Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[Sorinth]

I mean maybe his confidence is so shot we don't even recognize the actual player right now. But this whole NHL experiment with him has to end for now. If only for the fact that there has to be way more deserving players to take his spot.

"now you will go to sleep, or I will put you to sleep"

I think generally speaking confidence is a hard thing to judge when watching the game on TV. So there's the assumption that Slaf's has lost his confidence because he's not producing and not producing leads to a loss of confidence but it's rarely that straightforward. It's certainly possible he's lost or is losing confidence and it's certainly something management has to keep a close eye on, but it's equally possible that it's just the normal growing pains of learning to play in the NHL.

 

[Kennerback]

He is a polarizing talent. It is quite rare to have such diverging opinions on a player. Especially regarding IQ, evaluations ranged from low to elite. The consensus of scouts had him at 1OA and anyway top 5 but consensus usually lead to herding behaviour.

I have a very schizophrenic attitude on him. He’s the perfect example of the tools without the toolbox. He has the package of a massive skilled forward. All his individual skills are good enough to succeed.

But every last drop of testosterone is used up when he doesn’t have the puck. When he gets the puck he has the drive, will and aggression to score of an 80 year old man.

IQ is relative when that offensive drive is absent.

 

[Shawnathon]

He is a polarizing talent. It is quite rare to have such diverging opinions on a player. Especially regarding IQ, evaluations ranged from low to elite. The consensus of scouts had him at 1OA and anyway top 5 but consensus usually lead to herding behaviour.

We were screwed the moment Bob Mackenzies list was released. Overrated because of small samples in tournaments. Look at any of those tournaments over the years and you see random nobodies overachieving in them all the time. But people want to make it out like 6 points in his last 10 Liiga games was an example of him being some stud. Notice the pattern. “His last 10 Ligga games” “7 games in the Olympics.” Etc. All of his best play is scattered over small samples and it made for an awful selection. We were better off losing the lottery.

 

[Sorinth]

We were screwed the moment Bob Mackenzies list was released. Overrated because of small samples in tournaments. Look at any of those tournaments over the years and you see random nobodies overachieving in them all the time. But people want to make it out like 6 points in his last 10 Liiga games was an example of him being some stud. Notice the pattern. “His last 10 Ligga games” “7 games in the Olympics.” Etc. All of his best play is scattered over small samples and it made for an awful selection. We were better off losing the lottery.

The funny thing is your doing the exact same thing except out of the 80+ games he played in his draft year your focused on the first 20 Liiga games where he struggled and want to ignore the 60+ games where he played very well.

 

[Shawnathon]

The funny thing is your doing the exact same thing except out of the 80+ games he played in his draft year your focused on the first 20 Liiga games where he struggled and want to ignore the 60+ games where he played very well.

He played well in 22 pro games across Liiga, Olympics, and WC. He stunk the other 21. Those are the only games that mattered unless you’re including a league that wouldn’t get a player anywhere near being a first round selection, much less 1st overall.

 

[OnTheRun]

We were screwed the moment Bob Mackenzies list was released. Overrated because of small samples in tournaments. Look at any of those tournaments over the years and you see random nobodies overachieving in them all the time. But people want to make it out like 6 points in his last 10 Liiga games was an example of him being some stud. Notice the pattern. “His last 10 Ligga games” “7 games in the Olympics.” Etc. All of his best play is scattered over small samples and it made for an awful selection. We were better off losing the lottery.

ITT: People discover that what you do or don't do in your D-0 will affect your draft rank.

For THREE years the 2022 draft was the Shane Wright's draft, until it wasn't.
And now you have to wait until his D+5 to see if that selection was awful or not.

 

[Sorinth]

He played well in 22 pro games across Liiga, Olympics, and WC. He stunk the other 21. Those are the only games that mattered unless you’re including a league that wouldn’t get a player anywhere near being a first round selection, much less 1st overall.

Out of morbid curiosity how did you come up with 22 games of playing well?

