Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[BaseballCoach]

I don't think I really need to get into the benefits of him developing at AHL-level and letting him dominate before bringing him into the pressure cooker. And boo-hoo about his paycut haha.

I'm sure you'd be happy to take a 92% pay cut at work because your boss, who thinks you are headed toward a big promotion once you master some complex skills wiith the help of talented workmates, got pressured by silent shareholders into moving you to an entry-level department where you can ace your evaluation tests for a while in order to supposedly boost your readiness for that big promotion.

It's so un-real-world.

 

[Habssince89]

The benefits are oversold on these boards. Dominating a lower level does not guarantee results at the next level. If it did, every Junior, AHL and Euro star would make the NHL on his first try.

Yeah but jr to the NHL and AHL to the NHL are not the same gaps. Going to the AHL is about learning the pro game and/or NA game so its not the same.

But I agree that players don't need to go down to the AHL. I think the habs most definitely should have done that more over the past decade or so, but Slaf staying up makes more sense

 

[LesCanadiens]

Slaf needs to work on his shot release. It needs a lot of work.…If they plan to keep him up they need to have some kind of training schedule.

For some reason there’s been zero progress on using his body to take the slot while shielding the puck. Is that because he doesn’t want to shoot? Can this be improved in the NHL?

I agree he needs to work on his release. He has an excellent one-timer, but he telegraphs his wrister at this time. I think he can improve that with lots of practice. As far as using his body to power into the slot, he showed a bit more of that after his goal. So I think it will grow with time and confidence. I think he's playing it a bit safe and simple right now. Last season he showed what he can do in that regard. There were a few plays where he stripped the puck off a defender on the boards and drove to the net with it. He will be impossible to handle once he exerts himself more in that way. Let's not forget he's only 19 and hasn't even gotten his man-legs yet!

 

[ReHabs]

I could only imagine such a measured answer if Slafkovsky had 1 points in his last 5 AHL games in his D+3

If Slaf was cooking the AHL I’d forgive a short dry streak in his rookie season. It’s his sophomore season and Slaf has been ice cold.

In general, I expect much more talent and ability from topX picks — they’re meant to save hockey teams and raise standards, Slafkovsky can’t save himself and needs coddling.

He’s been deeply disappointing so far and no amount of hedging and speculation for his future abilities or alleged potential (based on a vanishingly small sample size) will change the fact he’s nowhere close to being an impactful player. He is a project, after all.

Maybe one day.

As for Roy, he’s an impact player on the Rocket and we should be lucky to see him feature for the Habs. I don’t expect he will cook the NHL but it would be great to see him contribute to our success.

 

[Kennerback]

He is excellent and he just oozes massive potential. He don't have an elite skill, he has an elite package.

Y'all are getting fooled by his slow debut season. He is a monster in the making.

Right now, they are teaching and focusing him to play a pro games and develop pro reflex. When and how to change efficiently, how to protect himself, how an effective defense translate into a dangerous offense, the importance of proper positioning in different circumstances. Etc. These thing are better taught in the NHL. And its way better for him to learn those than to dominate lesser league in his current stage.

At this point in his career, what we saw in training camp, in the 1st game and against St. Louis are way more telling than game 2-10. You all are acting like he will not improve or barely improve when actually he should improve in an exponential fashion.

As he is professionalising his game and once he is a little bit more quick, a little bit stronger and a little bit more consistent. We should have his power, speed burst, shifty hands, heavy shot, puck protection and playmaking on full display. A two way power forward in the making with PPG upside.

Im doubling down on Slafkovsky. At your own risk to dismiss a 1st overall with this talent. Too bad if you can't appreciate the skills. One day you won't be able to deny it anymore.

This is an appraisal of Slaf's game:

A- At 11:12 he should have shot. He had the mid-slot.

B- At 8;58 he could have also shot entering the zone. Not saying in every case. But a player like Bedard shoots 100% of the time from there. The fact he did not shoot in both A and B shows me he has low confidence in his shot.

C- At 0:43, he took the empty slot and stepped into it. Reality is he'll sometimes not take the slot and attempt a pass even there.

