Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[SlafySZN]

 

[Tabarouette]

somehow he's being slowed down by Caufield and Suzuki, how did we get here

 

[SlafySZN]

somehow he's being slowed down by Caufield and Suzuki, how did we get here

He got 5 points while playing with Caufield and Dvorak. He plays great with Caufield and Suzuki even if they don’t get points, though. I think it’s coming.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

somehow he's being slowed down by Caufield and Suzuki, how did we get here

Cc hasn’t been scoring.

And honestly, I’m shocked by that. The one thing I was most confident about this year was him putting up 40 this year. But for whatever reason he just has not been able to score. A shooting percentage of 6.7 is just not predictable. He should have double the amount of goals he does.

And it really sucks because his slump has definitely affected Slaf’s point totals this year.

 

[Kennerback]

Coaching staff needs to be involved 1-on-1 with him. As he starts creating even more opportunities, they need him ready to convert them. This team is offense-starved.

I was pleasantly surprised by the one-timer he took on his offside, I was expecting him to pass. However, I did not like his high risk to-benefit PP pass through the high slot. I hope staff is reviewing video with him.

Finally, I’d like to add that it’s not his business to help CC out of his goal slump. Just shooting on net and Caufield picking up the rebound is best.

 

[ReHabs]

Dach's injury, Anderson's slump, and Caufield's slump have hurt Slafkovsky's production. He's officially on pace for fewer points than his rookie season which is really anomalous because he looks more or less better than ever (though not last game).

His 7 points in 28gp might look bad but it's unlikely he will keep the same pace and score only 10pts in the remaining 54gp. Before the start of the season I said a 35pt season would be pleasing. His bad start makes it unlikely he finishes with 35 points but if he goes on 35pt pace from now until the end of the season we will have something like this:

GP	PTS	PPG pace/82
10	0	0
18	7	32
54	20	35
82	30	23

I think 20pts in 54gp is doable.

 

[V13]

Honestly, I'd be satisfied with a 60-70 pts possession monster with all the intangibles of his size.

But at this point, it feels like his ceiling is anybody's guess. Specially when Caufield starts scoring like he can and he adds some overall quickness to his execution.

I'd settle for a constant 30-30-60 physical board battle crushing , goalie screening , crazy glue puck cycling and possession immovable beast too. Those guys are pretty valuable , especially in the playoffs.

 

[Scriptor]

I'd settle for a constant 30-30-60 physical board battle crushing , goalie screening , crazy glue puck cycling and possession immovable beast too. Those guys are pretty valuable , especially in the playoffs.

I don't think Slafkovsky ever becomes a regular 30-goal scoring winger. He's more of a passer -- always was -- and could become a consistent 20-40 winger on a line with Caufield and Suzuki who can both score 30+ goals if Suzuki shoots at a high enough volume.

THAT would be an amazing 2nd line, with Dach able to Center a line alongside whomever we add as an impact forward via the trade market in the 2025 offseason and the UFA market in the 2027 offseason.

In the meantime, starting in 2027-2028, our draft picks from now until then could provide cheap, talented depth on a 3-year ELC to bolster a contender lineup through a three-year window and provide options once some contracts of our core players come to term and they are now 30 years old or closer to it.

The 2024 draft, even if we end up choosing between 10th and 15th, could provide us with a goal-scoring forward in the future (starting to play in the NHL three to five years after the draft).

 

[tazsub3]

Who'd that be?

Voila

An Unexpected Expert Has Joined the Canadiens Organization: Renowned Shooting Specialist Glen Tucker Will Be a Major Addition to the Training Staff

During his morning press conference after training, the head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, Martin St-Louis, announced the addition of a new expert.

www.habsfanatics.com

 

[Skala24]

 

[themilosh]

So Dach with Caufield and Suzuki?

Pretty good 2nd line.

IMO - this is a SC winning 2nd line... but.. big BUT, the first line has to be better (not interchangeable). considering their salaries are actually 2nd line talent, we should have enough money for a $10M+ player on the 1st to go with Slaf + ?W.
I think Hugo is managing the % of Cap our D are going to require when we are ready.

 

[nhlfan9191]

I know Slaf is a big kid but imagine getting dropped by a 17 year old in front of your teammates. Lol

 

[ReHabs]

Slafkovsky’s 7pts in 28gp would find him ranked 22nd in rookie scoring if he was a rookie this season.

This season he is 5th in PPG among 2022 draftees (7th if you count Nemec and Luneau).

Assuming his playing in the NHL last year was part of a plan, when Slafkovsky puts it together and becomes a contributor on the scoresheet, Hughes MSL and Nicholas will have to write a book about their development strategy because it really is the road less travelled. Hockey historians will take note, they will have upended the notion that players can be rushed. It makes me wonder why the Habs haven’t promoted Roy or Reinbacher while they’re at it.

 

[le_sean]

Slafkovsky’s 7pts in 28gp would find him ranked 22nd in rookie scoring if he was a rookie this season.

This season he is 5th in PPG among 2022 draftees (7th if you count Nemec and Luneau).

Assuming his playing in the NHL last year was part of a plan, when Slafkovsky puts it together and becomes a contributor on the scoresheet, Hughes MSL and Nicholas will have to write a book about their development strategy because it really is the road less travelled. Hockey historians will take note, they will have upended the notion that players can be rushed. It makes me wonder why the Habs haven’t promoted Roy or Reinbacher while they’re at it.

