Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[BehindTheTimes]

Right. This is either deliberate and disingenuous or completely lacking in insight and self awareness. Both are unappealing scenarios, so no thanks. Carry on.

Given the rest of his game is far far better and getting better every game, then I'm not concerned at all about that part because it will come as he gets better.

Not seeing the improvements tbh, I think he’s every bit as shitty as last year.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Good players put up points. Great players don't need multiple NHL season to reveal themselves. In fact, it is exceedingly rare for a player to have a 4th liner production in his first two years and still end up being an impact player in his career. Slaf is trending behind the oft-repeated examples of Joe Thornton and Vinny Lecavalier and many many others.

If he gets 35points this season it'll be a big relief. I don't think it's impossible for a player who has the size and reach of Slafkovsky to put up points -- it could very well happen that he goes 0.5ppg from now until the end of season -- but his game still has major deficiencies even if many of you think he's improved in all facets, in all aspects.

As I see it there's two layers to his issues now: (1) there is the adapting to the speed and intensity of the NHL layer (we've all seen noticeable improvement) and (2) there's the ability to consistently make scoring plays in the NHL layer (imo we've not seen noticeable improvement).

This is where I disagree with you. The amount of times he set up Anderson for chances. If Anderson scored a few of those, Slaf would have an extra 3-4 points with him alone. He's sprung him on breakaways, he's set him up at the back post where Anderson had an open net and whiffed on the puck. Set him up in the slot. He also set up Newhook a few times. He hooked up Cole last game, but Markstrom made the save.

If just some of those chances ended up in goals, Slaf wouldn't only have 3 pts in 16 agames. He's probably have like 7-8 pts already. There is definitely a noticeable improvement in making scoring plays.

That's the irritating part of this. The Habs could've just started his NHL career next year (D+3). No harm would've been done and he would've had time+space+room to improve the all-important playmaking issue which is hugely problematic in his player profile. Ah well.

Not sure if you close your eyes whenever he creates plays. There is room for improvement. But to say it's hugely problematic is hyperbolic.

 

[Andy]

Not seeing the improvements tbh, I think he’s every bit as shitty as last year.

If that’s the case then I really question your hockey IQ.

 

[417]

Right. This is either deliberate and disingenuous or completely lacking in insight and self awareness. Both are unappealing scenarios, so no thanks. Carry on.

No it was an honest question, but either way, carry on I will.

 

[Tyson]

If that’s the case then I really question your hockey IQ.

Amen

Not seeing the improvements tbh, I think he’s every bit as shitty as last year.

Looking at the picture you display I totally get why you would make such a statement.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

If that’s the case then I really question your hockey IQ.

Haha, yeah ok. All these improvements and zero results to show for it, every game I have watched he looks like a passenger, even when with Dach for his “I told you so” moment that everyone was celebrating.

The kid is in the wrong league, anyone suggesting otherwise is using wishful thinking. The kid needs a ton of work and would be better served in a different environment, but you can continue with every successful pass or him not getting his head taken off as sound improvements.

If anyone is claiming that 15-20 points would be considered a success then they are in denial. It would be a huge disappointment if that’s what he produces.

 

[Don D]

Always healthy to have discussions, but some here seem to take everything as a personal slight when there are different point of views. Why can't we be "friends" (civil)?

 

[Miller Time]

Haha, yeah ok. All these improvements and zero results to show for it, every game I have watched he looks like a passenger, even when with Dach for his “I told you so” moment that everyone was celebrating.

The kid is in the wrong league, anyone suggesting otherwise is using wishful thinking. The kid needs a ton of work and would be better served in a different environment, but you can continue with every successful pass or him not getting his head taken off as sound improvements.

If anyone is claiming that 15-20 points would be considered a success then they are in denial. It would be a huge disappointment if that’s what he produces.

You do realize that this post only further reinforces @Andy 's point, right?

If anything, all you've done is moved it from a question to certainty... And expand it from hockey to a broader deficit in understanding learning.

There are a ton of easily accessible resources available to you if ever you care to broaden your awareness. DM me if you'd like a few quality ones, happy to help!

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Sure, but is he wearing a black and blue dress, or is it white and gold?

Seriously... a perfect storm? Not sure what that means. I've been objective about the kid – until recently he looked overwhelmed with the puck. His progress was so incremental you needed an atomic microscope to measure it. And as I mentioned a few days ago, he needed to start putting up real points. Point production is, above all, the job of an NHL winger. I repeated that unless something shifted soon, he should be sent to the AHL.

Luckily, I've started seen concrete signs of improvement. Less panic. More thought. Better execution. He's still far from where we want him to be and – most important – his improvement must lead to further improvement. I stated I expect him to have 10 points by year-end; to me, that will represent concrete progress. Let's remember this kid is at the very beginning of his story. As long as he's on the right road, it doesn't matter if it takes him a little longer to arrive.

The main thing is he’s improving. That’s what matters.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Imagine if his linemates could simply finish every pass he made.

Crazy to think about.

Imagine if they at least finished some of them…

 

[Mrb1p]

No it was an honest question, but either way, carry on I will.

Lame exchange granted but you did say this when @Jaynki said the ahl was not a developmental league.

This!

People swear teams are just housing a ton of top prospects there though.

