Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[Lshap]

Seriously? Do we have to play the pretend game where we all make believe that we don't notice the obvious subtext? Saying the first overall pick of a team on their own forum "might be a useful second line player" after less than 60 games played since he was drafted is obviously done with the intent to have a bit of fun, doubly so after he finally posted some points.

I'm happy to wait for @Frank Drebin to clarify exactly what he meant. Until then, you're playing the same 'pretend game' – interpreting what someone says on a message board.

 

[Jaynki]

You can't read, and he's just as likely of playing with Roy than Cole and Nick because Roys a surefire top 6er.

I am skeptical but we will see when he is called up.

 

[ReimanSum1908]

You can't read, and he's just as likely of playing with Roy than Cole and Nick because Roys a surefire top 6er.

Please, it's just as likely that Roy never makes it to the NHL as it is that he becomes a top six forward.

 

[Jaynki]

Please, it's just as likely that Roy never makes it to the NHL as it is that he becomes a top six forward.

He will answer something like that some HF poster can not recognise water coming out of a water tap in relation to Roy being a surefire top 6, and then two post later will argue that Slaf should be in the AHL

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Slaf is not an NHL defenceman. He got beat by a forward with speed on a crossover. Not hard to admit but hardly unforgiveable. Barron was not positioned the best and Allen should have stopped the puck. Both also true. All can be "blamed" - but honestly on almost every goal scored by any team, some player made a mistake, if not more than one. Nothing dramatic here, all oart of learning, even for the 33 year old goalie.

My question is why is Slaf always in these situations lol why is our 19 year old the last man back in MULTIPLE occasions. I'm just saying you rarely see any of our other wingers properly rotate and cover the D at least he does that right, he actually has good defensive awareness compared to the rest of the idiot wingers who play zero D.

Perfect example is that brain dead play gallagher made in the ozone as the last man back at the point a few games ago .Doing an absolutely brain dead pinch that leads to a full ice 2 on1 , 0 defensive awareness from the forwards on this team , its not normal that slaf is always the first guy back in the neutral zone either why is he more defensively responsible in the neutral zone than half the team it makes no sense. He doesn't even play Center but he sure positions himself like one half the time. Starting the breakout and being the first man back on the backcheck lol.

Meanwhile Newhook Anderson Caufield Gallagher just blow the zone and have zero regards for defensive play game in and game out

 

[Frank Drebin]

I get it's mostly for trolling and shock value, but do you actually believe this backhanded insult?

A backhanded insult would be a genuine compliment.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Seriously? Do we have to play the pretend game where we all make believe that we don't notice the obvious subtext? Saying the first overall pick of a team on their own forum "might be a useful second line player" after less than 60 games played since he was drafted is obviously done with the intent to have a bit of fun, doubly so after he finally posted some points.

I thought about explaining my position but I think I'll just let you sit on it instead.

 

[tazsub3]

I don't really care about whatever "the pace" means. I just care about the end goal.

I also do not give two shits about the coaching staff, lmao. Have you tuned in to a game lately ? Its a clown show. Ill trust a coaching staff when it has actual results, until then, Ill stay hating on them.

(Friendly reminder that everyone here bought in the Bergeplan in 2012. We were all in love with him.)

If you can’t see the difference between Bergevin and Kent Hughes and the way the operate and the success they had , then nothing i or other posters can say will make a difference

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

If you can’t see the difference between Bergevin and Kent Hughes and the way the operate and the success they had , then nothing i or other posters can say will make a difference

They clearly have a specific way they want to develop him.

I'm just not sure that's really the right path. 11 mins a night without playing with our best players... that doesn't make sense to me. Icetime has gone up and the linemates have improved... as a result he's playing his best hockey to date. But was it necessary to go this route?

Why not have him play with our best players, give him all the PP time he can handle, let him get some points and build confidence? I understand them thinking he could 'cheat' at lower levels... so be it. But that doesn't mean we couldn't do better with him.

 

[nhlfan9191]

If you can’t see the difference between Bergevin and Kent Hughes and the way the operate and the success they had , then nothing i or other posters can say will make a difference

Bergevin and HuGo operate differently but you can’t evaluate the success of HuGo this early and start making direct comparisons yet, especially when the teams both management groups inherited were in completely different situations.

 

[ReHabs]

If you can’t see the difference between Bergevin and Kent Hughes and the way the operate and the success they had , then nothing i or other posters can say will make a difference

If it’s too early to judge then it is too early to judge

In terms of results Hughes certainly is not ahead of anybody. As GM he probably has the worst pt% record in Habs history.

So if you think we should wait before judging him then let’s wait

 

[Sorinth]

They clearly have a specific way they want to develop him.

I'm just not sure that's really the right path. 11 mins a night without playing with our best players... that doesn't make sense to me. Icetime has gone up and the linemates have improved... as a result he's playing his best hockey to date. But was it necessary to go this route?

Why not have him play with our best players, give him all the PP time he can handle, let him get some points and build confidence? I understand them thinking he could 'cheat' at lower levels... so be it. But that doesn't mean we couldn't do better with him.