D- Now, the reason we draft a power forward is for him to power himself into scoring position sometimes. Look at 1:56,9;23. He passed in the two circumstances which were not bad decisions, but a real power forward like Jagr or even Perry would physically drive the slot and shoot sometimes.

 

[Toene]

I'm sure you'd be happy to take a 92% pay cut at work because your boss, who thinks you are headed toward a big promotion once you master some complex skills wiith the help of talented workmates, got pressured by silent shareholders into moving you to an entry-level department where you can ace your evaluation tests for a while in order to supposedly boost your readiness for that big promotion.

It's so un-real-world.

That's a weird analogy that doesn't fit because players do get sent down all the time. Pacioretty asked for it himself since he needed to work on some things.

Apples and oranges. A paycut? Be happy you're not sent the f*** back to Finland lol. But I doubt Slafkovsky is that entitled. He'd probably understand, like most young players. It's not like he's burning down villages in the NHL.

 

[BaseballCoach]

That's a weird analogy that doesn't fit because players do get sent down all the time. Pacioretty asked for it himself since he needed to work on some things.

False legend, conveniently concocted by Patches to deflect that he was about to be demoted because he stunk.

"You didn't break up with me, I broke up with you!!"

Not producing at all on the fourth line, he went down to the 5th-6th lines in Hamilton and improved enough to come back and start on the 4th again, only with more strength and maturity. This time he could handle it, and he moved up.

 

[ReHabs]

False legend, conveniently concocted by Patches to deflect that he was about to be demoted because he stunk.

"You didn't break up with me, I broke up with you!!"

Not producing at all on the fourth line, he went down to the 5th-6th lines in Hamilton and improved enough to come back and start on the 4th again, only with more strength and maturity. This time he could handle it, and he moved up.

What the hell is a 6th line

He was playing more minutes and PP time in Hamilton. Puck touches. Responsibility.

 

[BaseballCoach]

What the hell is a 6th line

He was playing more minutes and PP time in Hamilton. Puck touches. Responsibility.

The 5th-6th line is Lias Andersson and Joshua Roy and Philippe Maillet and Mitchell Stephens

 

[ReHabs]

The 5th-6th line is Lias Andersson and Joshua Roy and Philippe Maillet and Mitchell Stephens

They play top minutes on their team.

A depth chart isn’t iced, a roster is iced and it has 4 lines.

Slafkovsky is producing at a 4th line pace in the NHL. If production in D+2 doesn’t matter, it bears exploring if more responsibility and 1st line minutes in an easier league would help trigger his development which has stood stagnant for over a year.

 

[417]

If we did this shift-by-shift analysis of every player on this roster…….

 

[OnTheRun]

They play top minutes on their team.

A depth chart isn’t iced, a roster is iced and it has 4 lines.

Slafkovsky is producing at a 4th line pace in the NHL. If production in D+2 doesn’t matter, it bears exploring if more responsibility and 1st line minutes in an easier league would help trigger his development which has stood stagnant for over a year.

Slaf played his 50th NHL game last Saturday, he played 22% of those games as an 19 years old.
His current statline is: 50GP/5G/7A/12P/-16

Rantanen, the current poster-child of HFHabs development, statline after 50 NHL games (82% played as a 19 years old.) was 7G/12A/19P/-24

That seems to be a lot of dramas going on over a 7 points difference, maybe it's time to take a step back take a deep breath and wait for a bit.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

If Slaf was cooking the AHL I’d forgive a short dry streak in his rookie season. It’s his sophomore season and Slaf has been ice cold.

In general, I expect much more talent and ability from topX picks — they’re meant to save hockey teams and raise standards, Slafkovsky can’t save himself and needs coddling.

He’s been deeply disappointing so far and no amount of hedging and speculation for his future abilities or alleged potential (based on a vanishingly small sample size) will change the fact he’s nowhere close to being an impactful player. He is a project, after all.

Maybe one day.

As for Roy, he’s an impact player on the Rocket and we should be lucky to see him feature for the Habs. I don’t expect he will cook the NHL but it would be great to see him contribute to our success.