 

[Koivu11]

Never seen a team so stubborn to send a player down. What the hell is going on?

Reporters need to press Kent on it next time he talks to the media.

 

[Final Baton]

On the french broadcast, someone sais that Caufield "constantly wants to make a difference, and is not afraid to fail".

That's the complete opposite mindset of Slaf : he doesn't thrive to be a difference-maker and he's scared of failing!

 

[Shawnathon]

Out of morbid curiosity how did you come up with 22 games of playing well?

I think I’m being nice saying 22 good games. I took the last 10 Liiga games he did something actually worth paying attention too and added the international tournament games and combined them.

 

[cave troll]

Kid was lost in time and space when he served the third Jets goal.
He was lucky they didn't convert more of his giveaways.

 

[Kennerback]

The funny thing is your doing the exact same thing except out of the 80+ games he played in his draft year your focused on the first 20 Liiga games where he struggled and want to ignore the 60+ games where he played very well.

The fact Slovak coach Ramsey had to repeatedly give him a swift kick in the ass to shoot and try to score was a positive to me early on. Maybe he had untapped potential? Now it’s a very ominous sign.

He can’t have MSL remind him before every single shift that the object of hockey is to score more goals than the other team.

 

[Jaynki]

Y'all are crazy goof.

Jonathan Bernier just had an article on LaPresse stating improvement from last year based on numbers from SportLogiq. Slafkovsky is even 1st in some offensive categories. (Chance created in the offensive cycle.) If he had like 2-3 points more the perception would be totally different even if he played at his current levels. He had himself breakaways, 2on1 and he positioned himself for good shot but he passed it. I mean we are all eager to see him produce and we all see the turnovers and the brain fart but the team is 5-2-1 and he has been way more of a positive contributor than the opposite. He is not improving at the pace we would like and he is disapointing for a 1st overall right now, sure, but lets pump the brake a bit. The framework for a very good player is still intact.

 

[OnTheRun]

On the french broadcast, someone sais that Caufield "constantly wants to make a difference, and is not afraid to fail".

That's the complete opposite mindset of Slaf : he doesn't thrive to be a difference-maker and he's scared of failing!

That just opportunistic, that kind of fortune cookie wisdom wasn't available to them when Caufield had 8 points in 30 games.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Y'all are crazy goof.

Jonathan Bernier just had an article on LaPresse stating improvement from last year based on numbers from SportLogiq. Slafkovsky is even 1st in some offensive categories. (Chance created in the offensive cycle.) If he had like 2-3 points more the perception would be totally different even if he played at his current levels. He had himself breakaways, 2on1 and he positioned himself for good shot but he passed it. I mean we are all eager to see him produce and we all see the turnovers and the brain fart but the team is 5-2-1 and he has been way more of a positive contributor than the opposite. He is not improving at the pace we would like and he is disapointing for a 1st overall right now, sure, but lets pump the brake a bit. The framework for a very good player is still intact.

A lot of us aren't he's a bust and whatnot, it's he's got no confidence and he isn't the smartest when it comes to play in the defensive zone.

Yeah, young players will struggle with that, but Slaf, really struggles. You see it he has had many times where he'd get the puck and have no idea, or no confidence to make a play.

His natural size and skill can allow for this indecision part where he can take his time to decide and start scoring. Hopefully that would get his brain moving faster than it is.


The main benefit so far this year is he's well aware of people are going to try and demolish him. He's not getting caught.

 

[cave troll]

I think I’m being nice saying 22 good games. I took the last 10 Liiga games he did something actually worth paying attention too and added the international tournament games and combined them.

International games were an anomaly which fooled our scouts.
He scored 7 goals in 49 Liiga games. Not bad for a kid, but he was nowhere near some scoring prodigy. 2 years passed and he is still around that kind of production with 4 goals in 47 HNL games.
So, he was at 0,35 PPG in Liiga and he is now at 0,23 PPH in NHL.
Lehkonen as an 18 yrs old rookie in Liiga was at 0.67 PPG..almost twice the production Slaf had.

