Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[beowulf]

It has nothing to do with Wright.

Many just didn't want Slaf no matter who we drafted. You're the one doing revisionism by again ignoring this big segment and making it about Wright.

And FWIW, Wright is doing fine right now.

If he though? He was supposed to go first overall and there was so much hype and he is in the AHL with 6 pts in 6 games being outscored by 5th round pick Joshua Roy from the Habs.

How would Slaf look in the AHL right now? I think that is where he should be.

The signs were there especially with his 10 point season in Finland. Kotkaneimi had 29 points in the same league at the same age.
The biggest issue is why they are keeping this kid in the NHL when he is clearly not ready

Maybe he is a slow developer at this level? I mean KK was rushed to the NHL also by the Habs and is only 23 but has 330 games already. He started looking better last year and is now producing with 10 pts in 11 games this year.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

If he though? He was supposed to go first overall and there was so much hype and he is in the AHL with 6 pts in 6 games being outscored by 5th round pick Joshua Roy from the Habs.

How would Slaf look in the AHL right now? I think that is where he should be.


Maybe he is a slow developer at this level? I mean KK was rushed to the NHL also by the Habs and is only 23 but has 330 games already. He started looking better last year and is now producing with 10 pts in 11 games this year.

I don't see what Roy has to do with Wright. Wright's development seems back on track, for now, and that's all that matters for a pick.

I've been advocating for the AHL for Slaf since he got drafted.

 

[Tyson]

If he though? He was supposed to go first overall and there was so much hype and he is in the AHL with 6 pts in 6 games being outscored by 5th round pick Joshua Roy from the Habs.

How would Slaf look in the AHL right now? I think that is where he should be.


Maybe he is a slow developer at this level? I mean KK was rushed to the NHL also by the Habs and is only 23 but has 330 games already. He started looking better last year and is now producing with 10 pts in 11 games this year.

I like Slaf and I feel bad on how he is being developed. I have been one of those fans who really believes in the competence and vision of this new management team but honestly, that is starting to change with how they are handling this kid.
Not only isn't he ready but they couldn't put him on a line with 2 worse players.

What does management do now?

 

[Hannibal]

RHP injury sucks but it might wake them up and try him with Suzuki and Caufield. Anything but to free him from the two brain dead speedsters.

 

[Tuggy]

Even the Coyotes dunking on us...

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

RHP injury sucks but it might wake them up and try him with Suzuki and Caufield. Anything but to free him from the two brain dead speedsters.

Yeah they will do anything but send the kid down right , embarrassing.

 

[NORiculous]

The Slafkovsky pick had a lot of arguments for, given how weak the 2022 draft was.

But Reinbacher over Michkov, they won't be forgiven if it doesn't work out.

Ironically… they picked him to take the safe approche. Imagine busting the first two top picks… would be more than real bad.

The thing that is even more worrisome about the Reinbacher pick is that they were unanimous, and proud about it. (Imbecile heureux?)

What kind of a shit scouting team unanimously wants the same guy… while he is not unanimous by all other pro scouting teams… while passing on a guy that has the potential of carrying a team.

It’s not that Reinbacher will be a bad player… but it shows a huge lack of peripheral vision. It is very disappointing, specially when we see how Michkov is confirming his talent lvl in the KHL.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

RHP injury sucks but it might wake them up and try him with Suzuki and Caufield. Anything but to free him from the two brain dead speedsters.

Slaf is far more braindead than Newhook

 

[NORiculous]

Big guys take time. Tons of example.

Recent example is Byfield. Watched LA-Ottawa games yesterday and he’s starting to find his groove and be a very good hockey player and still blossoming.

Yes but he spent time in the AHL and that is what the majority here are complaining about: Slafkovsky should be in the AHL.

 

[FrankMTL]

Any chance he gets sent down to the AHL once Dvorak is back?

 

[Hoochi Papa]

Another great showing where Slafmieux honed his all around game. I guess my Lindros-comparison wasn't far-off at all. Three hits on the stat line tells more than eye-tests blurred by hate - Juramir was throwing bodies and giving Coyotes the ole sand paper routine.