Even Hughes said they aren't 100% certain and that everybody is different and so all they can do is closely follow the player and then adjust if it doesn't seem to be working. But it's pretty normal in all walks of life that you would start with a small and once you prove yourself capable gain additional responsibility. In Slaf's case he spent roughly 18 games on the 4th line, followed by another 18 on the 3rd line, and now 21 games in the top-6. Was it imperative that he played those first 36 games in the bottom-6, maybe not, but I can't see how someone would say that's a bad way to develop.

 

[nhlfan9191]

If it’s too early to judge then it is too early to judge

In terms of results Hughes certainly is not ahead of anybody. As GM he probably has the worst pt% record in Habs history.

So if you think we should wait before judging him then let’s wait

The points percentage history isn’t because of him. They had to hire a clean up crew because Bergevin. That’s not HuGo’s fault. If they had done this five years sooner, it would not be as messy.

 

[ReHabs]

The points percentage history isn’t because of him. They had to hire a clean up crew because Bergevin. That’s not HuGo’s fault. If they had done this five years sooner, it would not be as messy.

That’s perfectly fine to say and think but it can’t be that Hughes is better than Bergevin but also we cannot criticize Hughes for any decision because it is too early. If it is too early to criticize Hughes’ decisions or pass a judgement on his work thus far then it is also too early to say he’s better than anybody.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Please, it's just as likely that Roy never makes it to the NHL as it is that he becomes a top six forward.

I’ll calm myself before replying but his ‘skating issues’ are far overblown. He’s shown solid improvement there and can probably get even better.

But he’s going to be an NHLer. No doubt about it

 

[Goldenhands]

What if Slaf makes a turnover like this?

 

[tazsub3]

If it’s too early to judge then it is too early to judge

In terms of results Hughes certainly is not ahead of anybody. As GM he probably has the worst pt% record in Habs history.

So if you think we should wait before judging him then let’s wait

You where you start makes a huge difference . Mb started with way way way more talent then Hughes started . In fact Hughes started with no talent and cap hell

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Even Hughes said they aren't 100% certain and that everybody is different and so all they can do is closely follow the player and then adjust if it doesn't seem to be working. But it's pretty normal in all walks of life that you would start with a small and once you prove yourself capable gain additional responsibility. In Slaf's case he spent roughly 18 games on the 4th line, followed by another 18 on the 3rd line, and now 21 games in the top-6. Was it imperative that he played those first 36 games in the bottom-6, maybe not, but I can't see how someone would say that's a bad way to develop.

Montreal and New York are the two teams I think of who have (mostly) made their picks play on lower lines first. Lots of teams start these guys with their best players and PP time.

 

[cave troll]

What if Slaf makes a turnover like this?

He did a worse one vs Jets. Nobody killed him afterwards.

 

[Lshap]

What if Slaf makes a turnover like this?

One video, two draft pick lessons.

Cooley showing that 2022's best-pick-de-jour isn't the slam dunk some imagined. Byfield reminding us to chill the f*** out when it comes to teenage players. Byfield spent a lot of time in the AHL the past two season. Whatever its impact, he's showing the benefits of patience and flexibility concerning his development.

 

[morhilane]

Montreal and New York are the two teams I think of who have (mostly) made their picks play on lower lines first. Lots of teams start these guys with their best players and PP time.

Most teams do what Montréal and New York do. Take Cooley, he might be on PP1, but his most used linemates are Zucker and Carcone. Carlsson didn't start on the 1st line. Fantilli and Poitras are both sheltered even if it's not on the bottom 6.



And Slaf (or Newhook) totally deserve to be on PP1 over Anderson...

 

[ReHabs]

One video, two draft pick lessons.

Cooley showing that 2022's best-pick-de-jour isn't the slam dunk some imagined. Byfield reminding us to chill the f*** out when it comes to teenage players. Byfield spent a lot of time in the AHL the past two season. Whatever its impact, he's showing the benefits of patience and flexibility concerning his development.

Cooley is allowed to make mistakes, no? He's a rookie right? Slaf looked rather bad as a rookie too. Why the double-standards? (not asking you specifically). I think if you support Slaf-in-the-NHL you should extend the courtesy it implies to other rookies. They WILL make mistakes just as Slafkovsky makes mistakes into his sophomore season.

Byfield did spend time in the AHL so the comparison in development falls apart. Additionally, comparing them as prospects/players... in his draft year Byfield was 2ppg in the OHL which is very good for a D+0 performance as I've come to understand. Slafkovsky's pedigree is, shall we say, different.

If Slaf succeeds it'll be a marvel of modern player development and a sincere game-changer. A competitive team couldn't afford to carry a player like the Habs have with Slafkovsky, so the rush-em-and-let-em-figure-it-out style is circumstantial but if it works, it'll be marvellous. If it doesn't work? Ah well, too late to complain.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

He did a worse one vs Jets. Nobody killed him afterwards.

If a turnover happens in arizona but nobody was there to see it did it really happen?

 

[Hannibal]

Cooley shat his pants on this Byfield goal.

I love Slaf and he will be good.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

To be fair to cooley on that play im pretty sure he would actually die if he absorbed that contact from Byfield