 

[Shawnathon]

International games were an anomaly which fooled our scouts.
He scored 7 goals in 49 Liiga games. Not bad for a kid, but he was nowhere near some scoring prodigy. 2 years passed and he is still around that kind of production with 4 goals in 47 HNL games.
So, he was at 0,35 PPG in Liiga and he is now at 0,23 PPH in NHL.

This is what I’m saying! I’ll get attacked for hating but nothing adds up with this pick which is why I question it when he’s still only a teenager. People are expecting him to become something he never was and never will be.

 

[morhilane]

He can’t have MSL remind him before every single shift that the object of hockey is to score more goals than the other team.

Every time MSL talks about what he coach, he always says he focus on the side without the puck. He also said at the start of the season that he haven't coached Slaf much.

I wouldn't be surprised if they are just letting the kid figure/tries things out on his own.

 

[Jaynki]

A lot of us aren't he's a bust and whatnot, it's he's got no confidence and he isn't the smartest when it comes to play in the defensive zone.

Yeah, young players will struggle with that, but Slaf, really struggles. You see it he has had many times where he'd get the puck and have no idea, or no confidence to make a play.

His natural size and skill can allow for this indecision part where he can take his time to decide and start scoring. Hopefully that would get his brain moving faster than it is.


The main benefit so far this year is he's well aware of people are going to try and demolish him. He's not getting caught.

Has much as he had turnover and confusion, he has had flash of massive skills(the breakaway from Dahlin and the passes he made to Anderson comes to mind) and in some games he also had good defensive and two way plays. He has admitedly been inconsistent.

What i think, and its true for every single prospect of the 2022 draft, the framework for good players is there. Cooley displayed massive skills. Jiricek too. Mainly them and Slaf. There is also Poitras in Boston, a 2nd rounder.

None of them had their breakout yet. Not a single one player from this draft has broke out. They sometimes may just be one small spark from it.

 

[Sorinth]

I think I’m being nice saying 22 good games. I took the last 10 Liiga games he did something actually worth paying attention too and added the international tournament games and combined them.

So we aren't counting his 18 Liiga playoff games which he also played well, and I guess the Hlinka Gretzky Cup which is something that is irrelvant for 1st round picks. Your take is such a weird one.

 

[Shawnathon]

So we aren't counting his 18 Liiga playoff games which he also played well, and I guess the Hlinka Gretzky Cup which is something that is irrelvant for 1st round picks. Your take is such a weird one.

His playoff run was alright but not 1st overall worth. Could not care less about Gretzky cup.

 

[Jaynki]

So we aren't counting his 18 Liiga playoff games which he also played well, and I guess the Hlinka Gretzky Cup which is something that is irrelvant for 1st round picks. Your take is such a weird one.

We will also ignore his D-1 and D-2 where he was performing like a top players in these leagues despite being the youngest.

Slaf was always seen like a top pick for 2022. He did not emerged from the void.

His playoff run was alright but not 1st overall worth. Could not care less about Gretzky cup.

Who is 1st overall worthy in the 2022 draft ?

 

[Shawnathon]

We will also ignore his D-1 and D-2 where he was performing like a top players in these leagues despite being the youngest.

Slaf was always seen like a top pick for 2022. He did not emerged from the void.



Who is 1st overall worthy in the 2022 draft ?

Nemec, Jiricek, and Cooley were all better if you don’t take Wright.

 

[cave troll]

Who is 1st overall worthy in the 2022 draft ?

We all know who isn't....except you.

 

[Sorinth]

The fact Slovak coach Ramsey had to repeatedly give him a swift kick in the ass to shoot and try to score was a positive to me early on. Maybe he had untapped potential? Now it’s a very ominous sign.

He can’t have MSL remind him before every single shift that the object of hockey is to score more goals than the other team.

It's kind of normal for young guys to pass too much and not shoot during their first seasons. So it's certainly an area he needs to work on, but not an area I'm that concerned about right now.