Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[nhlfan9191]

If Slaf has a 50 pt ceiling playing with CC and Suzuki then he’s not a good 1OA pick but thankfully he’s not a bum so that’s actually his floor


There’s no way that line doesn’t click production wise at some point.

His floor is lower then 50 points. His floor is a good bottom 6’er. Which isn’t bad as the guys drafted around him were riskier picks in this aspect.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

But imagine what he could do at the WJCs with Mesar and Sykora on their top line??

3 pts in 7 games AT MOST

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

His floor is lower then 50 points. His floor is a good bottom 6’er. Which isn’t bad as the guys drafted around him were riskier picks in this aspect.

I don’t know. He’s already on the top line at 19 and seems to be doing very well there despite his flaws. He doesn’t even have a full season of games behind him.

You could be right. Who knows. I think that’s a bit low but you’re not being extreme here. I know I’m very bullish and I could be wrong but a 50 pt ceiling is absurd. There’s no way he can’t do better than that

 

[nhlfan9191]

I don’t know. He’s already on the top line at 19 and seems to be doing very well there despite his flaws. He doesn’t even have a full season of games behind him.

You could be right. Who knows. I think that’s a bit low but you’re not being extreme here. I know I’m very bullish and I could be wrong but a 50 pt ceiling is absurd. There’s no way he can’t do better than that

He isn’t on the top line on any other team in the NHL. He’s not top 6 in most either. That’s completely situational on where we are as a team. But I agree, capping a 19 year olds potential at 50 points does seem like a low ball. I don’t think we would’ve drafted him at all if the scouts thought there was truth to that projection.

 

[DAChampion]

I don’t know. He’s already on the top line at 19 and seems to be doing very well there despite his flaws.

No player is doing well until they can sustain production.

 

[le_sean]

But imagine what he could do at the WJCs with Mesar and Sykora on their top line??

Short of winning player of the tournament, there’s nothing he could do at the WJC that could sway his doubters. It would be a lose-lose going there.

He isn’t on the top line on any other team in the NHL. He’s not top 6 in most either. That’s completely situational on where we are as a team. But I agree, capping a 19 year olds potential at 50 points does seem like a low ball. I don’t think we would’ve drafted him at all if the scouts thought there was truth to that projection.

I don’t agree with this. The Habs are close to a playoff spot. There’s easily several teams where he’d be on the top line and he’d be in most Top-6s. His size and strength alone would get him there. He’s not getting preferential treatment here, he earned his icetime.

 

[417]

Short of winning player of the tournament, there’s nothing he could do at the WJC that could sway his doubters. It would be a lose-lose going there.

Yeah I was just being sarcastic...he's on the top line of an NHL team and at least for the sample size provided in that graph, is part of a line that's generating a lot of scoring chances but not converting at the expected rate.

That is way more valuable than anything he could gain being sent to the WJCs

I don’t agree with this. The Habs are close to a playoff spot. There’s easily several teams where he’d be on the top line and he’d be in most Top-6s. His size and strength alone would get him there. He’s not getting preferential treatment here, he earned his icetime.

Either way, who cares if he would be in the top 6 of another team...he's on the Montreal Canadiens.

People working extra hard right now to diminish the progress he's making.

 

[Naslundforever]

https://x.com/MoneyPuckdotcom/status/1737842483919466930?s=20

60%+ opportunities going their way so far; I want them to start converting so much

 

[Sasha Orlov]

But imagine what he could do at the WJCs with Mesar and Sykora on their top line??

Probably get like 2 points the whole tournament and look even worse coming out of it

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Short of winning player of the tournament, there’s nothing he could do at the WJC that could sway his doubters. It would be a lose-lose going there.


I don’t agree with this. The Habs are close to a playoff spot. There’s easily several teams where he’d be on the top line and he’d be in most Top-6s. His size and strength alone would get him there. He’s not getting preferential treatment here, he earned his icetime.

Not necessarily. He’d dominate and display more what he can do. People would be heartened to see it.

Agreed with the 2nd part. He’s not treading water and many think he’s been the best on that line. He’s done everything but produce

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Don’t really see the point in sending him to a tournament where he could potentially dominate against other teens.

He’s starting to find his groove and learning to play the NHL game and looks more confident - keep that going and give him the 17+ minutes a game at this level that he’s been looking good with.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Short of winning player of the tournament, there’s nothing he could do at the WJC that could sway his doubters. It would be a lose-lose going there.


