Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[ReHabs]

I've seen you say more than once that nobody has called him a bust. How can you say that?

Edit: I quoted the wrong post

Nobody relevant or invested in the discussion has called him a bust. As in defined him as a bust and said forget about it. There will always be random commentators but you have ignore them.

Most of us are desperate for his success.

 

[26Mats]

I wouldn’t define Rick Nash as a PWF so I guess if you see Slaf as a Rick Nash, then sure.

Rick Nash, at the end of his D+2 season, scored 2.7 times more points than Slafkovsky has so far in his D+2 season.


Half of those comments are criticizing the player without projecting his fate. Do you expect people to not criticize a crappy performing player now? Get real.

The lebowski meme is a joke, calm down.

I don't see Slaf as Rick Nash.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Nobody relevant or invested in the discussion has called him a bust. As in defined him as a bust and said forget about it. There will always be random commentators but you have ignore them.

Most of us are desperate for his success.

So desperate it hurts , half heartedly calling him a bust is all we have..... no ppg players since one measly Kovalev season.....

 

[Jaynki]

Nobody relevant or invested in the discussion has called him a bust. As in defined him as a bust and said forget about it. There will always be random commentators but you have ignore them.

Most of us are desperate for his success.

Slaf being a third liner or a 40-50 points player in his prime would fit the definition of a bust tho, imo

 

[nhlfan9191]

“But I never said he was a bust!!!!”

It’s stupid.

I have zero problem with posters such as yourself who feel we got the wrong guy and don’t think he’s going to amount to much. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and they could be absolutely right in saying that we got the wrong guy.

But there are so many who wrote players off too quickly. Others who are disingenuous in what they’re saying, those who are concerned trolling… that I have no time for.

There’s a debate to be had. Personally I think that we’re not developing him well. Those discussions are interesting to talk about but you’ve got to pick and choose who to engage with here. Some people are not interested in serious debate.

You are a serious poster. You aren’t here to stir pots. You don’t like the pick - that’s totally cool. There are discussions and debates to be had and I have no doubt that they’d be honest discussions. That’s what this forum should be about. Disagreements are fine and debates are encouraged.

Maybe we didn’t get the right guy. But nobody knows this right now and some people are just way over the top.

This is fair. It just feels at times if you’re not prepared to wave pompom’s for Slafkovsky, it automatically means you think he’s the next Yakupov, Stefan or Wichenheiser. When I see the word bust get thrown around, I assume whatever poster is using it is accusing posters of saying a prospect has no more room to grow and their destined to fail. And I don’t see a lot of that. I see concern on mostly development on how to get more out of him.

 

[Dach Vader]

Nobody relevant or invested in the discussion has called him a bust. As in defined him as a bust and said forget about it. There will always be random commentators but you have ignore them.

Most of us are desperate for his success.

So it's you who decides whose relevant and invested in the discussion?

 

[ReHabs]

Slaf being a third liner or a 40-50 points player in his prime would fit the definition of a bust tho, imo

I would think so too but it would be contingent on at least two players passing him from his draft class.

After the pick I read some proponents say we shouldn’t expect more than 60pts a year + tenacious play.

I really expected to see a 35pt season from him this year and build on that next year. He is physically capable. It isn’t beyond him to put up 35pts this year still, he just needs a hot streak and more self confidence.

But if he doesn’t get it… why NOT send him down?

 

[River Meadow]

Right. They don’t say ‘bust’. They say, he’ll be a third liner, he sucks, we picked the wrong guy.

“But I never said he was a bust!!!!”

It’s stupid.

I have zero problem with posters such as yourself who feel we got the wrong guy and don’t think he’s going to amount to much. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and they could be absolutely right in saying that we got the wrong guy.

But there are so many who wrote players off too quickly. Others who are disingenuous in what they’re saying, those who are concerned trolling… that I have no time for.

There’s a debate to be had. Personally I think that we’re not developing him well. Those discussions are interesting to talk about but you’ve got to pick and choose who to engage with here. Some people are not interested in serious debate.

