Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[Kennerback]

This duo, though

View attachment 775624

Slaf actually helps Caufield at 5 on 5. Playing Caufield with Suzuki and a third wheel like Newhook, forces Caufield to go and help dig for pucks instead of getting ready to break out.

 

[Heffyhoof]

What they're saying is that if Slafkovsky becomes a good player without having spent time in the AHL, then it's proof that he wouldn't have benefited from time in the AHL.

That it's proof all the fake handwringing from stat watchers who harped on and on about his production was unwarranted.

 

[Heffyhoof]

You LITERALLY just wrote that no one said that the NHL is not a developmental league. It's right here at the beginning.

Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

What I want to know is this.....what is the metric by which @Whitesnake @Mrb1p @ReHabs and others will measure Slaf being in the NHL a success. When will we know, in your mind that he belongs? Is it something like5 more points in his next 7.....10 more in his next 14....does he have to reach...

forums.hfboards.com

now you just wrote EXACTLY that lol

And then somehow, you're projecting on me??

Damn...nasty nasty work lol

It doesn't contradict what I said lol but again, it's deviating from the topic and I'm not really into debating how if the Habs hadn't "rushed" Kotkaniemi at 18 years old, he'd be a franchise #1C right now.

You can save those fairytales for your grandchildren one day lol

It's what happens when all you do is talk in endless circles desperately trying to be right all the time, you contradict yourself.

 

[ReHabs]

That it's proof all the fake handwringing from stat watchers who harped on and on about his production was unwarranted.

I don’t think this is a fair conclusion to make.

Concern about the Habs’ ability to develop a forward of note is plenty warranted. We can celebrate when Slaf becomes an impact player and we can be relieved that he’s finally looking stable enough in the NHL. That’s fine enough, isn’t it?

 

[Goldenhands]

That shift they had last night along with Guehle was a beautiful thing to watch. It looked like we were on the PP.

That shift was a prelude at what we are going to see of Slaf in his prime, a puck possession monster who suffocates his opponents in their own zone before the puck eventually goes in. He and Dach are going to be a nightmare for the opposition, especially in playoffs.

 

[DAChampion]

That shift was a prelude at what we are going to see of Slaf in his prime, a puck possession monster who suffocates his opponents in their own zone before the puck eventually goes in. He and Dach are going to be a nightmare for the opposition, especially in playoffs.

Who's the ideal linemate for Dach and Slafkovsky?

Caulfield?
Roy?
Mesar?
Newhook?

 

[Goldenhands]

Who's the ideal linemate for Dach and Slafkovsky?

Caulfield?
Roy?
Mesar?
Newhook?

Possibly Caufield, but we have alot of time ahead to experiment.

 

[Whitesnake]

So if you don’t think he’s on a downward trend, why are you posting so often about him needing to be sent to the AHL? You’re so adamant but you don’t think he’s busting? How does that make sense?

Everytime there's a debate about that, it's always in reference to what I would have done back then. Never about what we should do it now. Cause everytime I respond, it's about people who claims that since he's doing better...he did NOT need the AHL back then. To which I respond it's not necessarily true.

 

[Whitesnake]

I was talking about when Caufield was struggling a couple of weeks ago - of course I didn't know at the time of the post that although he's played less than the 160 games required to have to go through waivers (he's played 145 regular season games), it's regular season and playoff games combined.

Which really doesn't change the argument I was making regardless really.

But plenty of players who aren't exception spend little or no time in the AHL and turn out just fine. We have examples of those on our very own team.

You and I have often gotten into debates about how "The NHL is not a developmental league"...I argued that that's a false statement, you argued it's true.

But here you are essentially saying the very thing I've argued.

I've never phrased it this way or even implied it. I've said repeatedly that I think development happens at ALL levels and you don't necessarily need a "master's degree" in each previous and subsequent levels, to be able to succeed in the NHL (again, see examples of players on our own team as evidence).

However, I do think that it's a valid argument to ask whether or not the very things we're seeing Slaf improve on right now, if they would have been as much of a focus in the AHL where he could just get by with producing points and everyone would be satisfied with his development.

A good example is Filip Mesar...everyone is over the moon with his production right now and don't get me wrong, its great he's producing.

But how much is he really improving/developing the parts in his game that he's not being challenged on right now in the OHL, that he will be challenged on when he turns pro in the AHL and eventually the NHL?

