Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[Lafleurs Guy]

On the PP, Slaf is basically a glorified arena board you bounce pucks on.

Even if this were true - it’s not - who cares?

 

[Kennerback]

Even if this were true - it’s not - who cares?

The guy is hurting Caulfield, his other linemates and the team in general. He has prime playing time with 7 points in 26 games.

The fact MSL hasn’t been able to make him shoot once in a while if only as a diversion to keep goalies honest is mindboggling.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The guy is hurting Caulfield

I stopped reading there

 

[417]

The guy is hurting Caulfield, his other linemates and the team in general. He has prime playing time with 7 points in 26 games.

The fact MSL hasn’t been able to make him shoot once in a while if only as a diversion to keep goalies honest is mindboggling.

Wild stuff.

 

[Kennerback]

Wild stuff.

To be fair to Slaf, he trounced Caufield and was the best on the ice at Board Derby.

 

[417]

To be fair to Slaf, he trounced Caufield and was the best on the ice at Board Derby.

I admire your ability to sprinkle humor around your takes lol.

 

[Kennerback]

I admire your ability to sprinkle humor around your takes lol.

Aren’t we just here to have a bit of fun?

 

[Whitesnake]

Being concerned is no big deal, but when you say Slaf will be useful while insinuating Reinbacher will not...well, not the best way to put it

Yeah, bad phrasing on my part. Reinbacher will also be useful. Just saying that we will discuss more about the Reinbacher pick based on who we missed rather than Slaf for the same reasons.

 

[Whitesnake]

That's why people wanted/want to see Slafkovsky in the AHL, they don’t want to see him “learn on the job”, they want to see a finished product.

Not for me. I want to see kids learn at their pace. And I would take extra precaution with guys coming from Europe. To me, smaller schedules, larger ice surface, different style of play, it,s an additional layer that a kid at 18 should take slower than others UNLESS we are talking about exceptional players. That, for me, is my sole and only take.

Right now, that ship has sailed. Kid is not going down and I'm NOT advocating for him to go down anymore. I will always believe though that it would not have been a bad thing to do so.

 

[Miller Time]

Anyone catch that Byfield kid last night?

For those overly concerned about Slaf's point line...

11pts in 46 games through his D2 season...

22pts in 53games in his D3 year.

D4, flirting with ppg & looks well on his way to becoming a dominant/elite top line player.

Patience does get rewarded sometimes

 

[Adam Michaels]

When a 19 year old starts to become your best forward it is time to start giving him props.
Have to noticed he is always looking to set up Caufield but Cole barely acknowledges Slaf during the PP?

Even Matheson isn't passing the puck to him. He's always looking for Cole or to take a shot. When Suzuki was on the right half wall, Matheson would pass it to him at times and pass it to Cole at the left half wall other times. Now that Slaf is at the right half wall, Matheson is focused on Cole or shooting, which gets blocked half the time or is off target. He rarely looks to his right anymore.

 

[BaseballCoach]

His finishing abilities are a whole other issue…

But in the meantime, to convert a pass into an assist, Slaf needs goalies to take him seriously as a shooting threat. The book is already out among NHL goalies that he’s not.

The goalies' book is so powerful, it allows them to activate their goalposts to assist them in stoppoing guys paid millions to score.

 

[Andrei79]

Anyone catch that Byfield kid last night?

For those overly concerned about Slaf's point line...

11pts in 46 games through his D2 season...

22pts in 53games in his D3 year.

D4, flirting with ppg & looks well on his way to becoming a dominant/elite top line player.

Patience does get rewarded sometimes

I never would have thought he'd be better than Lafreniere by this point. But Byfield is a beast, the Kings look like they actually lucked out by picking 2nd rather than 1st.

 

[417]

Not for me. I want to see kids learn at their pace. And I would take extra precaution with guys coming from Europe. To me, smaller schedules, larger ice surface, different style of play, it,s an additional layer that a kid at 18 should take slower than others UNLESS we are talking about exceptional players. That, for me, is my sole and only take.

Yes, as long as it's not in the NHL.

I'm just not quite sure how the NHL should only be for exceptional players, when the percentage of exceptional players is miniscule.

It's just an odd barometer to be honest.

Right now, that ship has sailed. Kid is not going down and I'm NOT advocating for him to go down anymore. I will always believe though that it would not have been a bad thing to do so.

Can you also acknowledge, based on his current progress (which is evident even in the absence of production) that developing in the NHL wasn't a bad thing to do as well?

Can you also acknowledge based on what's currently happening in Laval right now that that environment maybe isn't as great of an environment to develop as many people think? I'm having trouble looking at all the Laval threads (I don't watch Rocket games) and seeing all of the people complaining about the coaching and the development of players down there, but still see people advance the thought that it wouldn't have been a bad thing to send him down there.

It's peculiar to say the least.

 

[Kennerback]

The goalies' book is so powerful, it allows them to activate their goalposts to assist them in stoppoing guys paid millions to score.