You are a serious poster. You aren’t here to stir pots. You don’t like the pick - that’s totally cool. There are discussions and debates to be had and I have no doubt that they’d be honest discussions. That’s what this forum should be about. Disagreements are fine and debates are encouraged.

Maybe we didn’t get the right guy. But nobody knows this right now and some people are just way over the top.

Just for the record,

I think right now, at this very moment, Slaf becoming a 2nd liner is best case scenario, and a good 3rd liner is probably the most likely (being very honest).

I would LOVE to be proven wrong but I don't see the hockey sense it takes to become a legit 1st line dangerous forward.


This isn't calling him a bust, though.

Most 'experts' say his ceiling is a 2nd line player.

 

[ReHabs]

So it's you who decides whose relevant and invested in the discussion?

Of course not but when you see one uncommon, low-post count commentator jump in with an off the cuff comment… you tend to ignore it, no?

Many of us have arguments and positions we develop and defend.

 

[Takeru]

If I’m the coach/GM and I want to win every night, I want Slafkovsky. He’s big, forechecks hard and wins some board battles. Enough that it makes a real difference having him up. But are they stunting his offensive finish keeping him up in the NHL?

And yet they bench him during the 3rd period when the game is close, so apparently he's not that instrumental to winning every night, is he?

 

[ReHabs]

And yet they bench him during the 3rd period when the game is close, so apparently he's not that instrumental to winning every night, is he?

Hockey historians are shaking their heads

 

[Takeru]

Very respectfully,

Decades upon decades of mediocrity for the Montreal Canadiens, brought to you by Les Experts.

Can you explain that?


Thank you so much.

And TBH sometimes, the more you read/listen to what they have to say, the more puzzling it gets when it comes to their "expertise".

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

It feels like they're keeping Slafkovsky in the NHL because they don't want to admit they're wrong.

I'm reluctant to believe it because that would imply that Hughes is as small a man as Bergevin, but that's what it looks like.

Gorton is smoooll

Hockey historians are shaking their heads

And can't keep their glasses on their foreheads while doing it.

 

[LesCanadiens]

A failed rebuttal.

Not even close. If you're ACTUALLY saying there aren't a persistent number of posters calling Slaf a bust, then the irony in your useless post is thicker than molasses. Why should I waste my time going through every post and using multi-quote to repeat that crap??? LMAO.

 

[Dach Vader]

Of course not but when you see one uncommon, low-post count commentator jump in with an off the cuff comment… you tend to ignore it, no?

Many of us have arguments and positions we develop and defend.

Okay question.

Does saying the same thing 200x a month
make one a common, high-post count commentator?

 

[LesCanadiens]

You can't be serious. Bro, the information is right infront of you.

I've read less than 10% of this entire thread and he's been called a bust, useless and a million other things.

I just spent 2 mins quickly skimming through two pages from a few weeks ago.

Noooooo....but, but, but.....no one says he's a bust. Thanks for having more patience than me to do this, lol. I'll bet there is another significant number of posts like these, or worse, all over the Habs HfBoards page. If ppl try to gaslight posters into thinking we're crazy for saying those posts exists, that's THEIR problemo.

 

[ReHabs]

Okay question.

Does saying the same thing 200x a month
make one a common, high-post count commentator?

Yes, I’m no expert but I would figure commentary as the games pass and new information comes to light makes one seem more invested and less alien to a a topic.

For instance at Game1 of the season we were told to have an impression of Slafkovsky’s career that turned out to completely different by Game10 then came Game 11 and now Game 13, wild swings in his stock if I do say so myself.

Things happen (all too rarely for Slafkovsky, the player, but every passing game is a data point for Slafkovsky the development project) and we discuss it. I think it doesn’t matter if someone calls him a bust but if you’re very upset by those claims, and those making the claims, you can ignore them. There are plenty of other statements and discussions to chew on.

 

[417]

To be expected, and that will continue i’m sure.