All I see in Mesar highlights is him dancing through opposing defenses and basically doing what he wants because he's afforded the time and space at that level.

But that's not replicable in the AHL and even much less in the NHL.

Not at all, Joshua Roy is where he should be right now.

Well I was talking about the fact that my take on that subject is NOT about Slaf but anybody who isn't an exceptional. Whether you agree or not, it's fine. But you can't come out and say that I reserve that treatment only with Slaf.

Plenty of players did it? If we play that plenty of players game....couldn't I just say that there's are MORE players that are shining that did go through the levels?

Mesar? Sure. I will always have my doubts till-if he reaches the NHL. But it's better to see him gaining his confidence back and hoping he does learn the rest of the game and will bring his renewed confidence to get his game going next year. Having said that.....tell me this....if you are not sure the team has done the right move by sending Mesar down....isn't possible that they didn't do the right move by keeping Slaf? If the pros know best....shouldn't they always?

Roy? Why? Why couldn't he learned faster in the NHL?

 

[Whitesnake]

Well the follow up question to that is to ask if all of this means that finding shooting lanes in a league where doing so is easier (like in the AHL for example).

Does it really help with accomplishing that same task IN the NHL?

I'm not 100% sure of that.

There are just some things that lower leagues can't replicate.

The schedule, the travel, the playing vs grown ass men...yes.

The skill of opponents, the practice habits, the pace, goaltending, etc...not IMO.

There's really no way to know if he would be a better player TODAY had be been sent to the AHL THEN and anyone suggesting otherwise is just throwing shit at the wall.

But I think it's hard to argue that the experiences and lessons he's learned the last 60 games IN the NHL, are far more valuable than anything he could have experienced or learned IN the AHL. To believe otherwise is to basically believe that the AHL is a better league than the NHL...and that just doesn't make a ton of sense to me.

But in essence, that was the whole point. The European, not familiar with the ice surface, not familiar with everything that comes with a North American type of hockey, with all the pressure of the No1 pick.....why couldn't he at least stay down there at first for minimum half of a year?

Jiri Kulich was pretty good in the AHL. Did they wasted his talent by not having him sooner up? Will anybody really ask the question....''Despite looking great in the AHL, what if we would have him up at the start of the year instead?

Slaf is 19 year old. If his very 1st 60 games would have come up this year or even next year....please tell me how it would have been detrimental to the rest of his career.....

 

[Whitesnake]

No, but you and many others have argued that players need to master each previous level before reaching the NHL, because again, "cough cough", the "NHL is not a developmental league."

That is and has always been 100% false.

In a place where pros know best...I find it strange that even when NHL coaches say ''the NHL is not a development league'', posters in here find it false. Double standards much?

What you don't get is this. And I repeated that often and often and often. So I'll do it again. Players DO develop in this league. They ALL do. In some capacity. But unless that's your MAIN goal, the league is a performance league. Where you need to win. Where you need to perform. Nick Suzuki developed in Montreal. But he's here because for our team, he's a top 2 C.

You wouldn't have Josh Roy here 'cause he wouldn't be amongst the best forwards on this team. If the league WOULD be a development league, and by the sounds of how you sell it, often better than the AHL, Josh Roy WOULD be here. And yet, you claim he's where he should be.

It's nonsense to think that I think you don't develop in the NHL. If so, why so many people working in development? loll. Just saying it's not the main goal. Just saying that NORMALLY, most players will succeed in juniors, reach the AHL, do fine there before the reach the NHL.

that's not me. That's just a fact.

 

[Jaynki]

Who's the ideal linemate for Dach and Slafkovsky?

Caulfield?
Roy?
Mesar?
Newhook?

Tij Iginla

 

[Hannibal]

With newhook injured, reunite Caufield-Suzuki-Slaf and roll with it.

Don’t you ever put Slaf with Dvo and Anderson.

 

[Colezuki]

Slaf actually helps Caufield at 5 on 5. Playing Caufield with Suzuki and a third wheel like Newhook, forces Caufield to go and help dig for pucks instead of getting ready to break out.

Caufield, dach slaf incoming next year

 

[Deebs]

With newhook injured, reunite Caufield-Suzuki-Slaf and roll with it.

Don’t you ever put Slaf with Dvo and Anderson.

