Juraj Slafkovsky - Unicorn

[waitin425]

You'll have to quote me on where I said any of that. Reading comprehension is important, though I won't hold it against you since English probably isn't your first language.

You talk in circles Whiskey. You cherry pick certain stats to make a particular argument, and then use a different stat to make another argument, forgetting that your newest stat may contradict the previous stat. What is it... PPG or primary points that count? or......is the PPG argument only applied to Slaf when arguing against all categories of players, and when arguing Slaf against other forwards we use primary points only?

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

My point is that his speed and skill aren't that noteworthy (yet). The only thing truly in the unique category with him is his size (25ish players in the league are his size), so roughly 1 player per team is his size.

If a player is around 1 SD away from average (69th percentile) that isn't enough to be a unicorn.

And as far as skill goes, I would argue there are also hundreds of NHLers with comparable or greater skill.

I filtered for players that are 225 lbs+ in the NHL. Came back with 55 results. Slaf is 12th in points among those players.

NHL stats

IMO that is just too many comparable players for him to be in the unicorn category.

Is Mantha a unicorn? PLD? Byfield?

Again, I don't know why you are looking at each of these separately. It's a lot easier to be highly skilled and a good skater when you are 5'10 than when you are 6'3 230 lbs.

This is the list of forwards that are 225 lbs or heavier this season

How many of these are also good skaters and have top-line talent? Less than 10.
Mantha isn't a unicorn because he's not a top 6 forward anymore. Byfield and PLD are unicorns yes.

If each nhl team has 13 forwards, then that means there are 416 forwards in the league. 10 out of 416 is 2%. So only 2% of nhl players are of the same type as Slafkovsky, which is why these kinds of players are considered unicorns.

 

[jfhabs]

Many people thought he was a bad player after watching the first five games of his career. I judge him by his scoring in the last five games. This guy is a real star.

This.
He's a good NHLer now and you can see he has the tools to be more.
He still has work to do before becoming a star player... he's not there yet.

 

[jbeck5]

Miller reached his peak in 2021/22 as a 28 year old. He is still in his peak. He has yet to score 100 points, but could do it this year. His peak included a PPG season last year. He will likely fall from his peak after next season. Meaning a 4 year total peak.

I hope that Slaf, hits peak around the age of 23 and remains in that peak until age 29-30. 6-7 year total. I believe that he may have a year or two, during that peak, that may reach 100 points, but for the most part, I hope that he hovers around PPG.

Not that you agree....but does my explanation make sense?

A lot more than the "yes". Thank you.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Cooley currently has the edge and probably will throughout the career but Slaf could be a very rare player. I don't think he ends up the best player in the draft but I don't think the gap will be big enough between him and anyone else to begrudge the pick

Yeah I agree. IMO Slaf reaching his potential is him being a horse in all areas of the ice. Someone who is good in transition, strong on the boards, wins a million battles, monster forechecker, and you can’t take the puck away from. I don’t think it’s really as much about scoring with him.

If he can be the above description it’s a rare player and it’s not really going to be an apples to apples comparison with other players from his draft class. Even if they are more productive.

 

[mr figgles]

I'm sure someone will emerge from this draft as an elite offensive forward as almost every draft produces one, but this draft was a nightmare on projecting which player that was going to be. Slafkovsky's in most drafts was a guy who goes in the 3 to 5 range, and possibly outside that in a really strong draft class like 2015. Not every draft has a guy at the top who you look at, and think it's likely they become a high-end scorer like MacKinnon, McDavid, Matthews, Hughes, and Bedard. For whatever reason, 2021 and 2022 for whatever reasons lacked players who you could say, unless something goes wrong, this player is likely to be a top 10 goal scorer or point-getter in the league. Slafkovsky is still only 19. Even if he only turns into more of a secondary scorer with a strong forechecking/puck battle type game, he's likely to still be a valuable piece for whatever team he's on.. It's not like Cooley or Wright are putting up great numbers where the Habs should be regretting their choice from the other two viable forward options available at 1OA this year.

That’s the thing. It’s not like anyone has pulled away. Slaf and Cooley are not far off on production this year. Slaf has slightly more goals, and Cooley has slightly more points, but slaf is also a physical beast. It was a tough draft, but there’s no reason to think the Habs picked wrong just yet. There’s a lot to like about slaf’s game beyond points.

 

[Canadienna]

When he scored last night I was thinking "I'm glad that "Slaf is the worst 1st overall" thread got closed so we can't bump it.

And yet ...

Slaf is awesome. One thing everyone agrees is that he's putting in an insane amount of work to become "the man" (his words) in Montreal.

 

[klefbombs shoulder]

Again, I don't know why you are looking at each of these separately. It's a lot easier to be highly skilled and a good skater when you are 5'10 than when you are 6'3 230 lbs.