I don’t agree with this. The Habs are close to a playoff spot. There’s easily several teams where he’d be on the top line and he’d be in most Top-6s. His size and strength alone would get him there. He’s not getting preferential treatment here, he earned his icetime.

Just to clarify, I’m not advocating for him to go. I just figure seeing is believing with people regardless of competition.

If Slaf and bustbacher were playing against juniors the last couple years people would be higher on them

 

[Captain Mountain]

Yes. Goalscoring is our problem but if we can point out a player for whom scoring a goal is the biggest challenge that's Slafkofsky. 4 in 39 games last year, 2 in 31 games this year.
And it's not a problem of skill which he has plenty. It's not about adjustment. It's all about his head.
Time is passing quickly and this league is unforgiving.

But almost none of that is true. If you're stretching over the past two years, Evans has struggled more with goal scoring in general and Anderson, Caufield and Gallagher are all underperforming expectations to a greater degree. It is about adjustment, which is tied to the mental aspect. Time isn't "passing quickly", he's still one of the youngest players in the league. And frankly, you know one of the absolute worst ways to deal with problems "about his head" or anything related to that? Creating artificial urgency and pressure.

 

[Kennerback]

He isn’t on the top line on any other team in the NHL. He’s not top 6 in most either. That’s completely situational on where we are as a team. But I agree, capping a 19 year olds potential at 50 points does seem like a low ball. I don’t think we would’ve drafted him at all if the scouts thought there was truth to that projection.

I think the draft projections need to be adjusted to what we’ve learned.

Overvaluation: I believed his shot was better than that. Scouting reports certainly did too as I distinctly remember some boasting about his release. I suspect some NHL teams got his shot release wrong. And how little he actually shot. I made the mistake to take shots on face value on the Liiga site but what they actually track is shot attempts. I was ok for 2.8 if it’s attempts but not shots. Some scouting articles made the same mistake. This is not a transient situation, Slaf shoots very little anywhere he plays.

Underevaluation: his speed, skating, strength. I saw him in videos manhandling Junior players like he does now but IDK he would seamlessly overpower NHL players on his 2nd year like they were Juniors. He’s also a top notch passer except when it comes to converting those passes into assists.

I would still take him as #1 forward if the draft was today. Yet I don’t see more than a 50 point ceiling at this point. He would need to superhumanly raise his very scarce shot number before that happens.

 

[ReHabs]

The problem with rushing prospect is that you can’t un-rush him after. Slafkovsky has nothing to do at the 2023 WJCs, he’s too far into his NHL career for such a mid-season diversion.

He’s playing as well as he’s ever played in the NHL — he might as well stay.

On the other hand, the arguments last year against sending him down to the AHL or releasing him to the WJCs were no better than fanboy rationalizing of a bad decision. We see Boston, a superior organization in every way, send their high-performing rookie to the WJCs this year. Goes to show further evidence that last year the Habs (likely MSL) was overwhelmed and asleep at the wheel with Slaf.

I would still take him as #1 forward if the draft was today. Yet I don’t see more than a 50 point ceiling at this point.

Won’t argue with your taste but swinging for a ceiling of 50pts forward with the 1OA is a fireable offense. Unfortunately, we won’t know until it’s too late but with Reinbacher also looking like the Habs left serious talent on the board, I hope we have clarity about Kent Hughes’ competence asap.

 

[Kennerback]

The problem with rushing prospect is that you can’t un-rush him after. Slafkovsky has nothing to do at the 2023 WJCs, he’s too far into his NHL career for such a mid-season diversion.

He’s playing as well as he’s ever played in the NHL — he might as well stay.

On the other hand, the arguments last year against sending him down to the AHL or releasing him to the WJCs were no better than fanboy rationalizing of a bad decision. We see Boston, a superior organization in every way, send their high-performing rookie to the WJCs this year. Goes to show further evidence that last year the Habs (likely MSL) was overwhelmed and asleep at the wheel with Slaf.


Won’t argue with your taste but swinging for a ceiling of 50pts forward with the 1OA is a fireable offense. Unfortunately, we won’t know until it’s too late but with Reinbacher also looking like the Habs left serious talent on the board, I hope we have clarity about Kent Hughes’ competence asap.

The problem is I follow Cooley and Wright too in Coachella Valley. Wright’s pointless in his last 3 AHL games. They inspire me less than Slaf.

 

[ReHabs]

The problem is I follow Cooley and Wright too in Coachella Valley. Wright’s pointless in his last 3 AHL games. They inspire me less than Slaf.

