Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[HabbyGuy]

Absolutely not.

He's a rookie GM who hired a peewee coach to lead an NHL team; Gorton was not a success in New York; Bobrov's reputation is worse than Timmins; and Molson is a terrible and cheap owner.

Hughes has to earn trust. No more "In Bergevin we Trust" crap.

I dunno it seems to me the hiring of MSL should be considered a feather in his cap not a detraction. It might be his best move to date, (including Dach) and he's also made quite a few astute maneuvers with his asset management skills. Other than my disappointment with the passing on Michkov, and the Allen contract, it's hard to find alot to fault him for thus far. Reinbacher looks great.

He has a plan and is sticking to it, far more refreshing and "trust worthy" than Bergevin.

Also seems strange to hold Molson and Gorton against him. That has nothing to do with Hughes.

I'm not saying we should blindly have faith in every move he makes, but imo he's certainly earned some trust and confidence moving forward

 

[417]

Remind me or Matthews point totals his first year in the NHL ? Slafs point totals ?

Thanks you.

That went right over your head didn't it? lol

 

[ReHabs]

I dunno it seems to me the hiring of MSL should be considered a feather in his cap not a detraction. It might be his best move to date, (including Dach) and he's also made quite a few astute maneuvers with his asset management skills. Other than my disappointment with the passing on Michkov, and the Allen contract, it's hard to find alot to fault him for thus far. Reinbacher looks great.

He has a plan and is sticking to it, far more refreshing and "trust worthy" than Bergevin.

Also seems strange to hold Molson and Gorton against him. That has nothing to do with Hughes.

I praise the MSL hiring too, but the context is that this organization's new management team does not merit trust-by-default or trust-by-reputation.

They have zero results worth noting in their current, respective roles.

 

[Tyson]

I praise the MSL hiring too, but the context is that this organization's new management team does not merit trust-by-default or trust-by-reputation.

They have zero results worth noting in their current, respective roles.

Hard to argue against this.

 

[417]

I praise the MSL hiring too, but the context is that this organization's new management team does not merit trust-by-default or trust-by-reputation.

They deserve trust-by-trial.

I mean, what's the point of distrusting them because previous administrations have failed? It's fine to be skeptical and to challenge decisions of course.

But at the end of the day, whether we trust them or not, it's immaterial to the job they're doing and I hope they're not worried about gaining trust.

They have zero results worth noting in their current, respective roles.

This I agree with, I said it several times but this is the easiest part of Kent Hughes/Jeff Gorton's job...they're just essentially tearing down what was there, it's almost impossible to go wrong.

The real work probably doesn't start until next year...that's when they're going to really have to start making an imprint on their team.

 

[HabbyGuy]

I praise the MSL hiring too, but the context is that this organization's new management team does not merit trust-by-default or trust-by-reputation.

They have zero results worth noting in their current, respective roles.

I'm sorry but I disagree, to me Hughes has earned some merit, and it's not by default. He has shown enough to me thus far, that I personally find reassuring moving forward.

Define results? As a new GM on a rebuilding team what constitutes results? He's made astute asset management moves, acquired a very important piece in Dach and hired MSL. The team is in a far better position moving forward than it was when he took over.

 

[ReHabs]

I'm sorry but I disagree, to me Hughes has earned some merit, and it's not by default. He has shown enough to me thus far, that I personally find reassuring moving forward.

Define results? As a new GM on a rebuilding team what constitutes results? He's made astute asset management moves, acquired a very important piece in Dach and hired MSL. The team is in a far better position moving forward than it was when he took over.

Dach achieved a whopping 38pts in a Habs shirt. MSL has a 0.420 pts% which is a 68pt/season -- this is the second worst coach pt% in Habs history, lower than Randy Cunnyworth but higher than Dom Ducharme's 0.361%.

I like both characters but they haven't changed our fate just yet. I'd pump the brakes until any of them produce the goods. All of this is pointless unless we post a serious team that can win, and does win, playoff series. So for me those are results: playoff series wins. Everything else is hot air. This is why the Leafs are not a serious team, they didn't manage to win what matters. I don't want to see the Habs start to celebrate rebuilding as the end goal -- rebuilding is a state of failure that must be ended at the earliest possibility.

But you're an optimist, and I don't see myself as an optimist when it comes to the Habs -- we can agree to disagree, but don't expect everyone else to fall in line and trust Hughes and his crew by your standards.