He's about to figure out the benefits of being huge. Once prospect whisperer Dvorak returns, he could unlock the cheat code and put Slaf on God-mode.

 

[Colezuki]

Any chance he gets sent down to the AHL once Dvorak is back?

Id actually like to see them try Monahan on that line when DVO is back. Especially with RHP hurt,

Something like

Caufield-Suzuki-Anderson
Newhook - Monahan - Slaf
Pearson - DVO - Gallagher

The rest, slaf and Newhook looked there best when they we're playing with Dach, maybe this will reignite that spark

 

[Lshap]

No revisionist history. I was here everyday in the months before the draft. We were MANY who didn't want Slaf. Whether those wanted Cooley or Nemec or Wright or Santa Claus DOESN'T matter one bit.

The point remains that MANY did not want Slaf. Deal with it.

Who gives a crap about the pithy opinions of HF posters when it comes to drafting kids? I don't get the need for people here to bark out, "I was right! You were wrong!", or (my favourite) the dumb-as-nails "Defender"/"Hater" tags some people throw at each other. Seriously? It's like revisiting high-school. I'm not impressed because someone on this board guessed better than someone else.

I get that we're all pissed/frustrated at Slaf's lack of progress. I certainly am. But rather than eat each other, we should direct our anger where it belongs: Our scouts. If we're still venting about Slafkovsky in February and March, then we may have to face the fact that our scouts f***ed up a huge opportunity and potentially torpedoed our big rebuild.

The only thing I'll call us out on is the excuse that other teams also passed on this or that guy. I'm tired of hearing that crap - reminds me of my kids telling me they failed the exam... but three other kids did too, so no big deal. We should expect our team to operate at the top level, not excuse failure by comparing ourselves to the lowest level.

Most of this isn't directed at you, by the way... it's just a general rant.

 

[Gustave]

Slaf is far more braindead than Newhook

AGAIN with the change in username???

 

[beowulf]

I don't see what Roy has to do with Wright. Wright's development seems back on track, for now, and that's all that matters for a pick.

I've been advocating for the AHL for Slaf since he got drafted.

And I don't see what Wright has to do with slaf. Slafs development should be in the AHL right now but he does not make that decision and a 19 year old kid wants to be in the NHL even if not the best thing down the road. Slamming Slaf is dumb.

 

[NORiculous]

After Tourigny, Craig Button adds some (for what it’s worth) :

“I don’t think he should have been in the NHL last year and I don’t think he should be in the NHL this year,” said TSN analyst and former NHL GM Craig Button. “He’s not ready for the league. He’s not ready to perform in the league. He’s not able to impact the game. There’s nothing negative about that. It’s just reality. Forget about him having success. He’s in the middle of deep water, just trying to hang on.”

Slafkovský’s struggles have led many Canadiens fans to call for his demotion to the American Hockey League, but to date, the organization has remained steadfast in its belief that he belongs in the NHL. That belief baffles Button.

“NHL teams fail players way more than players fail on their own, and the Montréal Canadiens have not set Juraj up for success,” he said. “He’s a day late and a dollar short everywhere so the idea that he can somehow develop in the NHL is puzzling, to say the least.

“They’re failing him. It’s a lesson that somehow hasn’t been learned.”

Slafkovský a cautionary tale Coyotes avoided with Cooley

Juraj Slafkovský's story should sound familiar to Coyotes fans. Taken first overall at the 2022 NHL Draft, Slafkovský made the Montréal Canadiens

gophnx.com

 

[FrankMTL]

Who gives a crap about the pithy opinions of HF posters when it comes to drafting kids? I don't get the need for people here to bark out, "I was right! You were wrong!", or (my favourite) the dumb-as-nails "Defender"/"Hater" tags some people throw at each other. Seriously? It's like revisiting high-school. I'm not impressed because someone on this board guessed better than someone else.

