Holy crap, the Habs have a 19 year old who plays a heavy game. NICE!
Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two
- Thread starter Lafleurs Guy
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Not sure what kind of vortex you're trying to drag me into here lol but I originally commented on you saying the following about Slafkovsky
"He was being played as a 3rd liner instead of developing his skills in the minors."
To which I responded that players can develop their skills, in the NHL, even if they're playing on the 3rd line.
I mean, isn't your statement suggesting that players are not able to develop skills in the NHL? Doesn't that seem like a logical inference to your comments?
Hey i'm cool with discussing, but this ain't it lol
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I think some fans can't see the talent because Slaf isn't flashy. He's not going to skate and dangle his way through 5 players and rip pucks through defenders legs.
He's going to use his exceptional size, reach, and strength to create space and time, and will take advantage of that with his really good passing ability and ability to read the play. He will also open up space and time for his linemates to take advantage of.
He doesn't have traditional star talent. His talent is far more subtle and I can understand why some fans can't see what makes him special. They want stars like Hughes, McDavid, Kucherov, players who are slippery, hold the puck around the ozone and are almost untouchable when in motion. He's not that player.
Im not sure if he will ever have Hossa's scoring touch, but that is probably the best comparison in terms of style. He's going to use his frame to retrieve pucks and create space for him to make plays.
He's going to use his exceptional size, reach, and strength to create space and time, and will take advantage of that with his really good passing ability and ability to read the play. He will also open up space and time for his linemates to take advantage of.
He doesn't have traditional star talent. His talent is far more subtle and I can understand why some fans can't see what makes him special. They want stars like Hughes, McDavid, Kucherov, players who are slippery, hold the puck around the ozone and are almost untouchable when in motion. He's not that player.
Im not sure if he will ever have Hossa's scoring touch, but that is probably the best comparison in terms of style. He's going to use his frame to retrieve pucks and create space for him to make plays.
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Which is odd to me because there are very few players in the world who do this with any kind of consistency. There aren't a ton of McDavids or Pastrnaks or Kucherovs out there.
But there's probably even less players who as you wrote, have exceptional size/strength/skill combo who can create time and space too. We spend a lot of time comparing and trying to "keep up with the Jones" instead of appreciating the player we have and what he can be for this franchise.
dackelljuneaubulis02
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- Oct 13, 2012
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I’ve said it for awhile that I don’t think Slaf’s ceiling is orders of magnitude lower than Fantili and Carlson’s.
Watching his draft season highlights, I saw a kid who could hang with those others. He’s definitely more raw than those 2 from what I’ve seen
Exactly.
I think the issue is some fans see guys like Cooley who are flashy in terms of style and feel like it's easier to project their future, as opposed to Slaf whose game is based on strength and understanding of the game.
It's like how folks just couldn't appreciate how good Danault was during his time here because all his points came from simple passing plays and continuing an offensive zone cycle. It's boring, but it's effective.
OldCraig71
Juice Arse
His play over the last few games on the line with Suzuki and Caufield is similar to what Zach Hyman did in Toronto with Matthews and Marner. He is a bigger and stronger player but I made the comparison because of how like Hyman, he is doing the board work and giving both of his linemates more room in the offensive zone.
There were times last night when I watched his skating stance where I thought of Eric Lindros and the way he skated, faster than he looked because of his size and Slaf is that way. It's not a comparison of the two but rather my layman's view on his skating stance. He looks comfortable now and made so many small plays last night that showed that he is learning the game at a fast pace, just chipping pucks to safe areas, dumping it instead of forcing things or trying to deke guys that you can't beat at the NHL level. He is developing right in front of us in a way that I admit that I didn't see early on.
There were times last night when I watched his skating stance where I thought of Eric Lindros and the way he skated, faster than he looked because of his size and Slaf is that way. It's not a comparison of the two but rather my layman's view on his skating stance. He looks comfortable now and made so many small plays last night that showed that he is learning the game at a fast pace, just chipping pucks to safe areas, dumping it instead of forcing things or trying to deke guys that you can't beat at the NHL level. He is developing right in front of us in a way that I admit that I didn't see early on.
Yeah and at the end of the day you pick from who's available. So much of the Slafkovsky arguing is ultimately about him vs. a theoretical ideal of a 1st overall pick that didn't actually exist in 2022. Slafkovsky not being a Bedard/McDavid level prospect doesn't mean that anyone else in the class is that good either.
Legend123
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- Jul 3, 2016
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Although I'm very happy about his progression in a huge way, we still have to remind ourselves he's on pace for just 30 points. Yes, I know stats are just stats, but calling him the right pick so quick, basically declaring victory on the pick, is way too premature. The kid has so much more to develop not just in general but to ever retain his 1oa pick status, not that it's that important but would certainly be nice
People earlier this season were complaining he was doing it too slow. I kept saying he was actually improving really fast considering how raw he started as. His improvements earlier in the season were just not as visible as they are now. But "now" doesn't happen without the incremental steps he took in the first 20-25 games of the season.
And none of that happens without his (trainer) choices this off-season to work on his cardio and awareness/scanning.
He just has amazing work ethic on and off the ice.
OnTheRun
/dev/null
- May 17, 2014
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So far... Wright, Nemec, Jiricek and Cooley have all been declared the "right pick" at one point or another. Adding one more to the list of le-pick-du-jour is kind of part for the course.
BenchBrawl
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- Jul 26, 2010
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Slaf might just be the most physically powerful top forward prospect entering the NHL as a teenager since Eric Lindros. If not him, who?
And that also doesn't happen without the 39 games he played last year that made him realize just how much better he had to get in those areas.
Andrei79
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- Jan 25, 2013
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He's certainly the heaviest. Even Lindros, as imposing as he was, wasn't over 200lbs at the time of the draft. Slafkovsky was 230lbs.
BenchBrawl
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- Jul 26, 2010
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Yeah, you see that among defensemen sometimes, but even then it's rare.
Another big guy was Ovechkin but I doubt he was as big as Slaf, and he got into the NHL at 20 because of the lockout.
Just wait until he gets his man strength and man confidence. I want to fast forward 3 years so bad!
dackelljuneaubulis02
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- Oct 13, 2012
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Saying players on other teams are the best is rational and objective. Saying your own player is the best is blind sheepdom and what would the main boards think?!?
Nico Cauzuki
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i wanna apologize to HuGo and the scouting team for doubting you guys on Slafkovsky pick that kid is already showing alot and i feel like this is just the beginning
Andrei79
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I think Ovechkin was around 200-210lbs. Another physical freak.
- Jul 21, 2022
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I'm not dragging you into a vortex, you're already in a vortex.
Yes, i think everyone knows that the best way to develop a hockey player is by putting him in a league where he can play the most minutes. Are you refuting that?
Did i say its impossible to develop skills as a third liner in the NHL. <-- Nop, not sure where you got that.
What skills do they develop playing third line minutes that would benefit a future dominant 1st liner? Do they learn how to shoot better? pass better? do zone entries better? deke better?
No1 Lets not get it twisted, you're the one who replied to my comment.
No2 You're trying to claim something that goes against the development path of 99.9% of the players
No3 You, claimed I was wrong, never provided any data to back your claim but insisted to look at Slaf's case as if he's the rule for developement and not an exception
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