Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[DAChampion]

It was always obvious. It was just always dismissed to fit the agenda.

I think it was dismissed due to PTSD among the Habs fandom.

That said I think that Habs' drafting began to improve prior to Slafkovsky.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

It was always obvious. It was just always dismissed to fit the agenda.

Disagree. He had the tools. The question was the toolbox. He was inconsistent last year and looked out of place this season until he was moved to the first line. Since then he’s vastly improved.

The word I used for him before was ‘mystery box.’ Now he’s demonstrating not only consistent play but steady improvement.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I think it was dismissed due to PTSD among the Habs fandom.

That said I think that Habs' drafting began to improve prior to Slafkovsky.

It was a development problem. Notice that TT’s later picks are panning out because they’re being developed properly.

 

[Jaaanosik]

Disagree. He had the tools. The question was the toolbox. He was inconsistent last year and looked out of place this season until he was moved to the first line. Since then he’s vastly improved.

The word I used for him before was ‘mystery box.’ Now he’s demonstrating not only consistent play but steady improvement.

He did not play that bad before he was moved to the first line.
If Anderson converted some chances Slaf set up for him then Slaf would have more points and the discussion would be different from the beginning.
That's how it appears to me.

 

[Guy Larose]

I think it was dismissed due to PTSD among the Habs fandom.

That said I think that Habs' drafting began to improve prior to Slafkovsky.

If there's PTSD just because of a hockey team, maybe it's time for some to go touch grass...or snow in many cases right now.

 

[DAChampion]

If there's PTSD just because of a hockey team, maybe it's time for some to go touch grass...or snow in many cases right now.

I'm missing the term in an insensitive manner, but even so you're probably right.

 

[Habssince89]

The positive I can say about his shooting is that while its obvious his release from out in the slot or further needs to be improved because he has less time at NHL level, but I've noticed his finishing in right around the net (like his goal against boston earlier this year, or the recent one where CC batted the puck into the slot) to be very good.

The more Suzuki and he develop chemistry, the more I see NS try to feed him when he's right on top of the goalie, and its produced results. He still needs to round out facets of his shooting, but he's starting to find some niches that produce goals in ways we've been lacking for years. I think a big part of our PP improving is his ability to draw respect from PKers because they know he's a goalmouth threat.

 

[LesCanadiens]

The positive I can say about his shooting is that while its obvious his release from out in the slot or further needs to be improved because he has less time at NHL level, but I've noticed his finishing in right around the net (like his goal against boston earlier this year, or the recent one where CC batted the puck into the slot) to be very good.

The more Suzuki and he develop chemistry, the more I see NS try to feed him when he's right on top of the goalie, and its produced results. He still needs to round out facets of his shooting, but he's starting to find some niches that produce goals in ways we've been lacking for years. I think a big part of our PP improving is his ability to draw respect from PKers because they know he is goalmouth threat.

100%. Tim Kerr carved a great career out of almost exclusively doing just this. And to think, Slaf is the same height as Kerr, but already 15lbs heavier and only 19. I can see Slaf at around 245lbs once he actually fills-out into his man-size. He's going to be a problem in front of the crease. A big problem. That's why I think he has such a high ceiling as far as point production. Great passer and will score quite a lot standing on top of the goalie. We already see signs of him dangling and using power moves to get into scoring position. He's a decent skater. If he ever figures out that wrist/snap shot from high in the slot....OH MAN.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

He did not play that bad before he was moved to the first line.

He wasn’t good. He looked pretty lost.

If Anderson converted some chances Slaf set up for him then Slaf would have more points and the discussion would be different from the beginning.
That's how it appears to me.

There may be some truth to that but his play took a massive jump when he was moved up.

 

[the valiant effort]

 

[Jaaanosik]

He wasn’t good. He looked pretty lost.

There may be some truth to that but his play took a massive jump when he was moved up.

That's the point, he did not look lost.
Slaf kept setting up Anderson for many chances to score.
Slaf kept playing quite solid hockey prior to moving to the first line.