100% agreed, hence why I'm not going to act like it's a victory lap, I think I've always maintained that I think there's going to be ups and downs and we just have to see if at the end of it, the arrow is pointing up.

I think the talk about him needing to be in the AHL, does need to be squashed for a bit though. He’s here, let's just see where he's at in 10-15 games, we’ll have a better idea of where he's at.

I know thats boring lol but that's what I think.

Peaks & Valleys.

Some of you want to act like some of us are just waiving pom poms incessantly when it comes to Slafkovsky.

But I'll bring to your attention a post I made after game 1, which Imo, was his best game of the season.

I wasn't jumping for joy then and I'm not acting like the world is ending today either.

Something for people like @Jeune Poulet and @ReHabs to chew on.

 

[admiralcadillac]

Attaboy. You can ask McDavid how important top end D-group is. Generational forward talent can grind points during season, but if you want actually win, then solid D is a must. Your team is just as good as your defense.

But wait I thought it was an error to pick Reinbacher?

 

[Gustave]

Slaf being a third liner or a 40-50 points player in his prime would fit the definition of a bust tho, imo

I don’t think that’s a fair assessment from my POV. If he becomes that, he becomes a success. That’s 15 year career territory man.

It might not attain your expectations, but that’s not a bust.

Will it make you happy? We got your answer and it’s cool, but it’s relative to how your perceived him at first. It won’t fix our problems at top 3 level, I agree with you in that sense, but he’ll be useful if 45p from the third line happens.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Half of those comments are criticizing the player without projecting his fate. Do you expect people to not criticize a crappy performing player now? Get real.

The lebowski meme is a joke, calm down.

Right, you didn’t call him a bust you just said he was ‘catestrophically deficient.”

This is what exactly people are taking about in terms of disingenuous debate. You dump on him endlessly and then say you never called him a bust. It’s completely dishonest.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

This is fair. It just feels at times if you’re not prepared to wave pompom’s for Slafkovsky, it automatically means you think he’s the next Yakupov, Stefan or Wichenheiser. When I see the word bust get thrown around, I assume whatever poster is using it is accusing posters of saying a prospect has no more room to grow and they’re destined to fail. And I don’t see a lot of that. I see concern on mostly development on how to get more out of him.

As I said, it depends on who the debate is with and how it’s written out.

I totally get people who aren’t happy with the pick. He doesn’t have the track record others did, he’s not blue chip…. All valid criticisms. And he could very well bust.

I’d like to think though that we could at least wait and see on how he progresses. I don’t like how we’re developing him too and that’s a whole other issue. But the back and forth fanboy/hater stuff is crap and very tiring.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Just for the record,

I think right now, at this very moment, Slaf becoming a 2nd liner is best case scenario, and a good 3rd liner is probably the most likely (being very honest).

I would LOVE to be proven wrong but I don't see the hockey sense it takes to become a legit 1st line dangerous forward.


This isn't calling him a bust, though.

Most 'experts' say his ceiling is a 2nd line player.

You could very well be right.

But… let’s at least wait and see. It’s all we can do. People write off KK as ‘Bambi’ and said he’d never go anywhere. Now hes 23 and turning into a pretty solid player. Close to a PPG without any PP time. Some players take longer.

 

[Jeune Poulet]

Right, you didn’t call him a bust you just said he was ‘catestrophically deficient.”

This is what exactly people are taking about in terms of disingenuous debate. You dump on him endlessly and the. Say you never called him a bust. It’s completely dishonest.

It's not disingenuous. His deficiencies can be corrected. But they are glaring indeed at this point in time.

That's why some of us insist he should be sent in a more appropriate environement for him. Like the AHL. He'll have a better chance of developing the top end of his potential over there.

He's been rushed to the NHL. It's a costly mistake on a key investment. Being patient and methodical would require sending him down ASAP. They've already wasted 13-14 months of development time that Slafkovsky will never get back.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

It's not disingenuous.

On its own? Maybe not. But I’m not talking about one post.