Slaf has 1pt in his last how many games. Use the same standard for all.

The Habs needed a PMD/D1 as much as they needed a W. If Wright was a DND (not convinced) and Cooley is “uninspiring” (not sure why) there was Jiricek who was off the charts productive for his age and Nemec who has basically no flaws. Both have a higher PPG in the NHL as rookies (“adapting to NA Ice”) than super stud Slafkovsky the long term project.


But there is no point relitigating this issue right now. By the end of season we’ll see if Slaf caught up to his hype or not. If yes, sweet.

 

[Naslundforever]

The problem with rushing prospect is that you can’t un-rush him after. Slafkovsky has nothing to do at the 2023 WJCs, he’s too far into his NHL career for such a mid-season diversion.

He’s playing as well as he’s ever played in the NHL — he might as well stay.

On the other hand, the arguments last year against sending him down to the AHL or releasing him to the WJCs were no better than fanboy rationalizing of a bad decision. We see Boston, a superior organization in every way, send their high-performing rookie to the WJCs this year. Goes to show further evidence that last year the Habs (likely MSL) was overwhelmed and asleep at the wheel with Slaf.


Won’t argue with your taste but swinging for a ceiling of 50pts forward with the 1OA is a fireable offense. Unfortunately, we won’t know until it’s too late but with Reinbacher also looking like the Habs left serious talent on the board, I hope we have clarity about Kent Hughes’ competence asap.

There’s possible different dev strategies between the orgs, but I imagine there are also fewer spots up for grabs on the President cup roster than the habs’ little dumpster fire.

 

[Kennerback]

Slaf has 1pt in his last how many games. Use the same standard for all.

The Habs needed a PMD/D1 as much as they needed a W. If Wright was a DND (not convinced) and Cooley is “uninspiring” (not sure why) there was Jiricek who was off the charts productive for his age and Nemec who has basically no flaws. Both have a higher PPG in the NHL as rookies (“adapting to NA Ice”) than super stud Slafkovsky the long term project.

As a whole, it was a bad crop. They couldn't make up elite players out of thin air.

He looks the best among the Forwards. It's too hard for me to also track the Ds. And apparently the guy really looking good now among the Ds is Mintyukov (#10).

Cooley's a peripheral player as we speak, and I'm sure Slaf helps an NHL team win a game much more than Cooley does at this point in their career.

 

[calder candidate]

Again, we can't always think that what is good for Player A is also good for player B.

Roy is where he's supposed to be right now because mostly, there's no room for him in Montreal right now.

They want him to play and play a lot and Laval affords him that opportunity.

Not sure if you are trolling me...
First your are the one that brought up Roy and other player and their WJC experience as arguements to compare... After making the point that every player is different yet somehow other player expiences are a argument. I never made any compaisson... I'm saying that experience was positive for Roy regarless how is carreer turn out we will never be able to say, damn if he hadn't played a key role in 2 gold medal maybe he could have played in the NHL... just like that expirence doesn't garantee result in the NHL.

It was pretty clear that we weren't talking about Roy playing in the AHL/ NHL, it was about Roy WJC expierence because that is the highest level of competion that was open to him at the time, again WJC doesn't translate to NHL futur, we can't mesure the impact it had on him, but you still want him to go to WJC rather than stay in the Q (because in his case the WJC as signifiant competition). The point is you wanted slaf to stay in the NHL yet you say that it was kind of useless for Roy to go to WJC, if facing the best competition is important to Slaf than it is also import to Roy even if we can't mesure the impact WJC, it was positive, and surely better than staying in the Q.
The difference is that it is clear that WJC was the most significant competition for Roy, can't really say the same about the NHL for Slaf.

Like I said earlier, doing something because it can't hurt, isn't a valid reason to just do something. The best thing to do is to do things that can help a player. Going to the WJC right now, or last year if you prefer, was not going to help him more than being in the NHL. It's a 2 week tournament.

Again never said that "it can't hurt" is the reason to do something... When evaluating all options the outcome is a grey area and there is also a risk factor. If the outcome is likely the same than you take the less risk, if the risk are similar you likely go with the best possible outcome...
In this case the reason is you that want wanted him to play against the most significant competition. That is the reason you send down to the AHL or WJC than you start evaluting the risk or by product of each options.

