Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[BaseballCoach]

What skills do players develop playing on the third line?

You could look up some interviews with Lecavalier.

I don’t think passing on Michkov had anything to do with potential. I think there were a combination of things not all related to hockey. Same with Wright although his ceiling was levels lower then someone like Michkov.

What I said was there may be perceived risks that he won't HIT his potential (or possibly not even come over).

 

[the valiant effort]

I think Ovechkin was around 200-210lbs. Another physical freak.

6'2" 212lbs according to this FAKE NEWS archived article:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2004/06/27/caps-make-ovechkin-no-1-pick-in-draft/0d3657b5-cc01-448a-a8be-db0172c764c0/

 

[BaseballCoach]

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?

OMG, no everyone does NOT know this. In fact, every single knowledgeable hockey professional would disagree that this is a development rule, EVERY SINGLE ONE.

No You're trying to claim something that goes against the development path of 99.9% of the players

Nope. 95% of first-year NHLers start in the bottom 6.

 

[Legend123]

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.

All minus Wright would be fine picks as well imo

 

[schwang26]

Slaf might just be the most physically powerful top forward prospect entering the NHL as a teenager since Eric Lindros. If not him, who?

A big part of this is lower body strength and Center of gravity. He’s shown good signs this year that those aren’t going to be as much of an issue. Just because you’re big and heavy, doesn’t mean you’ll be effective. If its all upper body strength and your skating technique isn’t good, you’ll be on your ass a lot. Like he was last year.

 

[Bombshell11]

OMG, no everyone does NOT know this. In fact, every single knowledgeable hockey professional would disagree that this is a development rule, EVERY SINGLE ONE.

Well, you're 100% wrong on that.

Case closed you don't know what you're talking about, thank you, come again!

 

[schwang26]

He’s shown so much improvement but he’s got to work on that shot. Maybe it’s still timing? It’s looked pretty sad to be fair. Frankly I’d be happy if he just parked in front and banged in garbage.

 

[LesCanadiens]

Another observation...his reach and stickwork. I lose count now of how many times I say to myself "yep, he actually IS going to stick check that guy from THAT far..". It's like he becomes Mister Richards from the Fantastic Four, lol. He has such a long reach and with that long stick, it's unreal from how far he makes contact with it to stick check.

 

[Ozmodiar]

All-star fan vote - is there a ballot or can any player be voted in?

Would like to see it.

 

[Redux91]

If Roy can continue his progression, he could be a good fit on that line.

Too busy enjoy the current top line to think about it though, Slaf is making beautiful progress!

For me I keep thinking,
What if Mesar with Slaf is a real thing too? What if it works and they have unbelievable chemistry?

Who would be their center lol? You would think Dach since Suzuki×Caufield, but I feel like Slaf with Suzuki really really works, Suzuki has looked much better with the addition of Juraj on his wing

So then if Slaf Suzuki Mesar, you would get Dach - Caufield, and you tag in either Newhook/Roy/2024 1st rounder/ or a trade/ufa

And all of a sudden we're not missing as many top6 players as we thought

(And doesn't it feel like Roy would look good next to Suzuki?... raaah all the possibilities we're going to have very soon lol)

It was never about the 2023 offseason, it was always going to be about the 2024 offseason, can't wait

 

[waitin425]

Slaf haters visiting this thread, waiting for the next bad game.....

 

[Redux91]

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.

Apparently Lindros was 228 or so!

 

[Kennerback]

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.

I can accept that posters still prefer one of the others as their 1OA. But saying that Slaf is a bad pick or the wrong pick is a stretch.

 

[waitin425]

Another observation...his reach and stickwork. I lose count now of how many times I say to myself "yep, he actually IS going to stick check that guy from THAT far..". It's like he becomes Mister Richards from the Fantastic Four, lol. He has such a long reach and with that long stick, it's unreal from how far he makes contact with it to stick check.

View attachment 795160

Last year and early this year, he was using his stick almost lazily. Guys were skating right through it and it looked like he wasn't moving his feet to pivot and close gaps. This has improved drastically IMO. He is not only using his stick and reach, but he is putting his body in front of opposing players and leaning on them to use his stick to poke pucks free. It is a subtle thing, but something I criticized him for, but have now seen huge improvements in.

 

[Kennerback]

Apparently Lindros was 228 or so!

Unlike most Big Power Forwards Lindros just like Slaf was big on Day 1.

 

[LesCanadiens]

Last year and early this year, he was using his stick almost lazily. Guys were skating right through it and it looked like he wasn't moving his feet to pivot and close gaps. This has improved drastically IMO. He is not only using his stick and reach, but he is putting his body in front of opposing players and leaning on them to use his stick to poke pucks free. It is a subtle thing, but something I criticized him for, but have now seen huge improvements in.

So true...it's an overall adjustment to the NHL game in this and every other way. And IMO it's all about his desire to be the best. That's his focus. How to be better. Great kid. Attitude means so much at this age. That's why some very skilled, talented prospects never reach their potential in many cases.

 

[Redux91]

He’s shown so much improvement but he’s got to work on that shot. Maybe it’s still timing? It’s looked pretty sad to be fair. Frankly I’d be happy if he just parked in front and banged in garbage.

