Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[calder candidate]

Matheson just seem to have the worst luck on this trip puck skipping over is blade or losing a edge at the worst time… with all the minute he is getting already I think someone else should get the 1st PP.

 

[Whitesnake]

Woah!

Let’s not burn the kid.

I have him in Laval. Him scoring doesn't change my mind one bit. BUT....they don't want to. SO, if it's all in, you go all in.

 

[River Meadow]

I'm glad he scored.

It's one thing if it's just us ribbing on him but now TSN/THN, fans of other fanbases, etc... all wanna start doing this...

That's not acceptable.

Hopefully he keeps it up.

 

[Guess]

What I saw in his game was that he was compensating for his issues with his size. He was not making good decisions - he was brute forcing plays that should not have succeeded, but that he got away with due to his size and strength. I guess you could say that he wasn't playing "the right way", and it felt like he struggled to play as a part of the system.

This actually was prevalent throughout his junior career. He had some skill in terms of stickhandling and whatnot, but either way, I always got the sense of him just doing whatever he felt like doing, because he could get away with it.

It would have been great for coaching to address it while he was still in juniors, but they didn't. Not until Liiga, that is. In Liiga, he actually couldn't get away with doing stuff like that, since in Liiga, the players are used to dealing with players stronger than them, and he struggled as a result. The coaching did notice this as well, but he didn't really seem to adapt. Could never properly play as a part of the system.

Internationally, he actually did great that season. Why is that? My theory is that in internationals, the games in general are lacking in structure, since the teams are essentially ragtag squads where the players have been together for just a short while, and that's the type of an environment where this kind of play can work.

But in Liiga, he still kept struggling, even when he received opportunities well beyond what he would have deserved. They tried him giving him ice time, spots on the top lines etc. and he just couldn't deliver. It's not a case of them somehow arbitrarily giving him no chance.

Of course, I did not think that he should have been picked 1st overall, but even if you make the decision, then there's no way one should have thought that he's ready for the NHL, assuming they had watched him play in Liiga.

Since Liiga is not available in North America, I always feel like the scouting for this league is pretty flawed, and appears to mostly consist of box score watching, and international games. Hopefully, they didn't base their decision solely on international performances.

God, if true this is terrifying for us fans. No point even wanting a tank if you can't draft.

 

[nhlfan9191]

View attachment 763223

Trying to hear all the negative comments about Slaf tonight, I seem to be deaf.

Have you not learned anything after the first game of the season?

 

[SlafySZN]

Have you not learned anything after the first game of the season?

So people can pick on every little things about his game when it’s negative it’s not too quick but him having a good game shouldn’t be highlighted too loudly?

 

[River Meadow]

Have you not learned anything after the first game of the season?

Because Slaf scored tonight it means he's the best.

Duh.

 

[nhlfan9191]

So people can pick on every little things about his game when it’s negative it’s not too quick but him having a good game shouldn’t be highlighted too loudly?

He scored a really ugly goal tonight. The only point of my post is to say just put down the crow until Slafkovsky actually turns it around.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

So people can pick on every little things about his game when it’s negative it’s not too quick but him having a good game shouldn’t be highlighted too loudly?

Lol yeah if we're all being honest, when he's played with a good centre this year, he's been solid. When he's been with Newhook at centre, he's looked bad. We need more proof that there is a causation more than correlation but the evidence is there

 

[SlafySZN]

He scored a really ugly goal tonight. The only point of my post is to say just put down the crow until Slafkovsky actually turns it around.

god you’re hard to please.

There’s clearly some bias in that affirmation because nothing about that goal is ugly let alone ‘’really ugly’’.

 

[Skip Bayless]

On Slafkovsky in Finland, I followed him on TPS ever since he arrived. The whole time through I was lower on him than the scouts' rankings(I remember he was top 5 already in 19-20), and the reason for that was pretty much the same.

What I saw in his game was that he was compensating for his issues with his size. He was not making good decisions - he was brute forcing plays that should not have succeeded, but that he got away with due to his size and strength. I guess you could say that he wasn't playing "the right way", and it felt like he struggled to play as a part of the system.

This actually was prevalent throughout his junior career. He had some skill in terms of stickhandling and whatnot, but either way, I always got the sense of him just doing whatever he felt like doing, because he could get away with it.