1)I buy a lotto ticket and give you half the winning
2)You buy a lotto ticket and give me half the winning
3)don't buy ticket

The goal is to win the lotto, if it isn't no one buy a ticket, but you'll get me to buy it because you still get the same outcome with less risk. You are getting me to buy the ticket to win the money, not because there no risk
It probably a dumb analogy, but you seem to keep grabing on to all the fringe stuff glossing over the main point...

Why are you even mention or bring up WJC this year, it like the 2nd time and I have never brought it up... We are talking about last year... Just like you argue that a 2 week tournament can't help, those 2 weeks in the NHL aren't helping help him at all because he wasn't doing anything but filling a jersey, wasn't getting opportunity and the team wasn't going anywhere. I think we when 0-5 getting outscore by 20 goal during the WJC, playing a reduce role on a winning team is the same as it is for a losing team. You can argue that WJC are worthless all you want, I garantee that the compet level was higher than in some of these NHL game over the holiday and most of those games were just as worthless, and he still didn't get any opportunity.

No, I think it's very important that he has a role...earlier in the season and especially last year when it seemed like he wasn't playing much of a role, I was advocating for him to be sent down. Because there's nothing I hate more than seeing a prospect languishing playing 10 mins a game with no special teams.

But this isn't currently the case and it appears like they were slowly building him up.

As far as the rest of what you mentioned about playing with his countrymen/friend, winning a goald medal, etc.

None of this has to do with what's best for the Montreal Canadiens...he's a professional hockey player now, playing with his friend is not his job and what he's getting paid for. He also plays for the Montreal Canadiens and given he's already played in a WJC, he can represent his country at other international competitions.

Going to the WJC because it would give Habs fans good feels over the holidays ain't it for me.

So you were avocating for him to go to the AHL since it would have been better for him, since he wasn't getting the oppornunity in the NHL, yet going to WJC for 2 week for somehow crazy... I would said that the AHL might be more significant competition vs. NHL but it is even more physical than the NHL and is full of player that know they will never make it or that would kill the guy next to him to make it, so it isn't always the best environment and he would still face all the local pressure of having to perform, expectation would be higher in the AHL, the team wasn't great + there isn't a set time frame so there will be speculations, and compare with Wright result, so it might be better for him to be in the NHL even if the competition level isn't optimal. Now even if I don't think AHL is the best solution, I also think that it a option that needed to be consider because the NHL might not have been the right spot, just like I think that sending him to WJC should have be consider more seriously, and you could still sent him to the AHL if you wanted.
Again what is currently happenning isn't relevant since no one is thinking or even considering WJC. Development and progression is a very complicated and non linear, thing like motivation, mind set, objectives, mental state (safety), Confidence, practice, taking break, experiences, success/failure, different learning medium, everything could have a possitive or negative impact. They are building up slowly and those 5 NHL last year didn't play any factor if anything it was a miserable 2 weeks for the entier team.
Again I'm not considering sending him to the WJC to be with is friends, it was because it seem like the most significant competition he could have faced for those 2 weeks. All that other stuff is by product and part of your risk assement. Again they aren't doing thing for the fans...
Good
-WJC were a determined time period, cut down on speculation
-It is a very competitive tournament and there will be pressure situation
-He should be able overcome if not dominate most situations
-Very important role/leader and minutes (mostly play above his age group)
-Team should be contenting for a medal
-Get away from the some of the scrutiny of Montreal or change the narrative
-18yo struggling away from home/maybe speaking is language and familiar face is good for him
-Last shot at a medal since if he isn't going D+1 he won't go D+2
-Might help Mesar
-Alter the fan perpective or feel good, it not a reason to do anything but I rather have people talk about is OT goal or good WJC than why he isn't playing or if he was the right pick...

Bad
- He could get injured (odd are the same or less than NHL or AHL)
- He could have a terrible showing make thing worst (same apply to AHL)
-If he isn't good than it easier for fan/media to compare with other D+1
-Maybe it overshadow Mesar and doesn't help him

Those are all by product and it should be mainly positive for Slaf the goal is to have Slaf play significant competition, minutes, puck touch Staying happy, focus, motivated is good for him progressing and is ultimately probably what is best for MTL.
You are the one that are saying that every player is different and since Poitras was playing a lesser role and never when to WJC Boston might take it into considerations, he's a professionnal hockey player and getting paid, why would they consider that? Since Mtl is only focus on MTL isn't, Boston is only focus on Boston. They are sending him because they determine it was the best thing for him/them, if it isn't than it is probably a bad decision or even a mistake...

I really couldn't careless about what Boston is doing with Poitras, I don't cheer for the Bruins like I don't cheer for Team Slovakia. I'm only concerned with what's good for the Montreal Canadiens.

