Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[Jaynki]

It's been almost two years of this crap now. You're a hater and should be lynched if you demand more.

Demanding more is one thing and its perfectly justifiable. We have one of the richest organisation and we should absolute hold it to the highest standard.

Let's just make sure the standard to which we hold the organisation accountable are realistic and on par with the greatest NHL organisation and not on par with unrealistic dreamy shit. Even the greatest organisation have fumbles and fails. Its just that in a macro perspective, the majority of things are nailed and done right.

Let's simply give it a fair shot. There is no label to be had right now concerning the 2022 draft and the 2023 draft.

 

[SOLR]

Which Cam Neely? The one who was -56 in his 2nd and 3rd years in the league, and scored just 0.5 ppg those two years?

The one who put it together only in his fourth season and became a star player?

The one who eventually figured it out. What I'm seeing from Slaf is a bit scary in terms of processing.

 

[Jaynki]

The one who eventually figured it out. What I'm seeing from Slaf is a bit scary in terms of processing.

I won't argue with what you are seeing.

But don't you think it's a bit early to be scared?

 

[SOLR]

I won't argue with what you are seeing.

But don't you think it's a bit early to be scared?

Yes, I catch myself having that emotion that things will not be okay. I'm still hopeful.

 

[BaseballCoach]

The one who eventually figured it out. What I'm seeing from Slaf is a bit scary in terms of processing.

It's a mixed bag: half the time you are scared, and the other half the opponents are scared.

 

[Jaynki]

Yes, I catch myself having that emotion that things will not be okay. I'm still hopeful.

Fair enough. We have some bad hockey traumas after all. It's not like the past two decades have been easy.

 

[ReHabs]

Hopefully after a year in Laval, Slaf's confidence and on ice awareness gets a lot better and then he becomes that type of player for the big club next year or even later on this season.

The club has repeatedly said he's not going to Laval. Like, as recently as a few days ago.

That’s exactly what they don’t want to do, that’s exactly WHY they didn’t send him I the AHL.

I think they are going about this the wrong way though.

I don't think I was being serious when I said that Slaf should have a mandate to be "the best in the league", but you know what I meant I think.

Anywho, we'll see. It could work for sure. I just don't see how this equation makes sense without some magic sprinkled in: [low hockey IQ] + [limited TOI] + [very hard QoCompetition] = [good development of playmaking skills].

 

[SOLR]

Fair enough. We have some bad hockey traumas after all. It's not like the past two decades have been easy.

I was a Nordiques fan; my Trauma started in 1986. 1993 to 1996 was good, followed the Avs for a bit. I turned a habs fan around 2000...then....

 

[Jaynki]

I was a Nordiques fan; my Trauma started in 1986. 1993 to 1996 was good, followed the Avs for a bit. I turned a habs fan around 2000...then....

Dang. I was born in 1992. So i think we turned habs fan pretty much the same times. My first hockey memories are Houle as GM then Andre Savard arriving. Oleg Petrov, Sergei Zholtok, young Saku.

I think since we are habs fan, the organisation is under the best administration right now. It remains to see how that will evolve tho.

 

[Shawnathon]

Dang. I was born in 1992. So i think we turned habs fan pretty much the same times. My first hockey memories are Houle as GM then Andre Savard arriving. Oleg Petrov, Sergei Zholtok, young Saku.

I think since we are habs fan, the organisation is under the best administration right now. It remains to see how that will evolve tho.

You’re hi-jacking this thread with your pro Slafkovsky campaign. You should take a break let others speak so we have some more interesting things to read.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Yes, I catch myself having that emotion that things will not be okay. I'm still hopeful.

There is nothing we can do about it as fans. However, we can overreact and try to plan NHL GM like we do and I think that creates negative energy.

At the end of the day, Slaf will become who he wants to become. Same as Kotkaniemi. I feel comfortable today saying that Slaf will not have a huge jump in production (break out season). We are more likely to see him gradually grow season/season and we won't know how good or bad he is until age 22/23. Something like that. Could be 21 or 24. Every players development grows at different rates. Sometimes, a guy like Galchenyuk looks decent right away and then fades. There is that angle too.

I think most of us agree that he needs ice time and the puck on this stick more (regardless if that's NHL or AHL). I think MSL also agrees with that so for now, they will give him every chance to succeed on our NHL roster.

I'm not a fan of saying "send him to the AHL" before the season starts. Habs are monitoring this more than we think they are.

 

[Jaynki]

You’re hi-jacking this thread with your pro Slafkovsky campaign. You should take a break let others speak so we have some more interesting things to read.

sorry i dont care, mute me

 

[Habs Halifax]

The club has repeatedly said he's not going to Laval. Like, as recently as a few days ago.

That statement is accurate in terms of what happens from now till lets say mid Oct to early Nov. I think they are going to be more patient with the AHL demotion than most fans are.

This is deeper than just a few preseason games. Gorton/Hughes/MSL will be looking at a larger picture and they get to see him in all games and in practice.

 

[WeThreeKings]

You’re hi-jacking this thread with your pro Slafkovsky campaign. You should take a break let others speak so we have some more interesting things to read.

As if the whole board hasn't been turned into two years of incessant whining about Slafkovsky.

 

[River Meadow]

As if the whole board hasn't been turned into two years of incessant whining about Slafkovsky.

You have your Pro-Slaf people who think he and/or management can do no wrong.