Were they ever a line, I can't remember

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

Who's the ideal linemate for Dach and Slafkovsky?

Caulfield?
Roy?
Mesar?
Newhook?

Newhook - Suzuki - Roy
Caufield - Dach - Slafkovsky

lots can change in the offseason but i would like those lines next year

 

[morhilane]

Were they ever a line, I can't remember

CC/Suzuki/Slaf played 1 or 2 games together before Dvorak came back into the alignment.

 

[Andy]

He's constantly involved in a number of offensive chances. He's slowly getting there.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

I think it is best to separate him and Caufield, pretty much whenever anyone is on an odd man rush they want to give it to Caufield given he has the highest chance of scoring.

Caufield - Suzuki - Gallagher
Slaf - Monahan - Ylonen
Pearson - Dvorak - Anderson
Pezzetta - Evans - Armia

 

[Tyson]

I think it is best to separate him and Caufield, pretty much whenever anyone is on an odd man rush they want to give it to Caufield given he has the highest chance of scoring.

Caufield - Suzuki - Gallagher
Slaf - Monahan - Ylonen
Pearson - Dvorak - Anderson
Pezzetta - Evans - Armia

Damn that 1st line is awfully small.

 

[le_sean]

I think it is best to separate him and Caufield, pretty much whenever anyone is on an odd man rush they want to give it to Caufield given he has the highest chance of scoring.

Caufield - Suzuki - Gallagher
Slaf - Monahan - Ylonen
Pearson - Dvorak - Anderson
Pezzetta - Evans - Armia

Cole is a player that can score 40 goals consistently in this league. I’m glad they look for him any chance they get. The duo was working well. I’d like to see Slaf with Cole and Suzuki again.

 

[OnTheRun]

In a place where pros know best...I find it strange that even when NHL coaches say ''the NHL is not a development league'', posters in here find it false. Double standards much?

What you don't get is this. And I repeated that often and often and often. So I'll do it again. Players DO develop in this league. They ALL do. In some capacity. But unless that's your MAIN goal, the league is a performance league. Where you need to win. Where you need to perform. Nick Suzuki developed in Montreal. But he's here because for our team, he's a top 2 C.

You wouldn't have Josh Roy here 'cause he wouldn't be amongst the best forwards on this team. If the league WOULD be a development league, and by the sounds of how you sell it, often better than the AHL, Josh Roy WOULD be here. And yet, you claim he's where he should be.

It's nonsense to think that I think you don't develop in the NHL. If so, why so many people working in development? loll. Just saying it's not the main goal. Just saying that NORMALLY, most players will succeed in juniors, reach the AHL, do fine there before the reach the NHL.

that's not me. That's just a fact.

"The NHL is not a development league" because most coach would be fired on the spot if they were to put more emphasis on development THAN results.
The Habs on the other hand started the season with 2 Dman with more than 100 games of NHL experience (and they are down to one now) what the hell do you think they are doing here? Hint: it's start with a "D" and end with "evelopment".

We have 82 games to play while icing a team that isn't competitive, that would be a damn shame if we weren't using that time to do development because of some vague trope people decided to take literally.

 

[ReHabs]

"The NHL is not a development league" because most coach would be fired on the spot if they were to put more emphasis on development THAN results.
The Habs on the other hand started the season with 2 Dman with more than 100 games of NHL experience (and they are down to one now) what the hell do you think they are doing here? Hint: it's start with a "D" and end with "evelopment".

We have 82 games to play while icing a team that isn't competitive, that would be a damn shame if we weren't using that time to do development because of some vague trope people decided to take literally.

Quality of competition doesn’t change, does it?

The “not a development league” isn’t a truism, it’s a fact. Why don’t other crap teams rush all their prospects to the NHL all at once? Why didn’t the Habs rush Reinbacher to the team?

 

[OnTheRun]

Quality of competition doesn’t change, does it?

The “not a development league” isn’t a truism, it’s a fact. Why don’t other crap teams rush all their prospects to the NHL all at once? Why didn’t the Habs rush Reinbacher to the team?

Are we rushing all our prospects to the NHL all at once now?

 

[lillypad33]

hey ever a line, I can't remember

Cole is a player that can score 40 goals consistently in this league. I’m glad they look for him any chance they get. The duo was working well. I’d like to see Slaf with Cole and Suzuki again.

I like the idea of Slaf, Monahan and Ylonen...