If you are concerned with what is good for Mtl, isn't that every single player being the best they can be (on the ice / increase their trade value)...

You can argue that the NHL was the right spot or that AHL would have been better but I'm not sure why you refuse to consider that WJC was a valid option and even if you didn't think it was at the time, with hindsight and him going 0pts and 15 games with a season ending injury, it hard to imagine a worst outcome. What done is done we can't really consider it a mistake but we have the result and we see what other team are doing why can't we question it? Especially since player dev has been a issue in the past.

 

[417]

Not sure if you are trolling me...

Not at all.

First your are the one that brought up Roy and other player and their WJC experience as arguements to compare... After making the point that every player is different yet somehow other player expiences are a argument. I never made any compaisson... I'm saying that experience was positive for Roy regarless how is carreer turn out we will never be able to say, damn if he hadn't played a key role in 2 gold medal maybe he could have played in the NHL... just like that expirence doesn't garantee result in the NHL.

Yeah, it was a great experience, just like all of the experiences he's had so far in his young career. None of them mean anything alone in isolation, it's the accumulation of them all, good and bad, that make up the player he is today.

What I have an issue with is when people try to isolate this tournament and act like it has career altering impact.

It doesn't.

It was pretty clear that we weren't talking about Roy playing in the AHL/ NHL, it was about Roy WJC expierence because that is the highest level of competion that was open to him at the time, again WJC doesn't translate to NHL futur, we can't mesure the impact it had on him, but you still want him to go to WJC rather than stay in the Q (because in his case the WJC as signifiant competition). The point is you wanted slaf to stay in the NHL yet you say that it was kind of useless for Roy to go to WJC, if facing the best competition is important to Slaf than it is also import to Roy even if we can't mesure the impact WJC, it was positive, and surely better than staying in the Q.
The difference is that it is clear that WJC was the most significant competition for Roy, can't really say the same about the NHL for Slaf.

Not what I said at all, Joshua Roy went to 2 WJCs and won 2 golds...how can that be useless?

Again never said that "it can't hurt" is the reason to do something... When evaluating all options the outcome is a grey area and there is also a risk factor. If the outcome is likely the same than you take the less risk, if the risk are similar you likely go with the best possible outcome...
In this case the reason is you that want wanted him to play against the most significant competition. That is the reason you send down to the AHL or WJC than you start evaluting the risk or by product of each options.

1)I buy a lotto ticket and give you half the winning
2)You buy a lotto ticket and give me half the winning
3)don't buy ticket

The goal is to win the lotto, if it isn't no one buy a ticket, but you'll get me to buy it because you still get the same outcome with less risk. You are getting me to buy the ticket to win the money, not because there no risk
It probably a dumb analogy, but you seem to keep grabing on to all the fringe stuff glossing over the main point...

Yeah I don't know about this analogy, but fair enough.

Why are you even mention or bring up WJC this year, it like the 2nd time and I have never brought it up... We are talking about last year... Just like you argue that a 2 week tournament can't help, those 2 weeks in the NHL aren't helping help him at all because he wasn't doing anything but filling a jersey, wasn't getting opportunity and the team wasn't going anywhere. I think we when 0-5 getting outscore by 20 goal during the WJC, playing a reduce role on a winning team is the same as it is for a losing team. You can argue that WJC are worthless all you want, I garantee that the compet level was higher than in some of these NHL game over the holiday and most of those games were just as worthless, and he still didn't get any opportunity.

He was acclimating to the NHL, so i'm not sure we can honestly argue that it didn't do anything for him.

If you have a player you're trying to acclimate to a league, why would you halt that so he can go play at a tournament he's already played in?

It's just bizarre to me, whether that was last year or this year...I think the same.