It'll come eventually ,

People forget how literally 'passive' Caufield was for a while when he just started out
Kids not named Bedard loooove to defer early in their careers

Right now it feels like Slaf has more confidence in his passing ability than his shooting obviously, as in he's worried that maybe taking a shot will lead to a save or missing the net in a possible wasted opportunity more than he is thinking 'this is going in baby', where his passing is pretty good and as we all know a GREAT pass can lead to an easy goal

So right now he's just getting his bearings set as an NHL passer, and I have to imagine ripping off shots more and more is just another thing he and his team will tackle as he makes his progression as a player entering the NHL at such a young age

 

[Habs10Habs]

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.

If you go back and check on one of Lindro's rookie cards. You'll see he was listed at 6'4 and 225lbs.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Slaf haters visiting this thread, waiting for the next bad game.....

View attachment 795164

Spoo-Geet!

 

[Kennerback]

He’s shown so much improvement but he’s got to work on that shot. Maybe it’s still timing? It’s looked pretty sad to be fair. Frankly I’d be happy if he just parked in front and banged in garbage.

I just saw a write-up on a 2024 prospect that boasted he already had “an NHL-ready shot”. Slaf’s shot is heavy but it’s not “NHL-ready”. He’s thriving in the NHL because he’s so good in everything else that he was able to compensate from that lagging release.

 

[417]

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.

I got it from what you wrote.

And yes, I refute your previous statement. Saying "everyone knows" isn't proof of anything.

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?

Among other things, yes.

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

1. I'm aware I replied to your comment, I wrote it in the very post you quoted.

2. The only thing I've "claimed" is that players can develop skills in the NHL, that doesn't go against any developmental path. It's just plain ol' common sense. Juraj Slafkovsky and the steps he's taken this year, compared to last year, are proof of that. Hence why your question was/is perplexing.

3. I disagreed with your notion that Slafkovsky hasn't developed any skill simply because he played on the 3rd line for the first 50ish games of his NHL careeer.

 

[Rapala]

I don't. And as much as I can appreciate Matheson, it's frustrating when Slaf is wide open and Matheson looks to pass it to the left to either Suzuki or Caufield, even if they're covered. Or chooses to shoot when there are bodies in front of him to block the shots.

Slaf has to work on being a shooting threat, which would force the other team to respect his shot and thus opening other options. But to not pass it to him when he's your best option is bad hockey.

The very first thing I notice when Slaf is out there on PP1 pucks aren't consistently going from his stick to behind our goal line.
Remember when Hoffman tried to play that spot. Unable to seal the wall or weak attempts at play making that backfired.
So we've got 3 guys now who rarely turn it over in Slaf Suzuki and Monahan.
Caufield is good when he isn't force fed the puck along the wall. Usually from Matheson in the zone and sometimes Suzuki entering the zone.
When he and Suzuki exchange down low it usually goes well and they generally have space to create.
The weak link is now Matheson with his decision making hesitation and sometimes poor shot selection.
Nothing pisses me off more than when we are controlling the play tiring the defenders and Matheson decides to take a low percentage shot.
When Barron is on he's better but I'm not sure he's ready mentally to take on the PP1 role .
All in all we've came a long way from when Gallagher and Anderson were getting PP1 time and it shows in the results.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Well, you're 100% wrong on that.

Case closed you don't know what you're talking about, thank you, come again!

You are the one who is 100% wrong that "everyone knows that the best place to put a player is where he will get the most minutes".

It is ALWAYS possible to put a player in a lower league and get him more minutes, so by this rule you totally invented on your own, hockey players would not graduate out of any league at all except an age-limited one.

It's completely and utterly false. I humbly suggest you go back and re-read what you wrote.

 

[Andrei79]

If you go back and check on one of Lindro's rookie cards. You'll see he was listed at 6'4 and 225lbs.

View attachment 795171

You guys are right. I just googled his draft card and he was 228lbs. Insane. So heaviest since Lindros.

 

[LesCanadiens]

The very first thing I notice when Slaf is out there on PP1 pucks aren't consistently going from his stick to behind our goal line.
Remember when Hoffman tried to play that spot. Unable to seal the wall or weak attempts at play making that backfired.
So we've got 3 guys now who rarely turn it over in Slaf Suzuki and Monahan.
Caufield is good when he isn't force fed the puck along the wall. Usually from Matheson in the zone and sometimes Suzuki entering the zone.
When he and Suzuki exchange down low it usually goes well and they generally have space to create.
The weak link is now Matheson with his decision making hesitation and sometimes poor shot selection.
Nothing pisses me off more than when we are controlling the play tiring the defenders and Matheson decides to take a low percentage shot.
When Barron is on he's better but I'm not sure he's ready mentally to take on the PP1 role .
All in all we've came a long way from when Gallagher and Anderson were getting PP1 time and it shows in the results.

They should be using Guhle on that left point more. It almost seems to me that Burrows is at fault and Matheson is just following coaches instructions on keeping everything to the left for CC and Suzuki, but it's so predictable for the defenders. But the shot selection is 100% on him. He's better-off dumping it in a corner than taking some of the moronic shots he takes.