Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[SlafySZN]

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.

That wasn’t a whiffed shot. He kept the puck, waited to be on an angle where he put it over the goalie’s shoulder.

It’s a ridiculous discussion. He scored a good goal and played a pretty good game.

And for your other post, Suzuki and Caufield are not able to make Anderson good when he plays with them, does it mean they’re not good? Why would a kid with 45 NHL games should be supposed to transform Josh Anderson? Any good players who plays with players who doesn’t fit them won’t play at their potential, especially not a rookie. Caufield wasn’t scoring playing with Peohling and Evans, does it mean he’s ‘’carried’’ now?

 

[MasterD]

And for your other post, Suzuki and Caufield are not able to make Anderson good when he plays with them, does it mean they’re not good? Why would a kid with 45 NHL games should be supposed to transform Josh Anderson? Any good players who plays with players who doesn’t fit them won’t play at their potential, especially not a rookie. Caufield wasn’t scoring playing with Peohling and Evans, does it mean he’s ‘’carried’’ now?

Caufield wasn't scoring under Ducharme, no matter who he played with. Confidence? Game plan? Different situation.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Nice goal, IMHO AINEC tbf.

 

[SlafySZN]

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.

There’s people giving their genuine opinion, others it’s pretty easy to see their intentions.

I actually don’t hang around here often because of the over negativity that clouds any rational discussions most of the time.

 

[nhlfan9191]

There’s people giving their genuine opinion, others it’s pretty easy to see their intentions.

I actually don’t hang around here often because of the over negativity that clouds any rational discussions most of the time.

He isn’t giving the fanbase much to be positive about. If you’re looking for positivity, hanging around in a thread about a player whose currently underachieving probably isn’t going to entertain you. We’ll take anything at this point and the goal is a positive for his confidence. But let’s not act like he had a great game and everyone whose criticized his play is eating humble pie because of it. You see 4th line journeymen score goals like that. People want to see the talent that made him worthy of a top 5 pick and he’s shown little to none of that so far. And you aren’t a “hater” for pointing that out.

 

[River Meadow]

He isn’t giving the fanbase much to be positive about. If you’re looking for positivity, hanging around in a thread about a player whose currently underachieving probably isn’t going to entertain you. We’ll take anything at this point and the goal is a positive for his confidence. But let’s not act like he had a great game and everyone whose criticized his play is eating humble pie because of it. You see 4th line journeymen score goals like that. People want to see the talent that made him worthy of a top 5 pick and he’s shown little to none of that. And you aren’t a “hater” for pointing that out.

This.

 

[ReHabs]

He isn’t giving the fanbase much to be positive about. If you’re looking for positivity, hanging around in a thread about a player whose currently underachieving probably isn’t going to entertain you. We’ll take anything at this point and the goal is a positive for his confidence. But let’s not act like he had a great game and everyone whose criticized his play is eating humble pie because of it. You see 4th line journeymen score goals like that. People want to see the talent that made him worthy of a top 5 pick and he’s shown little to none of that so far. And you aren’t a “hater” for pointing that out.

I think his effort level being higher is a good thing. He looked defeated and careless in the previous outings, at least he has a baseline level of athletic pride to show something more than zero. Long may it continue.

They're allowed to gloat, bleat, and sneer imo. These are the rules which we all accept. You can't be negative, critical, or in any way less than enthusiastic about the comings and goings and doings of the Habs GM without getting labelled as a hater. This is how it was under Bergevin, this is how it is under Hughes.

My favourite is the commentator who claims development doesn't need points to reveal itself as productive or effective... meanwhile s/he pops up to say "I told ya so!" as soon as Slafkovsky picks up a point. Perfectly fine to bleat, we're Habs fans!

 

[nhlfan9191]

I think his effort level being higher is a good thing. He looked defeated and careless in the previous outings, at least he has a baseline level of athletic pride to show something more than zero. Long may it continue.

They're allowed to gloat, bleat, and sneer imo. These are the rules which we all accept. You can't be negative, critical, or in any way less than enthusiastic about the comings and goings and doings of the Habs GM without getting labelled as a hater. This is how it was under Bergevin, this is how it is under Hughes.