 

[HabbyGuy]

Dach achieved a whopping 38pts in a Habs shirt. MSL has a 0.420 pts% which is a 68pt/season -- this is the worst coach pt% in Habs history, lower than Dom Ducharme and Randy Cunnyworth both.

I like both characters but they haven't changed our fate just yet. I'd pump the brakes until any of them produce the goods. All of this is pointless unless we post a serious team that can win, and does win, playoff series.

But you're an optimist, and I don't see myself as an optimist when it comes to the Habs -- we can agree to disagree, but don't expect everyone else to fall in line and trust Hughes and his crew by your standards.

Of course it's a process, we have a long way's to go, I'm not disagreeing there.

But there's definite progress and to not see or acknowledge it seems far too critical.

It's going to take time.

IMO patience should be the mantra on these boards, a majority of hab fans clearly lack it.

 

[ReHabs]

Of course it's a process, we have a long way's to go, I'm not disagreeing there.

Edited my post to fix a factual mistake.

Yes I view it as process, performance, and result. You can do well by expectations in any of the three and that means you earn more time, but if you do well in two of the tree that means you deserve credit, and if you do well in all three you deserve plaudits and praise for excellence.

Hughes might be doing well in one domain (process) but the Slafkovsky situation works against it until proven otherwise (by my standards and that of some other commentators). He's certainly not achieved anything in terms of his team's performances -- we play pee-wee hockey and it shows -- and it's clear we don't have good team results either. So by my rubric I don't see why he's earned any trust or faith -- if you want to cite the Dach acquisition as evidence enough, I think that's fair enough though I disagree. But so far he hasn't built anything close to a good team. All the hype of a talent pool and exciting achievements from our prospects like Meser and Farrell and whatnot -- if they do not affect the performance of the team or the results, they do not matter at all.

Patience is obviously a worthwhile quality for every person to possess, sure.

 

[morhilane]

Michael Carcone had 85 points in 65 games in the AHL as the leading.

Unclaimed on waivers Alex Barre Boulet is the 2nd scorer there.

Followed by TJ Tynan, Chris Terry, Matthew Phillips, Rocco Grimaldi, Logan Shaw, Anthony Richard not far behind.

Logan Shaw is a top dog AHLer. Can you believe it. f***ing Logan Shaw. Heckk, Lias Andersson was a great AHLer.

Im glad they have done well in the AHL but there a bunch of guys being stellar down there who simply can't cut it and be NHLers.

Chris Terry is still an AHL star past 30 years old? Holy!

He's a good example of someone who couldn't convert his game to the NHL. PPG at 22 years old in the AHL, but couldn't produce in the NHL.

Also, can someone explain why there is a management convo in the Slaf thread...

 

[HabbyGuy]

Edited my post to fix a factual mistake.

Yes I view it as process, performance, and result. You can do well by expectations in any of the three and that means you earn more time, but if you do well in two of the tree that means you deserve credit, and if you do well in all three you deserve plaudits and praise for excellence.

Hughes might be doing well in one domain (process) but the Slafkovsky situation works against it until proven otherwise (by my standards and that of some other commentators). He's certainly not achieved anything in terms of his team's performances -- we play pee-wee hockey and it shows -- and it's clear we don't have good team results either. So by my rubric I don't see why he's earned any trust or faith -- if you want to cite the Dach acquisition as evidence enough, I think that's fair enough though I disagree. But so far he hasn't built anything close to a good team. All the hype of a talent pool and exciting achievements from our prospects like Meser and Farrell and whatnot -- if they do not affect the performance of the team or the results, they do not matter at all.

That's fair but we won't know until we know, it's why patience in the key here. Lets see how this unfolds.

This is what a full blown rebuild looks like, we've been clamouring for it for years. We just have to deal with it.

 

[Scriptor]

I'm sorry but I disagree, to me Hughes has earned some merit, and it's not by default. He has shown enough to me thus far, that I personally find reassuring moving forward.

Define results? As a new GM on a rebuilding team what constitutes results? He's made astute asset management moves, acquired a very important piece in Dach and hired MSL. The team is in a far better position moving forward than it was when he took over.

Have to agree that saying there have been absolutely no results is far-fetched.