On Suzuki’s shot, Talbot (like everyone on this board) knew Slaf was not thinking net, looked who was in the vicinity, had time to get square to Suzuki and cut all the angles. Suzuki was either hitting goalie, post or missing the net.

 

[BLONG7]

It is a kind of a miracle of what is happening with Slaf right now.

You look at him him now and 3 weeks ago and it s like 2 different human being on the ice.

I am dead serious....during the second period last night....I said to myself....: is there 5 or 10 players in the league as good as he is along the boards?

Crosby is for me the best maybe in history along the board. His puck protection technique is unreal since his days in Rimouski.

...Slaf...its not just his strength ... he has always his head up to make a pass from the board. His quick feet to change direction is surprising.

Also, he is able to make good hard passes from his backhand. Even in the Nhl all players are able to make short pass with their backhand but guys like Mcdavid and Crosby for example are so good to make 40 feet passes with strength tape to tape.

His gonna be lethal soon cause he is tough to play against right now and he will help the team so much on puck time possession in the offensive zone something that Suzuki and Caufield were not very good. They are good on the rush.

i watched l'antichambre last night and I was so upset...Brunet and Therrien smashed the team the entire time and they did not talked about Slaf at all

Those clowns.......................if Slaf was Quebecois, imagine, just imagine how they would not shut up about him.
This kid is coming.................... and people are just now starting to take notice. Well, those who choose to......the AC crowd are embarassing to the organization.

 

[417]

Anyone catch that Byfield kid last night?

For those overly concerned about Slaf's point line...

11pts in 46 games through his D2 season...

22pts in 53games in his D3 year.

D4, flirting with ppg & looks well on his way to becoming a dominant/elite top line player.

Patience does get rewarded sometimes

They'll be quick to remind you he played 59 AHL games spread out over 3 years and that's why he's the player he is today.

 

[BLONG7]

The guy is hurting Caulfield, his other linemates and the team in general. He has prime playing time with 7 points in 26 games.

The fact MSL hasn’t been able to make him shoot once in a while if only as a diversion to keep goalies honest is mindboggling.

Prime playing time, with first line, in what 3-4 games?
Are you actually watching this kid get better or just looking at stats?
A guy on the Kings, who has 11 points in 23-24 games, and has been playing for 6 seasons, and makes 8.5M is not playing as well as Slaf....

 

[417]

Even Matheson isn't passing the puck to him. He's always looking for Cole or to take a shot. When Suzuki was on the right half wall, Matheson would pass it to him at times and pass it to Cole at the left half wall other times. Now that Slaf is at the right half wall, Matheson is focused on Cole or shooting, which gets blocked half the time or is off target. He rarely looks to his right anymore.

Worst part of that is Matheson as a LHD, has to open up to pass to Cole, which pretty much is a huge advertisement that they're trying to set up the one timer.

It's a huge tell. If they want to open up the Caufield one timer, they need a RHD at the top of the umbrella. The RHD shot/pass angle looks the same to the goalie, it's much more deceptive than the opposite.

Think Markov to Souray or Schneider or Bergeron (LHD to LHD) very successful, whereas Markov to Subban or Weber (LHD to RHD), much less successful.

 

[Whitesnake]

Yes, as long as it's not in the NHL.

I'm just not quite sure how the NHL should only be for exceptional players, when the percentage of exceptional players is miniscule.

It's just an odd barometer to be honest.

Can you also acknowledge, based on his current progress (which is evident even in the absence of production) that developing in the NHL wasn't a bad thing to do as well?

Can you also acknowledge based on what's currently happening in Laval right now that that environment maybe isn't as great of an environment to develop as many people think? I'm having trouble looking at all the Laval threads (I don't watch Rocket games) and seeing all of the people complaining about the coaching and the development of players down there, but still see people advance the thought that it wouldn't have been a bad thing to send him down there.

It's peculiar to say the least.

I,m not sure what you're talking about. I was and am talking about 18-19 year old. I would not have him in the NHL at 18. And based on the camp, would not have had him in the NHL to start the year either. Though if he would have had been in the AHL at 18, maybe he would have had a better camp.

You are talking about percentage...what's the percentage of 18 year old that plays in the NHL in their very 1st year. And what is it for 19 year old. Of all those guys, the very few guys, who do not go back down at one point to another league.

As far as Laval, your comment is in hindsight. What Laval is living right now is that they are young and have no goaltending. If you think Laval isn't a good place for Slaf, then why not have Mailloux up here? And Roy? You said in another post that Roy is where he's suppose to be....Why did you say that if the developing environment is the best? Not that long ago, Josh Roy was developing quite nicely in the same team. And now he is not. By the way, if the reason why he's here it's because the development isn't good, you have to hope that they'll do what they can to replace whoever is not developing players down there....

By the way, I've ALWAYS said that kids and players still learn in the NHL. They do. You don't want to believe it, what can I do. Everybody learns at their pace. Even in the NHL. It doesn't make that NHL a place where learning is the number 1 feature.