I’d rather read the book of your million anti-Slafkovsky posts once he becomes a premium power forward in the NHL.

 

[Artaud]

Slafkovsky’s 7pts in 28gp would find him ranked 22nd in rookie scoring if he was a rookie this season.

This season he is 5th in PPG among 2022 draftees (7th if you count Nemec and Luneau).

Assuming his playing in the NHL last year was part of a plan, when Slafkovsky puts it together and becomes a contributor on the scoresheet, Hughes MSL and Nicholas will have to write a book about their development strategy because it really is the road less travelled. Hockey historians will take note, they will have upended the notion that players can be rushed. It makes me wonder why the Habs haven’t promoted Roy or Reinbacher while they’re at it.

Why are you still looking at PPG? Kent Hughes doesn't do PPG. He does Phrenology. He manually feels and measures the head of every player and from the dimensions of it decides where that player will play. Slaf has A-grade NHL head. It's all in his skull. He will be a monster. While you eat crow he'll be eating truffles linguini at Moretti and the waitress will leave him her number too.

Kent Hughes is only like 100 years ahead of you in talent evaluation and you dare doubt the bald eagle.

 

[Kennerback]

I'd settle for a constant 30-30-60 physical board battle crushing , goalie screening , crazy glue puck cycling and possession immovable beast too. Those guys are pretty valuable , especially in the playoffs.

I had him pinned at Chad Kilger production now I have him as a 20-30-50 Power Forward one day and I agree that he’ll be particularly effective in the playoffs.

 

[Gravity]

I hope they show him some Foppa videos as well. Jagr, Foppa and M. Tkachuk is who he needs to watch imo.

 

[Mrb1p]

I hope they show him some Foppa videos as well. Jagr, Foppa and M. Tkachuk is who he needs to watch imo.

Foppa had an aversion to shooting too, lets show him something else lmao.

 

[Gravity]

Foppa had an aversion to shooting too, lets show him something else lmao.

The sheer drive, nose for the net and power ability is something Slaf should take note of though.

 

[Kennerback]

Foppa had an aversion to shooting too, lets show him something else lmao.

I checked out Slaf’s shooting zones. He has 19 shots from the low slot, exact same number as Bedard. But Bedard, despite not shooting any harder than Slaf, has a zillion shots from the mid-slot, Slaf has close to none. That’s the difference. Unless Slaf is litterally in the goalie’s face, he never ever shoots.

 

[ReHabs]

I’d rather read the book of your million anti-Slafkovsky posts once he becomes a premium power forward in the NHL.

If you’re expecting a power forward from a player who has never played as a power forward… I’m not sure what to tell you man, I guess hunker down and wait. It’ll take some time.

 

[ReHabs]

He navigates the perimeter a lot like a power forward. At least if we’re going by what power forwards look like in this era. It’s actually the most impressive thing he’s shown in my opinion.

Tom Wilson is the premiere power forward of this era, right? I don't see any similarity. What about Rantanen, the Moose, any similarity there? Not really. Ovechkin is much more than a power forward. Brady and Matt Tkachuk, maybe? I don't see much similarity... they're spry with their passing game, constantly engaged, AND physical. Slafkovsky is more ponderous, reactive, tunnel vision. Slaf tracks well and can play on the boards well. Slafkovsky's got terrific reach but he doesn't take the body readily. He's very young and maybe doesn't have Man Strength yet but he's never really been known to play the body (and it's harder to learn to do so on Intl Ice). It's hard to teach someone to drive through traffic -- which means absorb a lot of impact and pain -- if they're not mentally driven to do so. It doesn't seem like he's super keen on being a monster forechecker either.

At various points we've had difficulty in describing him and his game because he's so raw and his game is undefinable. Until something about his game changes, I see a player who could be a two-way beast, think Jumbo Jere Lehtinen, but not a high end playmaker or shooter or forechecker. By definition, I think, that precludes 'powerforward'. I don't think he has the elite two-way beast Marian Hossa's mitts either.

But hey, I'm just a hater right. What do I know.

 

[ReHabs]

Ovechkin and Tom Wilson were brought into the league when the game was pretty different. Even comparing where we are now to when a guy like Matthew Tkachuk started playing in 2016 is different. I don’t think you see very many players coming up with those molds anymore. All the focus is mostly on skill now. Slafkovsky doesn’t have to be as physical as guys like the one’s you brought up to be an effective power forward.

So which Power Forwards of the current era do you think can be compared to Slafkovsky. Or rather, to whom Slafkovsky can compare?

 

[HabbyGuy]

So which Power Forwards of the current era do you think can be compared to Slafkovsky. Or rather, to whom Slafkovsky can compare?

Aren't "unicorns" by definition incomparable?

We all just want Slaf to be the best Slaf he can be.

Who cares about labels or comps?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Aren't "unicorns" by definition incomparable?

We all just want Slaf to be the best Slaf he can be.

Who cares about labels?

One of his biggest weaknesses that I cited coming into the year was that I felt he was ‘soft’ on the puck. He’s corrected that in spades. Way better on that front.

Point production obviously matters. It’s the first thing we look at when assessing a player. But point production is not as important in a player’s first few years. He’s progressing at a pretty high rate. You can see the confidence there as well. Points will come, maybe not this year but that’s fine.