I get that we're all pissed/frustrated at Slaf's lack of progress. I certainly am. But rather than eat each other, we should direct our anger where it belongs: Our scouts. If we're still venting about Slafkovsky in February and March, then we may have to face the fact that our scouts f***ed up a huge opportunity and potentially torpedoed our big rebuild.

The only thing I'll call us out on is the excuse that other teams also passed on this or that guy. I'm tired of hearing that crap - reminds me of my kids telling me they failed the exam... but three other kids did too, so no big deal. We should expect our team to operate at the top level, not excuse failure by comparing ourselves to the lowest level.

Most of this isn't directed at you, by the way... it's just a general rant.

I mean Slaf isn't a lost cause, just like Kotkaniemi wasn't a lost cause, however, I think much more is expected of a 1st overall pick. Blame it on the scouts or blame it on the management who rushed him, but a few people f***ed up along the way. I'm just waiting to see when one of them will break and admit that it's not working at the moment.

 

[bcv]

After Tourigny, Craig Button adds some (for what it’s worth) :

“I don’t think he should have been in the NHL last year and I don’t think he should be in the NHL this year,” said TSN analyst and former NHL GM Craig Button. “He’s not ready for the league. He’s not ready to perform in the league. He’s not able to impact the game. There’s nothing negative about that. It’s just reality. Forget about him having success. He’s in the middle of deep water, just trying to hang on.”

Slafkovský’s struggles have led many Canadiens fans to call for his demotion to the American Hockey League, but to date, the organization has remained steadfast in its belief that he belongs in the NHL. That belief baffles Button.

“NHL teams fail players way more than players fail on their own, and the Montréal Canadiens have not set Juraj up for success,” he said. “He’s a day late and a dollar short everywhere so the idea that he can somehow develop in the NHL is puzzling, to say the least.

“They’re failing him. It’s a lesson that somehow hasn’t been learned.”

Slafkovský a cautionary tale Coyotes avoided with Cooley

Juraj Slafkovský's story should sound familiar to Coyotes fans. Taken first overall at the 2022 NHL Draft, Slafkovský made the Montréal Canadiens

gophnx.com

I'm glad big media is starting to get on the Slaf to the AHL bandwagon. Hopefully HuGo feels more presure about their decisions with Slaf and take corrective actions real fast.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Who gives a crap about the pithy opinions of HF posters when it comes to drafting kids? I don't get the need for people here to bark out, "I was right! You were wrong!", or (my favourite) the dumb-as-nails "Defender"/"Hater" tags some people throw at each other. Seriously? It's like revisiting high-school. I'm not impressed because someone on this board guessed better than someone else.

I get that we're all pissed/frustrated at Slaf's lack of progress. I certainly am. But rather than eat each other, we should direct our anger where it belongs: Our scouts. If we're still venting about Slafkovsky in February and March, then we may have to face the fact that our scouts f***ed up a huge opportunity and potentially torpedoed our big rebuild.

The only thing I'll call us out on is the excuse that other teams also passed on this or that guy. I'm tired of hearing that crap - reminds me of my kids telling me they failed the exam... but three other kids did too, so no big deal. We should expect our team to operate at the top level, not excuse failure by comparing ourselves to the lowest level.

Most of this isn't directed at you, by the way... it's just a general rant.

I'm actually okay with the Habs passing on Cooley because I'm confident on the reasons why they passed on him. Camera shy "Cool"ey would've cracked in Montreal.

I didn't want Slaf, because I saw as big a red flag on Slaf as I did on Cooley. The one guy who had fewer flags was Nemec and I was pissed on draft day when it came out Habs had singled out Wright, Slaf and Cooley. I've been slowly tilting against HuGo since, but more against Gorton than Hughes. If our rebuild is being cratered, it will be because of the scouting hires and that seems to squarely land on Gorton.

AGAIN with the change in username???

At least my old name's there now

No more confusion

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

And I don't see what Wright has to do with slaf. Slafs development should be in the AHL right now but he does not make that decision and a 19 year old kid wants to be in the NHL even if not the best thing down the road. Slamming Slaf is dumb.

I'm not slamming Slaf. I'm slamming mngnt. Never liked Slaf as a pick anyway.