My favourite is the commentator who claims development doesn't need points to reveal itself as productive or effective... meanwhile s/he pops up to say "I told ya so!" as soon as Slafkovsky picks up a point. Perfectly fine to bleat, we're Habs fans!

I was very vocal about my distaste for Bergevin from 2016 onwards. I don’t think I ever got called a hater once for it. If I did, it happened so rarely that I can’t even remember it. With Slafkovsky, if you say something even remotely honest, you usually get at least a few replies trying to make you out as being a hater, whether it’s you’re impatient, irrational, or whatever the million excuses are. I get it. Slafkovsky is a player and a kid and Bergevin was just some guy in a suit so in a way they’re not really comparable, but where they could compare is neither was very good at what they do. When it comes to prospects regardless of how green they are, they should be showing flashes of the player they will be even if production isn’t there yet and I just don’t see it with this guy. If you told me he was drafted in the 6th round of the 2017 draft, I’d believe you.

 

[NotProkofievian]

That goal actually had a lot of what we want to see from Slaf. Give and go, skate into space and take it to the net. Good things happen.

 

[NotProkofievian]

I was very vocal about my distaste for Bergevin from 2016 onwards. I don’t think I ever got called a hater once for it. If I did, it happened so rarely that I can’t even remember it. With Slafkovsky, if you say something even remotely honest, you usually get at least a few replies trying to make you out as being a hater, whether it’s you’re impatient, irrational, or whatever the million excuses are. I get it. Slafkovsky is a player and a kid and Bergevin was just some guy in a suit so in a way they’re not really comparable, but where they could compare is neither was very good at what they do. When it comes to prospects regardless of how green they are, they should be showing flashes of the player they will be even if production isn’t there yet and I just don’t see it with this guy. If you told me he was drafted in the 6th round of the 2017 draft, I’d believe you.

It makes it very difficult to have productive conversations about him. Now, no matter what happens to him, from a bust to a Hart winner, it's going to be a shit storm.

 

[HabzSauce]

But he hasn't had 10 bad games. He's been decent. Had a few mediocre games a few OK games and a few good games. 10 bad games, my ass.

Idk man Slaf has looked pretty brutal to me.

I see the improvements for sure but he is still so raw. I still don't see any drive/confidence when hes out there. Does a few things alright but overall I'm not too impressed with his play.

I love the guy btw. Was floored with the pick and still am. But he has lots of work to do

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Looked more comfortable on the top line as the game went on, hopefully gets some games there to build some chemistry and confidence.

 

[Pazucha]

Its very quiet in here today

 

[BaseballCoach]

My other frustration is that I think some other players deserve his spot : Pezzeta and Ylonen for example. I know they are less important pieces for the future but what kind of culture are you installing where Ylonen does his job well and is thrown out because Slaf needs reps without showing anything ?

Slaf has shown more with Suzuki and Dach in two games than Anderson and RHP showed together in 11.

Exactly. They wax poetic and preach about creating culture, but on the other hand they create an unfair environment that doesn't inspire any sort of accountability. Ylonen deserves his shot over Slaf.

Ylonen deserves his shot, yes, but it's not Slaf blocking him, it's Armia. How is he playing every game again? What has he done since the first one?

 

[BaseballCoach]

Make no mistake the vets who have to carry players that aren't ready are not appreciating this either.

The same vets that were demonstrably so happy for him yesterday when he scored?

 

[BaseballCoach]

I agree that it is way too soon to know what he will be at his prime. However we can use the eye test to say he is not playing well right now, no shame in that.

He was drafted because scouts thought he looked good (i.e. eye test) despite his low production in Liiga, so why would the eye test stop being relevant after he gets drafted ?

His production in Liiga at 17 was not that low, and improved as the season went on, but his season was made up of much more than Liiga. If he wasn't a consensus #1 because consensus requires 80% agreement, then he was a consensus Top-2.

The scouts are not the issue. The issue is that the team has a different vision about how to develop him than most of the fans do.

 

[BaseballCoach]

For the record I think he’ll produce more than 1in10 in the AHL.