So you were avocating for him to go to the AHL since it would have been better for him, since he wasn't getting the oppornunity in the NHL, yet going to WJC for 2 week for somehow crazy... I would said that the AHL might be more significant competition vs. NHL but it is even more physical than the NHL and is full of player that know they will never make it or that would kill the guy next to him to make it, so it isn't always the best environment and he would still face all the local pressure of having to perform, expectation would be higher in the AHL, the team wasn't great + there isn't a set time frame so there will be speculations, and compare with Wright result, so it might be better for him to be in the NHL even if the competition level isn't optimal. Now even if I don't think AHL is the best solution, I also think that it a option that needed to be consider because the NHL might not have been the right spot, just like I think that sending him to WJC should have be consider more seriously, and you could still sent him to the AHL if you wanted.
Again what is currently happenning isn't relevant since no one is thinking or even considering WJC. Development and progression is a very complicated and non linear, thing like motivation, mind set, objectives, mental state (safety), Confidence, practice, taking break, experiences, success/failure, different learning medium, everything could have a possitive or negative impact. They are building up slowly and those 5 NHL last year didn't play any factor if anything it was a miserable 2 weeks for the entier team.
Again I'm not considering sending him to the WJC to be with is friends, it was because it seem like the most significant competition he could have faced for those 2 weeks. All that other stuff is by product and part of your risk assement. Again they aren't doing thing for the fans...
Good
-WJC were a determined time period, cut down on speculation
-It is a very competitive tournament and there will be pressure situation
-He should be able overcome if not dominate most situations
-Very important role/leader and minutes (mostly play above his age group)
-Team should be contenting for a medal
-Get away from the some of the scrutiny of Montreal or change the narrative
-18yo struggling away from home/maybe speaking is language and familiar face is good for him
-Last shot at a medal since if he isn't going D+1 he won't go D+2
-Might help Mesar
-Alter the fan perpective or feel good, it not a reason to do anything but I rather have people talk about is OT goal or good WJC than why he isn't playing or if he was the right pick...

Bad
- He could get injured (odd are the same or less than NHL or AHL)
- He could have a terrible showing make thing worst (same apply to AHL)
-If he isn't good than it easier for fan/media to compare with other D+1
-Maybe it overshadow Mesar and doesn't help him

Those are all by product and it should be mainly positive for Slaf the goal is to have Slaf play significant competition, minutes, puck touch Staying happy, focus, motivated is good for him progressing and is ultimately probably what is best for MTL.
You are the one that are saying that every player is different and since Poitras was playing a lesser role and never when to WJC Boston might take it into considerations, he's a professionnal hockey player and getting paid, why would they consider that? Since Mtl is only focus on MTL isn't, Boston is only focus on Boston. They are sending him because they determine it was the best thing for him/them, if it isn't than it is probably a bad decision or even a mistake...


If you are concerned with what is good for Mtl, isn't that every single player being the best they can be (on the ice / increase their trade value)...

You can argue that the NHL was the right spot or that AHL would have been better but I'm not sure why you refuse to consider that WJC was a valid option and even if you didn't think it was at the time, with hindsight and him going 0pts and 15 games with a season ending injury, it hard to imagine a worst outcome. What done is done we can't really consider it a mistake but we have the result and we see what other team are doing why can't we question it? Especially since player dev has been a issue in the past.

There's a whole lot in this thread and I appreciated reading it but I will just address the bolded.

Yes I was advocating for him to go to the AHL because that's a professional league and that's where he needed to make the adjustment too. Playing in North America against grown men.

Not going to Team Slovakia for 2-3 weeks.

Again, I just look at the WJC in isolation...I don't read too much into and I don't dismiss it either, it's a segment of a prospect's entire year if he's good enough to make it there. But on its own, doesn't mean more than all of the junior games he'll play that year. You judge a player on the totality of what he's done...

We overplay what that 2-3 week tournament does for a player....

 

[Jeune Poulet]

It’s absolutely hilarious that you point out that it’s currently 2023 and then go onto to chide another poster for thinking Slaf could be an 80 point player…

Well, if you find it hilarious, make sure to dig up that post in december of every year. See if you still find it funny then...

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Well, if you find it hilarious, make sure to dig up that post in december of every year. See if you still find it funny then...

So what does he top out at then? Is he a 40 point player? 30? Please tell me what’s his max when he’s a 25 year old player. You’re the one with the crystal ball…

 

[Paddy17]

Honestly, his offensive game for the reason I mentioned above, yeah. The pace of play/physicality/rink size etc he's improved tremendously, but if only to prove to him that "hey, you can shoot too. And probably score."

He has been trying to shoot more recently. But he's thinking pass-first, which results in the shooting lane closing when he finally decides to shoot. It'll come though... I'm not worried. I've personally been through that, so I know that it doesn't take a lot. Just a slight shift in mentality, and suddenly the shots will get through and the goals will start coming. Then confidence comes, and everything becomes easier and more natural.

 

[HabbyGuy]

https://x.com/MoneyPuckdotcom/status/1737842483919466930?s=20

Their underlying metrics with Slaf on that line are actually better then with Monahan or even Dach last year.