It would have been great for coaching to address it while he was still in juniors, but they didn't. Not until Liiga, that is. In Liiga, he actually couldn't get away with doing stuff like that, since in Liiga, the players are used to dealing with players stronger than them, and he struggled as a result. The coaching did notice this as well, but he didn't really seem to adapt. Could never properly play as a part of the system.

Internationally, he actually did great that season. Why is that? My theory is that in internationals, the games in general are lacking in structure, since the teams are essentially ragtag squads where the players have been together for just a short while, and that's the type of an environment where this kind of play can work.

But in Liiga, he still kept struggling, even when he received opportunities well beyond what he would have deserved. They tried him giving him ice time, spots on the top lines etc. and he just couldn't deliver. It's not a case of them somehow arbitrarily giving him no chance.

Of course, I did not think that he should have been picked 1st overall, but even if you make the decision, then there's no way one should have thought that he's ready for the NHL, assuming they had watched him play in Liiga.

Since Liiga is not available in North America, I always feel like the scouting for this league is pretty flawed, and appears to mostly consist of box score watching, and international games. Hopefully, they didn't base their decision solely on international performances.

Great post.

As raw as he is, I do believe the habs knew exactly what they were getting into with the Slafkovsky project.

The current technical staff seems to be built like a hockey school, MSL being the main pedagogue with a more technical/trend spotting staff around him.

I think this is why they want to keep him in Montreal; To fully control his development.

The biggest challenge is to manage his confidence through it. Because Slaf can't escape the pressure of producing while playing in the NHL.

 

[nhlfan9191]

god you’re hard to please.

There’s clearly some bias in that affirmation because nothing about that goal is ugly let alone ‘’really ugly’’.

Hard to please? People around here were acting like Slafkovsky scored his 40th goal after 1 good game at the beginning of the season and I’m out of control for calling out an obnoxious poster saying that “Slaf haters” are quiet because he scored a greasy goal? Give me a break. This isn’t the time to be trying to feed people crow.

 

[LesCanadiens]

He scored a really ugly goal tonight. The only point of my post is to say just put down the crow until Slafkovsky actually turns it around.

This is the problem. Many of us don't think there is anything to "turn around". We think he's played decent in general. Just not showing on the scoreboard. And it seems those much more qualified than any of us seem to be in agreement. Inconsistency and ups and downs are expected for a 19 year old. Those that scream he has lower output than other D+2 1OA picks, also conveniently leave out the part where he missed a large part of last season to injury.

 

[Habssince89]

Goal wasn't incredible but it wasn't ugly.

I like slaf on the RW. He feels comfortable to make more plays from that area

 

[nhlfan9191]

This is the problem. Many of us don't think there is anything to "turn around". We think he's played decent in general. Just not showing on the scoreboard. And it seems those much more qualified than any of us seem to be in agreement. Inconsistency and ups and downs are expected for a 19 year old. Those that scream he has lower output than other D+2 1OA picks, also conveniently leave out the part where he missed a large part of last season to injury.

You aren’t living in reality if you thought that was decent and didn’t think there was something to turn around.

 

[SlafySZN]

Hard to please? People around here were acting like Slafkovsky scored his 40th goal after 1 good game at the beginning of the season and I’m out of control for calling out an obnoxious poster saying that “Slaf haters” are quiet because he scored a greasy goal? Give me a break. This isn’t the time to be trying to feed people crow.

That wasn’t a greasy goal. But i guess the definition is changing depending on the argument.

And the same posters are here everyday making the same negative comments over and over again but some positive after a good game is a problem.

I can guarantee those same people who liked your comment would’ve gladly wrote some negative comments on here tonight as quick as they were after his first ‘’bad’’ game but now it’s pretty calm out here.

 

[LesCanadiens]

You aren’t living in reality if you thought that was decent and didn’t think there was something to turn around.

Naw...more like you haven't been paying attention. Simpleton stat-staring at it's finest. And I guess Marty St.Louis is also not living in reality like the illustrious nhlfan9191 of internet fame.

 

[nhlfan9191]

That wasn’t a greasy goal. But i guess the definition is changing depending on the argument.

And the same posters are here everyday making the same negative comments over and over again but some positive after a good game is a problem.