You have your people who have been burned too many times by former mgmt and are very cautious and skeptical, they still have hope and are willing to see what happens but understand Slaf could fizzle out to become a 3rd liner especially if they don't develop properly and rush him.

You have your people who think they've seen enough at this point and who believe in their heart of hearts Slaf is going to be a 3rd-4th liner at best, at least for now and in the immediate future.


I'm in the middle right now.

 

[nhlfan9191]

You have your Pro-Slaf people who think he and/or management can do no wrong.

You have your people who have been burned too many times by former mgmt and are very cautious and skeptical, they still have hope and are willing to see what happens but understand Slaf could fizzle out to become a 3rd liner especially if they don't develop properly and rush him.

You have your people who think they've seen enough at this point and who believe in their heart of hearts Slaf is going to be a 3rd-4th liner at best, at least for now and in the immediate future.


I'm in the middle right now.

I think your middle category can be broken up into several more different ones. It’s the ones in your first and third category that give a bad reputation to people that are in the middle because you typically get categorized into one of the extremes. Slafkovsky is one of the most polarizing prospects we’ve had in a very long time because it’s so up in the air on what he’ll actually become.

 

[River Meadow]

I think your middle category can be broken up into several more different ones. It’s the one in your first and third category that give a bad reputation to people that are in the middle because you typically get categorized into one of the extremes.

Absolutely.

I think somewhere in the middle is the only appropriate and logical stance...

But there are some cheerleaders for sure.

 

[Goldthorpe]

You have your people who have been burned too many times by former mgmt and are very cautious and skeptical, they still have hope and are willing to see what happens but understand Slaf could fizzle out to become a 3rd liner especially if they don't develop properly and rush him.

Some people are burned out by having dated too many times, and end up being frustrated with anyone new they meet because they carry this bagage. But it's THEIR baggage, not anyone else. This new person you meet isn't better or worst than others just because you had bad experience in the past.

You can be cautious and skeptical for anything, at any time. Nobody can stop that. But plenty of people are cautious and skeptical over totally irrational things.

 

[River Meadow]

Some people are burned out by having dated too many times, and end up being frustrated with anyone new they meet because they carry this bagage. But it's THEIR baggage, not anyone else. This new person you meet isn't better or worst than others just because you had bad experience in the past.

You can be cautious and skeptical for anything, at any time. Nobody can stop that. But plenty of people are cautious and skeptical over totally irrational things.

Of course, good point.

That's why it's dangerous to be too optimistic and too pessimistic, IMO.

Being too jaded by former experiences is just as bad as being blindly optimistic.

 

[1909]

If in the first quarter of the season Slaf doesn't show significant progress, he should be send down to Laval for re-tuning.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Of course, good point.

That's why it's dangerous to be too optimistic and too pessimistic, IMO.

Being too jaded by former experiences is just as bad as being blindly optimistic.

So true. Lots of people need to take this advise.

If in the first quarter of the season Slaf doesn't show significant progress, he should be send down to Laval for re-tuning.

Probably the communication they will be telling him as we move forward. He's not dumb. He knows what is expected.

 

[ReHabs]

Some people are burned out by having dated too many times, and end up being frustrated with anyone new they meet because they carry this bagage. But it's THEIR baggage, not anyone else. This new person you meet isn't better or worst than others just because you had bad experience in the past.

You can be cautious and skeptical for anything, at any time. Nobody can stop that. But plenty of people are cautious and skeptical over totally irrational things.

It’s irrational and annoying when fan communities fall into the “Trust the Process” crap and preach the benefits of losing. Toxic optimists and toxic tankers.

Slafkovsky is meant to be a gem and reward for a year of pain. That’s never going to change no matter how much some people insist on lower standards and expectations.

 

[WeThreeKings]

You have your Pro-Slaf people who think he and/or management can do no wrong.

You have your people who have been burned too many times by former mgmt and are very cautious and skeptical, they still have hope and are willing to see what happens but understand Slaf could fizzle out to become a 3rd liner especially if they don't develop properly and rush him.

You have your people who think they've seen enough at this point and who believe in their heart of hearts Slaf is going to be a 3rd-4th liner at best, at least for now and in the immediate future.


I'm in the middle right now.

Slaf wasn't my guy, my guy was Cooley and I'm just wait and see.

He's 19 and big bodies take a long time to develop. Patience is required.

Rebuilds take time, we are heading into year 3 of one and the teams like Buffalo who everyone is jealous of - picked top 15 for 12 years in a row.

We all wanted a rebuild, we are in one, and guess what? Young players don't develop in steep upward trajectories. The line zigs and zags.

It is way wayyyy too early to get too excited or too upset.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

It’s irrational and annoying when fan communities fall into the “Trust the Process” crap and preach the benefits of losing. Toxic optimists and toxic tankers.

Slafkovsky is meant to be a gem and reward for a year of pain. That’s never going to change no matter how much some people insist on lower standards and expectations.

I always wanted MTL to tank BECAUSE we can't scout or develop , keep tanking until the idiots in charge pick somebody who CANT BUST , UNBUSTABLE. Tank for 10 years for all I care. Just get some god dam offensive talent Jesus Christ. How is it so hard , you have tons of irelevant do nothing teams (like us) who stumble on these players all the time lmao why can't we

 

[morhilane]

If in the first quarter of the season Slaf doesn't show significant progress, he should be send down to Laval for re-tuning.

I'm not sure if your idea of "significant progress" is the same as MSL's idea of progress.