This is the list of forwards that are 225 lbs or heavier this season
View attachment 815963

How many of these are also good skaters and have top-line talent? Less than 10.
Mantha isn't a unicorn because he's not a top 6 forward anymore. Byfield and PLD are unicorns yes.

If each nhl team has 13 forwards, then that means there are 416 forwards in the league. 10 out of 416 is 2%. So only 2% of players are of the same type as Slafkovsky, which is why these kinds of players are considered unicorns.

You have far to generous a definition of unicorn.

If you want to consider Slaf. Then Kreider, Tkachuk, Kopitar, Byfield, Ovechkin, Paul, Voronkov, Mantha, PLD, Dubois, Foligno, Protas, Maroon, and McCarron also are, For me that is just too many players.If the league has over a dozen players fitting into a category, they aren't unicorns.

 

[waitin425]

When he scored last night I was thinking "I'm glad that "Slaf is the worst 1st overall" thread got closed so we can't bump it.

And yet ...

Slaf is awesome. One thing everyone agrees is that he's putting in an insane amount of work to become "the man" (his words) in Montreal.

I apologized in our Slaf thread for doing this!

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

You have far to generous a definition of unicorn.

If you want to consider Slaf. Then Kreider, Tkachuk, Kopitar, Byfield, Ovechkin, Paul, Voronkov, Mantha, PLD, Dubois, Foligno, Protas, Maroon, and McCarron also are, For me that is just too many players.If the league has over a dozen players fitting into a category, they aren't unicorns.

Half of the players on your list are bottom 6 players, which doesn't fit what I mentioned.

 

[Korpse]

Always good to see young talent starting to produce but I'm not convinced he is ready to take that next step yet. 7G 14P in 19GP but 30SOG. Shot production will improve before the production becomes consistent.

 

[klefbombs shoulder]

Half of the players on your list are bottom 6 players, which doesn't fit what I mentioned.

They all have comparable production to Slaf.

 

[Shark Finn]

The talk around this guy is so funny all around. Some players take more than a dozen NHL games to fit in, even if they go 1st overall.

 

[Beezeral]

pretty early for a victory lap, but go off I guess

 

[GrandBison]

They all have comparable production to Slaf.

Are you saying McCarron and Slafkovsky are comparable players?

 

[wetcoast]

He might not ever be the offensive juggernaut that other first overalls were, but he’s still going to be a good player. The bust talk about an 18-year-old was nonsense.

Sure but part of him being the first overall thanks was his NHL readiness compared to the rest of the draft class

But maybe Slaf is Slovak for Laf eh?

 

[Goon42]

He's on pace for 36 points lol

 

[klefbombs shoulder]

He's on pace for 36 points lol

Hes a unicorn. Do you know how many 6 foot 4 guys can get 36 points?

 

[NVious]

>Worst #1 overall ever
>3 months later unicorn
>3 years ever GOAT
>30 years ever, nobody even cares about Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Magnus Carlsen, Novak Djokovic, Tom Brady because Juraj Slavkovsky has destroyed every record in every sport
>50 years later Juraj Slavkovsky is declared God Emperor of the universe ushering in a galactic peaceful utopia which he rules with an iron but fair fist (All part of the Bergeplan btw)

 

[klefbombs shoulder]

Are you saying McCarron and Slafkovsky are comparable players?

Ive been told Slafs a unicorn due to his size and skill. MaCarron is of similar size and has similar production. I guess they are both unicorns?

 

[Canadienna]

Sure but part of him being the first overall thanks was his NHL readiness compared to the rest of the draft class

But maybe Slaf is Slovak for Laf eh?

According to you maybe, but Habs management was pretty clear they didn't pick the guy they thought would be the best 18 year old, but the best 25 year old.

I don't think any of the top picks are taking victory laps, but the fact remains that a draft pick that Kent Hughes got roasted for is turning out nicely so far.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Ive been told Slafs a unicorn due to his size and skill. MaCarron is of similar size and has similar production. I guess they are both unicorns?

So you believe McCarron has the same level of talent as Slaf?

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

You talk in circles Whiskey. You cherry pick certain stats to make a particular argument, and then use a different stat to make another argument, forgetting that your newest stat may contradict the previous stat. What is it... PPG or primary points that count? or......is the PPG argument only applied to Slaf when arguing against all categories of players, and when arguing Slaf against other forwards we use primary points only?

In what world are primary points and total points contradictory?

 

[GrandBison]

Ive been told Slafs a unicorn due to his size and skill. MaCarron is of similar size and has similar production. I guess they are both unicorns?

Same for McDavid and JT Miller, right?

 

[weastern bias]

The term "Unicorn" is getting thrown around a lot now and its losing its mythical-ness, We need a new creature to call players!

Cyclops? Sphinx? Mermaid? Pheonix? Chimera?