the team? Are we the ones getting paid handsomely to do this with unlimited resources? No, we aren't. It's the exact same thinking as the people saying "ya but many here wanted Zadina instead of KK" as if what I just said doesn't still apply. Our word means f*** all compared to the paid professionals actually trying to draft the best player possible with that pick. Also, Wright/Zadina fell more than expected so there were some obvious red flags that we didn't have access to but the actual NHL teams did.

If we cant be held accountable for what were saying it allows us to say anything we want.

Ultimately its the management that matters thats for sure.

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

I watched Draisaitl last night. He was dominant. But his first year post-draft he had a similar production as Slaf did this year. It took a few more years for Drai to really break out. Doubt Slaf reaches Drais level but perhaps a good lesson to remain patient for now.

I like Slaf a lot. And he will be impact down the line. That said, drai OBLITERATED past leagues he played in. Slaf never has…. Jury is still out on his ceiling

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

Anderson and PLD had their best years playing together in 2018-2019. They just clicked in Columbus. Hope to re-kindle that and take Slaf on the ride. Would make for a really good offensive, heavy line that would be really hard to play against.

Can you imagine the cycle game?!?!

 

[The Great Weal]

If we cant be held accountable for what were saying it allows us to say anything we want.

Ultimately its the management that matters thats for sure.

Isn't that the point of a hockey forum? People are more upset that most posters here liked Zadina/Wright more than KK/Slaf rather than being upset at the actual professionals in charge f***ing up. To infer that there is the same level of accountability between us and the professionals in charge is beyond silly.

"You can't get mad at the man getting paid 6 figures to make a living off of this, who has unlimited resources to get the job done, and a whole team to supply him with the appropriate information when you who do this leisurely a couple of hours a week got it wrong too!"

The comparison should be the scouts of an NHL team to the scouts of another NHL team. Not scouts of an NHL team to some posters on a hockey forum.

 

[417]

Reminder Draisaitl spent some time in the AHL and he's as much of a man as Slaf. Kid can perfect things at lower level and I hope we give him a chance to do so.

KK and Galchenuyk had much better rookie seasons and they didn't get caught 10 times with the head down. His balance was suprisingly quite bad even at 235 pounds, even KK looked better.

We have to be patient and get him out of the spotlight next year. There's so many things he can learn in Laval, why not take our time?

Reminder that Draisaitl played 6 AHL games

 

[417]

That can be said about all injuries,doesn't change that fact he was not ready. Most injuries have nothing to do with readiness or not,shit happens. But as everyone saw,he was getting nailed because of lack of readiness.

Could we say the same about Guhle?

 

[Sorinth]

I like Slaf a lot. And he will be impact down the line. That said, drai OBLITERATED past leagues he played in. Slaf never has…. Jury is still out on his ceiling

After being drafted Draisaitl had 53 points in 32 CHL games, Galchenyuk also played in the CHL after being drafted and had 61 points in 33 games surpassing this supposed "OBLITERATED" mark.

Dominating teens isn't nearly as impressive as playing against men as a teen. Also worth noting when SLafkovsky did play in the U-20 league he had 18 points in 11 games, which is in line with what you consider OBLITERATED, so it's not even true that Slaf has never OBLITERATED a league he played in, he did and got called up because of it.

 

[417]

Never said it was. But who do you think has the more compelling case for more growth right now. Him or Nemec?

Do you envision a scenario where Nemec actually struggles in the NHL next season ?

Not saying he will, but would it be all that shocking if an 19 year old Dman struggled his first year in the NHL, after a strong initial AHL season his year prior?

Odds are he won’t, he’ll be sheltered on a really good team, but...

 

[Sorinth]

Could we say the same about Guhle?

Guhle certainly put himself in vulnerable positions and it's certainly something he'll have to adjust. It's something most players have to adjust to when going to the NHL.

 

[Jaynki]

After being drafted Draisaitl had 53 points in 32 CHL games, Galchenyuk also played in the CHL after being drafted and had 61 points in 33 games surpassing this supposed "OBLITERATED" mark.

Dominating teens isn't nearly as impressive as playing against men as a teen. Also worth noting when SLafkovsky did play in the U-20 league he had 18 points in 11 games, which is in line with what you consider OBLITERATED, so it's not even true that Slaf has never OBLITERATED a league he played in, he did and got called up because of it.

Well there is two things that Slaf has not obliterated.

The liiga and the NHL.

He obliterated everything else, from the junior leagues(the u16 as a 14yo, the u18 as a 16yo, the u20 as a 17 etc.), to the hlinka, the og, the world cup, etc.

May i point out, despite not obliterating the liiga, he still had strong analytics that showed that he was creating a lot of opportunity for himself and his teammates, even more than Kemell who had 12 goals in 16 games at this time.

The actual outlier is not his olympic games or wold cup. The real outlier is the dozen of liiga games where he did not produce, in his whole career, so far.