Gorton, in his role as Vice-President hockey operations (to leave Molson the symbolic title of President Hockey Operations) has revamped the team structure behind the scene, introducing analytics (and a devoted department) into the thinking process, adding female voices to the management team at high levels, creating an actual, structured development department, along with skill coaching for continued development once at the NHL level in what has become a younger man's league.

Gorton has also worked on making the Habs an organization that players will want gravitate towards and that involves client services not discussed in the media.

The VP hired Hughes which appears beat the very least, adept at managing player assets through contract negotiations and able to evaluate player potential appropriately. He also seems to be respected by players and that can go along way in attracting missing players for a Cup run, either via the UFA front or through trades where players either don't place Montreal on a no-trade liste, or where they wave that clause for Montreal, in the end.

Gorton has worked in the shadow, but he has done solid structuring worker this organization that, under Bergevin, was mostly improvising, especially when it came to player development.

 

[waitin425]

I like this play. He takes a bump in the corner and secures the puck for his team. Moves directly to the slot and into scoring position. Play continues on, and Slaf backs into open ice for a prime scoring opportunity. Once he starts burying these...watch out! Great hockey sense in this clip!

https://x.com/grantmccagg/status/1709235658290508110?s=20

In this play, we see Slaf skating backwards through the neutral zone, he accepts the pass, pivots and cuts towards the net. Nice looking speed, transition and ability to get in behind the defender. When he starts burying these......look out!

https://x.com/grantmccagg/status/1709235818710098112?s=20

 

[waitin425]

Nice little sequence here. Slaf keeps the puck in the zone. Accepts the pass back at the blue line. Sees no lane to shoot and passes off to Guhle. Then he finds open ice and takes a nice looking backhand shot. What I really like, is that after the shot and after he moves behind the net and misses on his pass to the slot, he disrupts the Sens breakout using his long reach and through effort. He seems to have a good motor. Nice to see him keeping the play going twice in this clip.

https://x.com/grantmccagg/status/1709235290945056778?s=20

 

[Jamaican Patty]

To help Slaf’s development, the only song in his playlist should be 2Pac - Keep Ya Head Up.

 

[ReHabs]

That's fair but we won't know until we know, it's why patience in the key here. Lets see how this unfolds.

Y'know I was preaching some sort of patience about Mesar's development -- if I wasn't so convinced that rushing Slafkovsky will not improve what I perceive to be his deficiencies and I didn't hate tanking so much, I wouldn't be so infuriated by what has been happening with the guy.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Hard to argue against this.

It’s a straw man.

Nobody is saying we should have blind faith in management.Thinking we’re headed the right way is one thing. Blindly following another.

I think Hughes has earned some benefit of the doubt. We’re certainly in a better place than we were. But that doesn’t mean he’s made all the right moves.

The reality is that we’re a year and a half in. Some moves will work out and some won’t. But in a lot of these cases we won’t know for years.

 

[BLONG7]

Y'know I was preaching some sort of patience about Mesar's development -- if I wasn't so convinced that rushing Slafkovsky will not improve what I perceive to be his deficiencies and I didn't hate tanking so much, I wouldn't be so infuriated by what has been happening with the guy.

Slaf is a project........they said this when they drafted him.............your obsession seems unhealthy.
You are a very good poster, but this constant barrage seems crazy.....

I think most habs fans are weary of the kids progression, but it has literally just started.
I am hopeful, but cautiously so...............

 

[ReHabs]

It’s a straw man.

Nobody is saying we should have blind faith in management.Thinking we’re headed the right way is one thing. Blindly following another.

I think Hughes has earned some benefit of the doubt. We’re certainly in a better place than we were. But that doesn’t mean he’s made all the right moves.

The reality is that we’re a year and a half in. Some moves will work out and some won’t. But in a lot of these cases we won’t know for years.

You were among the 80% who were convinced the Habs are on the right track. Given that you acknowledge we won't know for years (if ever), what is that other than blind trust?

 

[Mrb1p]

It’s a straw man.

Nobody is saying we should have blind faith in management.Thinking we’re headed the right way is one thing. Blindly following another.

I think Hughes has earned some benefit of the doubt. We’re certainly in a better place than we were. But that doesn’t mean he’s made all the right moves.

The reality is that we’re a year and a half in. Some moves will work out and some won’t. But in a lot of these cases we won’t know for years.