I can guarantee those same people who liked your comment would’ve gladly wrote some negative comments on here tonight as quick as they were after his first ‘’bad’’ game but now it’s pretty calm out here.

He flipped a rolling puck into the net. I don’t know what reaction you’re expecting to get on a goal like that. And I didn’t respond to someone making a positive comment. I responded to someone who was calling all concerned fans “haters.” There’s reasons to be concerned at this point.

 

[Twisted Sinister]

Bobrov fell in love with Slafkovsky. This isn't what rational decision making sounds like. Bobrov's read on his play in Finland is particularly bad, especially as he went on to say that Juraj had learned everything that Finland had to teach him. Nonsense.

Further illustrating my hypothesis that Bobrov is a slick-sounding moron and nothing else.

Yup he's right, this pick and especially this speech, will both go down in history, but not how Bozobrov is picturing it.

Bobrov sounds like another Bergevin. Another dimwit who climbed the hockey ladder through personal relations and dysfunctional cronyism.

He really thinks he's Kevin Costner.

Yup he's right, this pick and especially this speech, will both go down in history, but not how Bozobrov is picturing it.

Bobrov sounds like another Bergevin. Another dimwit who climbed the hockey ladder through personal relations and dysfunctional cronyism.

He really thinks he's Kevin Costner.

I swear, I thought I was taking crazy pills when I was saying stuff like this after the video was released and everyone was telling me I was exaggerating. Gotta say I feel a bit vindicated

 

[MasterD]

Lol yeah if we're all being honest, when he's played with a good centre this year, he's been solid. When he's been with Newhook at centre, he's looked bad. We need more proof that there is a causation more than correlation but the evidence is there

He's a #1 pick. In a weak draft, but a #1 pick. And has a crazy physique. He should be able to look alright even with an average center. He shoots wide all the time (including on Suzuki's goal) and his goal tonight was actually a missed shot on the goalie's shoulder that went in.

I'm not saying he's a bust, but there's tons of work to do, and him scoring tonight doesn't change that fact. He should be in Laval, get some confidence.

 

[MasterD]

Something has to be said though:

1) Plays with Monahan : Looks good
2) Plays with Dach : Looks good
3) Plays with Suzuki : So far so good
4) Plays with Dvorak : Shit
5) Plays with Newhook : Shit
6) Plays with Ev--

Say no mo' fam

What are you saying? Our #1 pick needs to be carried? Is he a bigger Anderson?

 

[SlafySZN]

He flipped a rolling puck into the net. I don’t know what reaction you’re expecting to get on a goal like that. And I didn’t respond to someone making a positive comment. I responded to someone who was calling all concerned fans “haters.” There’s reasons to be concerned at this point.

You’re the one who bring up the goal to lessen it in the first place, i didn’t expect anything.

People who camp in this thread over analyzing every small things and having no problem underlining every negative things they can find but can’t point out the positive when there is are probably ‘’haters’’, yes.

 

[MasterD]

Eh, you haven’t seen the goal and the complete play. Not how it happened.

I'm curious, since we often have similar opinions. How would you describe that goal?

He was left alone to drive the net, yet I'd say the goalie was weak on the short side, and Slaf whiffed on his shot which his the goalie's shoulder, but puck still ended in the net.

 

[Twisted Sinister]

I was going to post that tweet and then create a bingo card with all the stupidities Bobrov says to support his opinions. Could he have been any more vague?

You could tell Bobrov is a space cadet just by the way he rests his glasses on his forehead. What the hell is that about.

Yes please

 

[nhlfan9191]

You’re the one who bring up the goal to lessen it in the first place, i didn’t expect anything.

People who camp in this thread over analyzing every small things and having no problem underlining every negative things they can find but can’t point out the positive when there is are probably ‘’haters’’, yes.

I didn’t bring up the goal. I responded to a poster who was using the goal to try and insult a large portion of the fanbase who isn’t satisfied with the play of Slafkovsky and you got upset and tried to intervene. He’s statistically been a mess and he hasn’t been easy on the eyes up until this point either. Nobody should be afraid to give their opinion in this thread in fear they’ll be labeled as a hater by one of the cheerleaders that hang out here all the time like yourself.