 

[OnTheRun]

Lame exchange granted but you did say this when @Jaynki said the ahl was not a developmental league.

Because the AHL exist to fulfill multiple purpose all at once. And one of those purpose is to act as the NHL's overflow.

 

[Skip Bayless]

I personally can’t wait until he starts killing penalties !

 

[Mrb1p]

Because the AHL exist to fulfill multiple purpose all at once. And one of those purpose is to act as the NHL's overflow.

Its the primary development league for players that are on the edge of the roster. Its the practice squad. So yes, but also development.

 

[Kennedys]

He might have more puck touches lately but other than that he's way too raw and he's still producing at Bryan Flynn level. AHL please

 

[the valiant effort]

I personally can’t wait until he starts killing penalties !

The day The Trent McCleary transforms into The Juraj.

 

[Lshap]

He might have more puck touches lately but other than that he's way too raw and he's still producing at Bryan Flynn level. AHL please

At 19, Brian Flynn was in the EJHL. He needed four more seasons in junior before making the AHL. He finally made the NHL at 24, with Buffalo.

 

[Lshap]

Haha, yeah ok. All these improvements and zero results to show for it, every game I have watched he looks like a passenger, even when with Dach for his “I told you so” moment that everyone was celebrating.

The kid is in the wrong league, anyone suggesting otherwise is using wishful thinking. The kid needs a ton of work and would be better served in a different environment, but you can continue with every successful pass or him not getting his head taken off as sound improvements.

If anyone is claiming that 15-20 points would be considered a success then they are in denial. It would be a huge disappointment if that’s what he produces.

Would you consider it a disappointment if he got 15-20 points this season, 30-35 next season, and 45-50 the following season at 21?

Obviously everyone prefers he breaks out this season, but in the big picture who cares if it happens now or three years from now when he's an old man of 22? We're focused on his prime, not his training-wheels.

But yeah, if it NEVER happens and he never reaches more than 15-20 points... that'll be a huge disappointment.

 

[Bombshell11]

For all of those who are defending Slaf.

You know eventually he will be shit on by the media and he'll be gone in exchange of some carrots.

If you care about his own good so much, you would want him to develop in the AHL asap

 

[BehindTheTimes]

Would you consider it a disappointment if he got 15-20 points this season, 30-35 next season, and 45-50 the following season at 21?

Obviously everyone prefers he breaks out this season, but in the big picture who cares if it happens now or three years from now when he's an old man of 22? We're focused on his prime, not his training-wheels.

But yeah, if it NEVER happens and he never reaches more than 15-20 points... that'll be a huge disappointment.

I would consider 15-20 points to be missing the mark, yes. If we asked this question before the season began, 20 points would not be matching anyone’s expectation.

Now we seem afraid to call a spade a spade so that we can stay entrenched in our view point. Before Slaf, it was almost universally accepted here that the NHL is NOT a development league. Now, because we’ve taken this approach many are singing a different tune. Tbh, it’s bizarre. Posters that have always been for the slow and methodical approach are advocating for an 18-19 year old who is a step behind the play to be learning/developing in the toughest league in the world. MSL is some sort of god apparently and all that we thought was true previously is true no more.

Then these posters have the nerve to say “patience” when management hasn’t shown any themselves.

You do realize that this post only further reinforces @Andy 's point, right?

If anything, all you've done is moved it from a question to certainty... And expand it from hockey to a broader deficit in understanding learning.

There are a ton of easily accessible resources available to you if ever you care to broaden your awareness. DM me if you'd like a few quality ones, happy to help!

I’ll pass, thanks for the offer!! The nuances, again, I know.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Looking at the picture you display I totally get why you would make such a statement.

You don't seem to understand why he has that picture. Read his username. The two go together. Maybe you didn't notice it back then, but BTT was uber critical of our erstwhile bearded clown, not the other way around.

It's also disingenuous to pretend the opposite, especially since the current management is making a possible similar mistake as the older management did with KK.

 

[ReHabs]

Would you consider it a disappointment if he got 15-20 points this season, 30-35 next season, and 45-50 the following season at 21?

Massively.

A 1OA (even in a “weak draft”) is not meant to start so slow. This trajectory will be abysmal and much likelier to flatline than improve. There is value in expediency and the clock starts ticking toward their ELC and UFA from when they start in the NHL. A top dragged forward is meant to be an impact player.

 

[cave troll]

Would you consider it a disappointment if he got 15-20 points this season, 30-35 next season, and 45-50 the following season at 21?

That's a nice progression for some late 1st round or 2nd round pick.
1OA forward who dwells at 45-50 pts after 4 seasons in NHL will start to be compared with worst 1OA forwards in history.

 

[Jaynki]

This trajectory will be abysmal and much likelier to flatline than improve.

Its actually the polar opposite with 19 years old.

They are in their window of maximum growth.

That's a nice progression for some late 1st round or 2nd round pick.
1OA forward who dwells at 45-50 pts after 4 seasons in NHL will start to be compared with worst 1OA forwards in history.

First time i agree with you.

If Slafkovsky is capped at 40-50 points in his D+4 i will consider it a major disappointment.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

40-50 points in his D+4 takes him to 22-23 years old , if he can put 40-50 points at that age i won't be disappointed i would be relieved. I guess people have different expectations