I wonder if Roy will have impact in the nhl sooner than Slaf. At 19 Slaf his tall body doesn't have the same stability than when he'll be 23. His nerves will be tougher, his mucles will have maturity, his reading of the game will be better, or I hope. All to say don't worry, at 23 Slaf will be a monster.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

If we did this shift-by-shift analysis of every player on this roster…….

hahaha they would all be toast

 

[tooji]

I think before long Slaf will remove the low IQ myth from people's mindset.

There’s a difference between being low IQ and being raw.

 

[Tyson]

There’s a difference between being low IQ and being raw.

Alot of media pundits are hammering this kid. I stopped listening to Eric Belanger who is over the top of his criticism of a 19 year old.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

Alot of media pundits are hammering this kid. I stopped listening to Eric Belanger who is over the top of his criticism of a 19 year old.

He's not just 19, when not injured he only played 50 nhl games, 39 last year.

 

[Tyson]

He's not just 19, when not injured he only played 50 nhl games, 39 last year.

He showed me alot against St Louis. He just needed to be separated from Anderson who meshes with no one

 

[NORiculous]

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Not convinced that Marty is a good coach but he’s always full of analogies that the media eat up.

Except you don’t know if a human being is going the get “there”. But I get his idea.

At this point, if Slafkovsky gets there or not is irrelevant for MSL. MSL just needs to do everything in his power to help him go that way and/or help him get the tools to go that way.

I still think Slafkovsky should take example on Pacioretty, if this 1st line experiment doesn’t work.

He probably doesn’t have Pacioretty’s balls though. We will see.

 

[admiralcadillac]

Slaf played his 50th NHL game last Saturday, he played 22% of those games as an 19 years old.
His current statline is: 50GP/5G/7A/12P/-16

Rantanen, the current poster-child of HFHabs development, statline after 50 NHL games (82% played as a 19 years old.) was 7G/12A/19P/-24

That seems to be a lot of dramas going on over a 7 points difference, maybe it's time to take a step back take a deep breath and wait for a bit.

You know what they say, a 7 point difference is the difference between a bust and not a bust.

Everybody says it, everybody knows it

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Slaf played his 50th NHL game last Saturday, he played 22% of those games as an 19 years old.
His current statline is: 50GP/5G/7A/12P/-16

Rantanen, the current poster-child of HFHabs development, statline after 50 NHL games (82% played as a 19 years old.) was 7G/12A/19P/-24

That seems to be a lot of dramas going on over a 7 points difference, maybe it's time to take a step back take a deep breath and wait for a bit.

Byfield had 13 pts in his first 50 games and he's at 10 in 11 so far this year.

We all need to be patient, the potential is there

 

[Scriptor]

He showed me alot against St Louis. He just needed to be separated from Anderson who meshes with no one

RHP + Anderson is the only fit I see. Play them with Evans if you want to play Pearson and Gallagher with Dvorak .

Call up Roy and play him with Monahan and Newhook.

Keep Slafkovsky with the wonder twins if it motivates him and helps his game to play with better players.

Caufield - Suzuki - Slafkovsky
Newhook - Monahan - Roy
Pearson - Dvorak - Gallagher
RHP - Evans - Anderson

 

[Kennedys]

Slaf has a good game. He's suddenly NHL ready. I get it

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Slaf has a good game. He's suddenly NHL ready. I get it

I’m hoping that the line change does the trick. It’s a long shot maybe but it worked instantly for Caufield.

 

[ReHabs]

Slaf played his 50th NHL game last Saturday, he played 22% of those games as an 19 years old.
His current statline is: 50GP/5G/7A/12P/-16

Rantanen, the current poster-child of HFHabs development, statline after 50 NHL games (82% played as a 19 years old.) was 7G/12A/19P/-24

That seems to be a lot of dramas going on over a 7 points difference, maybe it's time to take a step back take a deep breath and wait for a bit.

You guys need to make up your minds.

Is Slaf to be compared to Rantanen or not? You cannot have it both ways. Rantanen torched the AHL, Rantanen was a much better prospect at the time of his draft, Rantanen is someone who Slafkovksy will never be.

The argument isn’t whether Slafkovsky is a bad player or not — he is a Hab, and a lot was invested to acquire him, so it doesn’t matter — it’s about whether he is being developed correctly.

Slafkovsky is on pace for 15pts in his second NHL season, in his first NHL season he was on pace for 20ish.