But has Bobrov and Gorton earned any benefit ? They are doign the exact same thing they were doing in NY.

 

[BaseballCoach]

You were among the 80% who were convinced the Habs are on the right track. Given that you acknowledge we won't know for years (if ever), what is that other than blind trust?

It's based on the many indicators that have been repeatedly mentioned. We have unloaded many bad contracts and only created one new one, arguably (Allen).

More importantly, a lot of new contracts and extensions have been at refreshingly lower AAVs, building up cap room for later opportunism.

In addition, we have a growing number of prospects who should collectively produce a few roster spots' worth of good value contracts with decent performance.

The organization has added resources to player development, which improves the odds of the team's growth on the ice.

While it is true that all these indicators need to be confirmed or validated over time, it is not blind trust at all to see the bases for improvement.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

But has Bobrov and Gorton earned any benefit ? They are doign the exact same thing they were doing in NY.

I’d have to look into the history there. Same thing? Didn’t they go out and get Panarin for example? I don’t remember. Playing two top picks on the third line doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.

As for here, for years I (and many of you) have advocated for the GM to take a direction and we never did. Now we have a GM who is going full rebuild. We’ve traded vets for prospects/picks and stockpiled young talent. We also seem to have suddenly rediscovered the ability to develop prospects again. Those are all extremely positive developments.

So yes, I’d say we’re heading in the right direction overall. However, that’s a whole lot different from blind faith. The Dach move looks good right now but we won’t know for a while if that was the right move. Did we draft the right players? Maybe. Maybe not… some moves are going to pan out and some won’t. But that happens with any rebuild.

Is he doing a good job? I’d say so but it’s not black or white.

 

[waitin425]

Here we see a nice little heads up play. Slaf uses his reach to chip the puck from two Sens defenders to spring Dach for a break away. Excellent heads up play and awareness of where and what Dach was doing. Wish Dach finished this one. These two are going to be fun to watch this year!

https://x.com/grantmccagg/status/1709235984204767318?s=20

 

[ReHabs]

It's based on the many indicators that have been repeatedly mentioned. We have unloaded many bad contracts are only created one new onem, arguably (Allen).

More importantly, a lot of new contracts and extensions have been at refreshingly lower AAVs, building up cap room for later opportunism.

In addition, we have a growing number of prospects who should between them produce a few roster spots' worth of value contracts with decent performance.

The organizsation has added resources to player development, which improves the odds of team growth on the ice.

While it is true that all these indicators need to be confirmed or validated over time, it is not blind trust at all to see the bases for improvement.

Process, Performance, and Results. I think you're praising process, it's not so possible to praise performance because we haven't had better performances, and certainly not better results. Our PP remains awful -- this is not something that is impossible to improve, and yet...

For instance, even in praising process, I don't think the "low AAV" contract thing makes sense -- he's not been in a position to sign big money FAs as we've had a bottom-tier team, you're giving double credit for tanking.

Adding a development department is a good thing, process improvement, will Adam Nicholas improve performances and results? To be seen, no?

Now we have a GM who is going full rebuild. We’ve traded vets for prospects/picks and stockpiled young talent.

That is if you make an exception for when he trades first round picks+ to acquire his former clients. Not a typical 'full rebuild' move.

 

[Mrb1p]

I’d have to look into the history there. Same thing? Didn’t they go out and get Panarin for example? I don’t remember. Playing two top picks on the third line doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.

As for here, for years I (and many of you) have advocated for the GM to take a direction and we never did. Now we have a GM who is going full rebuild. We’ve traded vets for prospects/picks and stockpiled young talent. We also seem to have suddenly rediscovered the ability to develop prospects again. Those are all extremely positive developments.

So yes, I’d say we’re heading in the right direction overall. However, that’s a whole lot different from blind faith. The Dach move looks good right now but we won’t know for a while if that was the right move. Did we draft the right players? Maybe. Maybe not… some moves are going to pan out and some won’t. But that happens with any rebuild.

Is he doing a good job? I’d say so but it’s not black or white.

I have some faith in Hughes pro scouting. Though there seems to be a lot of nepotism.

What I see though is that Hugo isn't that much of a departure from Bergevin or Gainey, I think that's what the quality of GMs is. Not that good.

Not sure why were acting like HuGo can't do anything wrong. They 100% can and will and already did (Slaf.)