Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[Kennerback]

"He's playing better!", "He's more involved physically!".

Lol. So he slightly improved from being really bad, and hasn't produced shit. And we're basing this on a game where he played with our two best forwards.

The standards are so low, I think the only way we could reach them is by mining the depths of Moria.

Slaf might have had a couple of really bad games but I wouldn’t say it was the norm.

“Hasn’t produced shit”: very true. A legit problem. But he now looks very good otherwise. And he was trending that way before playing with Suzuki and Caufield.

I think the standards are rock bottom regarding his offensive production. But in the other parts of his game he easily meets most NHL requirements and he’s only 19.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Really? I've watched all of them and I've seen him cough up the puck countless times because it takes him forever to make decisions. He refuses to shoot, and when he does, his release is slow.

He should shoot more, yes. His game is a work in progress and he’s going to make mistakes. But there’s a lot to like about his game now. The end to end rush, the puck battle he won beating two guys, the passing… I mean that looks like a player on his way.

Totally agree that he needs to shoot more. And, yes he makes bad decisions to pass first sometimes - but that’s what you get with younger players. Right now not shooting enough is his biggest flaw. I’d rather that then - he can’t skate or he can’t pass… his flaws are correctable and he’ll improve as he plays more. He’s stop just a teenager.

 

[admiralcadillac]

Well, it is a simple calculation of even-strength goals for and against while on the ice.

Hutson is on the ice for a lot of goals scored at even strength. He is on the ice for even MORE goals against. If his points scored are very high relative to the league, then what kind of defensive records must he be breaking (in a bad way)?



Tell that to the league. They use plus/minus (including special teams) to determine which team wins each game. Except for very rare flukes, most players contribute to their teams' offesnive and defensive results only when they are on the ice.

By the way, do you like Corsi and Fenwick?

Are you able to let the class know if you referred to even strength initially?

 

[Toene]

He should shoot more, yes. His game is a work in progress and he’s going to make mistakes. But there’s a lot to like about his game now. The end to end rush, the puck battle he won beating two guys, the passing… I mean that looks like a player on his way.

Totally agree that he needs to shoot more. And, yes he makes bad decisions to pass first sometimes - but that’s what you get with younger players. Right now not shooting enough is his biggest flaw. I’d rather that then - he can’t skate or he can’t pass… his flaws are correctable and he’ll improve as he plays more. He’s stop just a teenager.

It's almost as if he would've benefitted playing in a slightly-slower league.

Well it's a good thing that is irrelevant to how he's progressing.

As long as we agree that you ignoring his brutal flaws and saying he's playing well (lol) is also irrelevant.

 

[Miller Time]

Apples and oranges. MSL was undrafted and came up during the DPE, when dinosaur coaches and GMs were wary of small players. If St-Louis came up in the current era, I believe he would've had a real chance. He was a great college player.

Go check who the flames leading scorer was the last year MSL played for the flames... (5'11, 175lbs) Then check out who their #1C was... (5'10 190lbs)... & #1D (5'10 185lbs). MSL was shorter, yes, but it's not like the flames were averse to smallish skilled players playing leading roles in their org at the time.

MSL also led the flames AHL team in scoring before he was dealt.

He was moved/let go because their internal player assessments failed miserably. They missed the visible but nuanced personal0intangible aspects that fueled MSL's successful transition from dominant NCAA career to ppg pro debut & eventually to dominant NHL career...

Some people, including pro GMs, miss that today just as much as they missed it back then.

It's not an exact science, and, there are components that are quite visible... I think our leadership group is showing themselves to be adept at looking for & nurturing those nuanced attributes that are far harder to measure quantitatively.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Are you able to let the class know if you referred to even strength initially?

Many of Hutson's points are at ES. My point was consciously made.

 

[junyab]

So far his production output is mirroring that of Byfield's, another big man. I have no worries. It'll be a slow progression that'll pay off long-term.

 

[Mrb1p]

We don’t have any prospects or young players right now that are doing special things. We need to hope a few of them grab the bull by the horns so tho rebuild is a success.

Hutson, Roy, Fowler and Guhle are all pretty special in their respective categories.

On paper Mesar too.

 

[bcv]

Tell that to the league. They use plus/minus (including special teams) to determine which team wins each game. Except for very rare flukes, most players contribute to their teams' offesnive and defensive results only when they are on the ice.

By the way, do you like Corsi and Fenwick?

You're a baseball coach, I assume with your name, is batting average the batting stats that gives us the better idea of how good a hitter is? Or are you perhaps looking at OPS?

Things evolve and we know that +/- is a bad stats. Sammy Pahlsson is one of the best defensive forward of all time and he's basically a minus player every year he played in the NHL.

I'm more of a xG% guy but I guess that makes me a nerd?

 

[Naslundforever]

You're a baseball coach, I assume with your name, is batting average the batting stats that gives us the better idea of how good a hitter is? Or are you perhaps looking at OPS?

Things evolve and we know that +/- is a bad stats. Sammy Pahlsson is one of the best defensive forward of all time and he's basically a minus player every year he played in the NHL.