If he has 8 in the next 10 NHL games (bringing him to 0.5PPG) naturally we will bleat and gloat and sneer at the haters who wanted him to be in the AHL.

Pure projection. Not everyone who is asking people to stop ripping this guy bleats and gloats as a matter of habit.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Cole went half a season doing absolutely nothing because he was mishandled. Usage matters and we’ve teamed this guy with Newhook and Anderson. Just an awful combo for him to be on.

Even though I advocated for the AHL to start the year, I have to admit he looked dynamite with Dach. Maybe it’s as simple as that… he needs to play with skilled players.

As I’ve said, if they aren’t going to do that just send him to the AHL.

It seems to me that based on the 2.2 game sample size Slaf does look good with skilled players, better than most of the other guys who have been tried with those same skilled players (Anderson, RHP, Ylonen).

And if Slaf is better than Anderson, RHP and Ylonen, then can we stop this talk about playing in the AHL and just put together the right combinations with the players we have?

 

[BaseballCoach]

At least he wasn't our worst player today

In the top half of best players tonight. A welcome sight after his concerning last couple of games with Anderson and Newhook.

I hope stating this this is not considered "bleating" or "gloating".

 

[BaseballCoach]

They need to commit to leaving him there for ten to fifteen games. Let him show what he can do. If he looks good, great. If not, send him down.

He'd probably be ok with Monahan too, which could happen if an injury to a forward or two forced MSL to shuffle lines.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Graduating a player at 18-19 and then sticking him on a 3rd or 4th line while playing a tertiary role, is a Montreal Canadiens staple.

There is a difference between a third line and a low-minute, talentless fourth line. Third line with some PP time is quite common for 18-19 yo. On this team, with everyone healthy, that would mean playing with Monahan.

 

[BaseballCoach]

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

Let me correct that: there is no point in wanting a tank, full stop.

 

[ReHabs]

Pure projection. Not everyone who is asking people to stop ripping this guy bleats and gloats as a matter of habit.

Plenty do -- and it's perfectly fine. We can tolerate all manner of billygoats and scapegoats alike.

He had an open lane, wasn't covered, and snapped a puck over the goalie -- goal, point on the board, good. Let's keep at it, see more good things. Long may he reign.

Let me correct that: there is no point in wanting a tank, full stop.

Accepting to give up on a rotten core and to sell and reset the roster over one season is acceptable and a genuine strategy. Doing so to the excesses many tank obsessives desire it unnatural and honestly unforgivable. You can't cheer to lose for many years on the trot, it's just not normal. That's not a rebuild, that's just destruction.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Plenty do -- and it's perfectly fine. We can tolerate all manner of billygoats and scapegoats alike.

He had an open lane, wasn't covered, and snapped a puck over the goalie -- goal, point on the board, good. Let's keep at it, see more good things. Long may he reign.

Yes, let's see more good things. In those games where he has played with Monahan, Dach or Suzuki, Slafkovsky looks like a real hockey player who keeps up and contributes, even at his young age.

No gloating, just rational observation.

Accepting to give up on a rotten core and to sell and reset the roster over one season is acceptable and a genuine strategy. Doing so to the excesses many tank obsessives desire it unnatural and honestly unforgivable. You can't cheer to lose for many years on the trot, it's just not normal. That's not a rebuild, that's just destruction.

Agreed. I'm for rebuilding, but not tanking.

Ideally, it is consistent building with the goal not being a short window of opportunity, but rather sustained competitveness with strong chances at contention in years not damaged by excessive injuries.

Besides, tanking is a low percentage strategy because the league is designed such that the reward for sucking is about one strong player per year, but if you suck, you are probably short 5 or 6 good players, maybe more.

 

[Hannibal]

Funny how Slaf is instantly looking good with Dach or Suzuki, eh? He has the IQ and skills to complete them already.

Hopefully that line can stick together all season.

Suzuki’s goal at the end of game is what that line could be. Slaf with the cross ice pass to caufield, caufield dangle and pass the Suz almost a tic tac to goal. Then, Slaf retrieve puck, get out of the corner, cuts back in and good shot on net, then it leads to Suzuki’s deflection. That sequence is a glimpse of what they can be.