Again, I've been advocating for Slaf to be in the AHL since he's been drafted, no matter if I don't like the pick.

 

[Yasuo]

It’s been ten games.

He’s not better than last year, don’t delude yourself. The emperor does not have new clothes.

Last year was a mistake + a waste. This year is downright embarrassing. 1OA on pace for a 8pt season in his D+2.

If you don’t want to accept last year was a catastrophic mistake that’s perfectly fine with me but you don’t get to call any of the rest of us “haters” because we were prescient and aware enough to see what was going on.

Slaf was my only DND and it was because of his Liiga play. Turns out you shouldn’t waste valuable draft picks on players who can’t produce in their draft year. Wanna gamble on a “project”? Do it with a 2nd round pick not the 1OA.

Kent Hughes has majorly derailed our rebuild. Between not trading away Josh Anderson and his trade for Newhook and rushing Slafkovsky I feel like Hughes doesn’t have a single clue what he wants to accomplish and how. Another GM with a foxhole and no clue.

The producing part depend on the league he's on. If he was in the KHl 10 points in 30 games wouldn't be that bad

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Who gives a crap about the pithy opinions of HF posters when it comes to drafting kids? I don't get the need for people here to bark out, "I was right! You were wrong!", or (my favourite) the dumb-as-nails "Defender"/"Hater" tags some people throw at each other. Seriously? It's like revisiting high-school. I'm not impressed because someone on this board guessed better than someone else.

I get that we're all pissed/frustrated at Slaf's lack of progress. I certainly am. But rather than eat each other, we should direct our anger where it belongs: Our scouts. If we're still venting about Slafkovsky in February and March, then we may have to face the fact that our scouts f***ed up a huge opportunity and potentially torpedoed our big rebuild.

The only thing I'll call us out on is the excuse that other teams also passed on this or that guy. I'm tired of hearing that crap - reminds me of my kids telling me they failed the exam... but three other kids did too, so no big deal. We should expect our team to operate at the top level, not excuse failure by comparing ourselves to the lowest level.

Most of this isn't directed at you, by the way... it's just a general rant.

Or maybe we drafted the right guy. I don’t know. What I do know is that I don’t like how he’s being developed.

 

[Lshap]

I mean Slaf isn't a lost cause, just like Kotkaniemi wasn't a lost cause, however, I think much more is expected of a 1st overall pick. Blame it on the scouts or blame it on the management who rushed him, but a few people f***ed up along the way. I waiting to see when one of them will break and admit that it's not working at the moment.

You're right, and in my saner moments I know the kid has a lot of runway left. But wouldn't it be nice to know we picked the best player, instead of cuddling with the teams that picked the wrong player? Sure, fast-forward a couple of years and Slaf may turn out to be the right guy, but right now he obviously needs to be shifted somewhere else. I don't think the top line is for him (nor is it fair to Suzuki and Caufield), so the logical move is the AHL. Management has to do... something... other than deny the need to do... something.

Speaking of runways, this Bobrov dude better liftoff soon or his reputation will crash and burn. Don't know what he did to earn his position, but he was given two lob-ball drafts and absolutely cannot whiff on them.

 

[Lshap]

Or maybe we drafted the right guy. I don’t know. What I do know is that I don’t like how he’s being developed.

Is there anyone on our board who disagrees with this? Plenty of us aren't ready to give up on a 19-year-old with 50 NHL games under his belt, but I think we all see he's struggling. Whatever management is doing isn't working. Move him up, move him down, have him do the hokey-pokey; the one unforgivable move is doing nothing.

"The kid can't swim, but let him thrash around in the deep end for another hour and see if he figures it out" – Said no one ever.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

The producing part depend on the league he's on. If he was in the KHl 10 points in 30 games wouldn't be that bad

Not sure about that. I'd expect more production than that in the KHL. Michkov is a year younger and is almost PPG. Forget almost PPG, Michkov has 8 goals in 18 games, so yeah, not that I'd expect Michkov-level production, but 10 points in 30 games wouldn't cut it for me personally.