I'm more of a xG% guy but I guess that makes me a nerd?

I dig the new « goals/scoring chances above replacement (all the players at tha same position) » type of stats, it just took me like a year of staring at graphs like a dear in the headlights because no-one ever puts what the abbreviations mean. Gar. War. Growl. I forget.

 

[Kennerback]

So far his production output is mirroring that of Byfield's, another big man. I have no worries. It'll be a slow progression that'll pay off long-term.

Until he rounds the corner offensively, I’ll be worried. The coaching can’t shut their eyes on the issue. Even if the rest of his game looks great.

For the last couple of years, Rangers fans have been defending Kappo Kaako and excusing his lack of offense. “He’s a puck possession monster”, “He’s the best at everything else”, etc…

Rangers have the best offense, he’s been given tons of chance on the first line, he just can’t produce. Thornton the quintessential slow starter was starting to seriously produce during the first half of his second season.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Until he rounds the corner offensively, I’ll be worried. The coaching can’t shut their eyes on the issue. Even if the rest of his game looks great.

For the last couple of years, Rangers fans have been defending Kappo Kaako and excusing his lack of offense. “He’s a puck possession monster”, “He’s the best at everything else”, etc…

Rangers have the best offense, he’s been given tons of chance on the first line, he just can’t produce. Thornton the quintessential slow starter was starting to seriously produce during the first half of his second season.

Slafkovsky has not played 65 games yet.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Personally, I expect another big drop soon and he’ll probably go with it.

Sorry, what does that mean?

 

[badfish]

So far his production output is mirroring that of Byfield's, another big man. I have no worries. It'll be a slow progression that'll pay off long-term.

I'm looking forward to seeing Byfield play tomorrow night ! He's looked good in some of the highlights I saw.

 

[SlafySZN]

If he stays in the first line, I think we’d see a pace of 35-40 points. They don’t seem to want to put him on the first PP unit.

He was on PP1 last game and still is during practice today.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

It's almost as if he would've benefitted playing in a slightly-slower league.

Maybe. I’d have had no issue with it. I advocated for it last year and this season. This year I’ve bounced back and forth between up and down. But it’s clear he belongs in the NHL now.

As long as we agree that you ignoring his brutal flaws and saying he's playing well (lol) is also irrelevant.

His worst flaw is not shooting enough. Easily correctable and he’s a developing player. If he were 25 it’s be a “brutal flaw” at this stage it’s merely something to work on.

 

[SlafySZN]

Delete

 

[admiralcadillac]

Until he rounds the corner offensively, I’ll be worried. The coaching can’t shut their eyes on the issue. Even if the rest of his game looks great.

For the last couple of years, Rangers fans have been defending Kappo Kaako and excusing his lack of offense. “He’s a puck possession monster”, “He’s the best at everything else”, etc…

Rangers have the best offense, he’s been given tons of chance on the first line, he just can’t produce. Thornton the quintessential slow starter was starting to seriously produce during the first half of his second season.

Did you watch Slafkovsky last game and think to yourself “man, I wish he would generate more scoring chances”? I sure didn’t.

 

[BaseballCoach]

He didn't say he can't defend, he said he need to shows he can.
It's completely unknown how well Hutson will handle NHL competitions, and that much is pretty much true for any prospect who has yet to face NHL competitions, but Hutson isn't the biggest dude, so it's not surprising if some have doubts and "wait for proofs".

Before he gets a chance to defend at the NHL level, Lane will have to show he can defend at a higher level in the NCAA.

 

[admiralcadillac]

Before he gets a chance to defend at the NHL level, Lane will have to show he can defend at a higher level in the NCAA.

He’s -3, listening to you I assumed it was double digits lol

 

[BehindTheTimes]

I don’t see any game breaking qualities in this guy. I’m sorry, I don’t.

I said he played better last game. I'm of those who think he can be a first-liner, he's got monster potential, but I'm not impressed yet. He struggled mightily this year and a good (but pointless) game here and there doesn't mean much to me.

Some celebrate every good play he makes. His improvement has been marginal imo.

 

[Kennerback]

Did you watch Slafkovsky last game and think to yourself “man, I wish he would generate more scoring chances”? I sure didn’t.

I think he looked great. He can generate scoring chances, more than most of the team. But once that chance is created, I would prefer anyone else on the team except Jake Evans there to finish in his place.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I think he looked great. He can generate scoring chances, more than most of the team. But once that chance is created, I would prefer anyone else on the team except Jake Evans there to finish in his place.

Good news for you then, he’s going to pass the puck to someone rather than take a shot.

 

[Kennerback]

Good news for you then, he’s going to pass the puck to someone rather than take a shot.

The guy that he passes to won’t finish either, because every goaler in the NHL already has gotten the memo that he always passes.

It’s basically Suzuki to Caufield but 10 times worse.

 

[OnTheRun]

Before he gets a chance to defend at the NHL level, Lane will have to show he can defend at a higher level in the NCAA.

Imo, he can skip that step (for now). Whatever he is doing right now his working for him and he doesn't need to mold his game to the pro level until... he play at the pro level.