Pretty sure that if you are on an operating table, you would wish that your surgeon operating you would have made most of his learning at school.....and not on you.

 

[Kennerback]

Prime playing time, with first line, in what 3-4 games?
Are you actually watching this kid get better or just looking at stats?
A guy on the Kings, who has 11 points in 23-24 games, and has been playing for 6 seasons, and makes 8.5M is not playing as well as Slaf....

Slaf is my favorite player to watch because I find him exciting in certain aspects of the game. But these past seasons playing in the pros in America and Europe, he’s been an offensive black hole sucking down his linemates. That’s despite also looking like a Million bucks in Liigaa.

Until MSL gives him mandatory shooting minimums (because he’ll never shoot on his own initiative), NHL goalies will never take him seriously. (Mike Ramsey in the Olympics burst cranial nerves while trying to force him to shoot)

 

[Miller Time]

Not for me. I want to see kids learn at their pace. And I would take extra precaution with guys coming from Europe. To me, smaller schedules, larger ice surface, different style of play, it,s an additional layer that a kid at 18 should take slower than others UNLESS we are talking about exceptional players. That, for me, is my sole and only take.

Right now, that ship has sailed. Kid is not going down and I'm NOT advocating for him to go down anymore. I will always believe though that it would not have been a bad thing to do so.

Could it be that it was not a bad thing to take the approach they did?

Don't disagree with anything you wrote, but that precaution piece I would understand to mean being careful not to break the player's confidence.

While some point to Slaf's production as a sign he's lacking in confidence, I see a player that has bought in to a deliberate approach, one that has him focused on growing his overall game (at the explicit "cost" of a short term negative effect on his ability to be comfortable/fluid and focus on scoring). I also hear an athlete that sounds confident & even appreciative of the direction, yet still hungry for more/better output.

That tells me the precaution, while absolutely important to be mindful of, in this specific case has been handled effectively. That's why I don't see the case to be made that going the AHL route would've been better for his long term development... And quite potentially would've had a bigger cost in shifting his focus on scoring (it's one thing to be ok with low output in the best league in the world while working on your game... Ego drive would likely change playing a level below, where things are easier and you want to earn your ticket up) & away from the specific individual & tactical fundamentals they are helping him refine.

Granted, there's no way to 100% validate which approach "would've" been better... But if the benefit was to ensure his confidence remained intact as he acclimated to NA pro hockey, I think we can say that this has been accomplished with the direction they took.

 

[Miller Time]

I never would have thought he'd be better than Lafreniere by this point. But Byfield is a beast, the Kings look like they actually lucked out by picking 2nd rather than 1st.

Indeed...

Laf was the clear 1OA at the time, not sure any team/GM would or could have passed on him.

Byfield looks well on his way to being the better player.

 

[417]

I,m not sure what you're talking about. I was and am talking about 18-19 year old. I would not have him in the NHL at 18. And based on the camp, would not have had him in the NHL to start the year either. Though if he would have had been in the AHL at 18, maybe he would have had a better camp.

Or maybe not.

You are talking about percentage...what's the percentage of 18 year old that plays in the NHL in their very 1st year. And what is it for 19 year old. Of all those guys, the very few guys, who do not go back down at one point to another league.

Not sure, but certainly more than the percentage of exceptional players in the NHL.

As far as Laval, your comment is in hindsight. What Laval is living right now is that they are young and have no goaltending. If you think Laval isn't a good place for Slaf, then why not have Mailloux up here? And Roy? You said in another post that Roy is where he's suppose to be....Why did you say that if the developing environment is the best? Not that long ago, Josh Roy was developing quite nicely in the same team. And now he is not. By the way, if the reason why he's here it's because the development isn't good, you have to hope that they'll do what they can to replace whoever is not developing players down there....

It's not in hindsight because as you well know, I've always questioned about whether or not the AHL is absolutely and in every case, the optimal environment for development. I've brought this up several times.

What's good for Mailloux or Roy or Farrell, isn't what's necessarily good for Slafkovsky...not to mention that well, they can't all be in Montreal obviously.

By the way, I've ALWAYS said that kids and players still learn in the NHL. They do. You don't want to believe it, what can I do. Everybody learns at their pace. Even in the NHL. It doesn't make that NHL a place where learning is the number 1 feature.

Oddly enough, I've BEEN saying this for years and have gotten flamed for it in the process...but that's neither here nor there.

I think you're seeing right before your very eyes with Slafkovsky that this is 100% true, so glad we're in agreement there.

Pretty sure that if you are on an operating table, you would wish that your surgeon operating you would have made most of his learning at school.....and not on you.

This is a terrible analogy...the difference between Slafkovsky playing in the NHL or having played 50 AHL games before, isn't life and death.

Come on man lol

 

[Miller Time]

They'll be quick to remind you he played 59 AHL games spread out over 3 years and that's why he's the player he is today.

Lol... I'm sure they will