 

[Jaaanosik]

He wasn’t good. He looked pretty lost.

There may be some truth to that but his play took a massive jump when he was moved up.

The change did not come right away.
Slaf kept setting up Cole and Nick with good passes to score and it was not happening right away.
The points came later...

 

[Toene]

He made some glaring mistakes tonight but from the beginning of the 3rd until the end, all Habs players were lost and just trying to survive.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

That's the point, he did not look lost.

I disagree.

Slaf kept up Anderson for many chances to score.
Slaf kept playing quite solid hockey prior to moving to the first line.

I don’t think so. I think it’s fair to say that he repeatedly set up CC though.

The change did not come right away.
Slaf kept setting up Cole and Nick with good passes to score and it was not happening right away.
The points came later...

Again, I disagree with you.

I noticed a huge difference in play when he was moved up. The points didn’t come until later but he was much improved when moved up.

 

[ReimanSum1908]

I noticed a huge difference in play when he was moved up. The points didn’t come until later but he was much improved when moved up.

That's it exactly; he was drowning lower in the lineup, and not due to anyone else. A below replacement level player.

With the elevation to a line with Caufield and Suzuki, he and his play have been transformed, and most nights he has been at least a solid contributor.

 

[ottawa]

Brutal 3rd period from him but growing pains, he'll learn from his mistakes.

 

[Jaynki]

Disagree. He had the tools. The question was the toolbox. He was inconsistent last year and looked out of place this season until he was moved to the first line. Since then he’s vastly improved.

The word I used for him before was ‘mystery box.’ Now he’s demonstrating not only consistent play but steady improvement.

You are only reflecting your past bias. (Respectfully)

His talent was always obvious. It was also on full display and for everyone to see.

But it was always dismissed to fit one's agenda that he was the worst pick, that Bobrov is not better than a used car dealer, etc.

-Small sample international size are worthless. (Even though what he did is unprecedented.)

-Worst 1st overall in decade. (Even tho 90% of player making the NHL at 18 end up top of the line-up player, disregard of the rank of drafting and performance in the first season.)

-We are ruining his development and the front office dont know what they do. Some even going as far as we were f***ing with his prefrontex cortal.(LOL).

-He has no elite skills. (Something also not obvious i guess.)

He was never a mystery box. There was never any question about his talent and commitment. It was invention from the fanbase and insecurity/PTSD from former failed top picks.

 

[Miller Time]

That's it exactly; he was drowning lower in the lineup, and not due to anyone else. A below replacement level player.

With the elevation to a line with Caufield and Suzuki, he and his play have been transformed, and most nights he has been at least a solid contributor.

Disagree.

Playing with better player's affects the outcomes of any player. Slaf's game the day before & the day after he moved to that line was negligibly different.

He was showing a lot of the qualities that are being rewarded now with points & praise long before. The coaching staff recognized this, and that's the major reason why he was staying in Montreal. Many fans just couldn't see it & needed the stat sheet validation to start recognizing it.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

You are only reflecting your past bias. (Respectfully)

What bias?

His talent was always obvious. It was also on full display and for everyone to see.

But it was always dismissed to fit one's agenda that he was the worst pick, that Bobrov is not better than a used car dealer, etc.

Please show me where I denied his talent? I can show you several posts where I said I could see why we drafted him and said he has all the tools.

-Small sample international size are worthless. (Even though what he did is unprecedented.)

-Worst 1st overall in decade. (Even tho 90% of player making the NHL at 18 end up top of the line-up player, disregard of the rank of drafting and performance in the first season.)

-We are ruining his development and the front office dont know what they do. Some even going as far as we were f***ing with his prefrontex cortal.(LOL).

-He has no elite skills. (Something also not obvious i guess.)

I’m not sure what you’re talking about here. You’re bringing in stuff I never said. Absolutely true that I felt we shouldn’t have brought him up so early but that doesn’t mean I didn’t think he had talent.

The fact is that he looked lost for much of his first year. I would’ve preferred the minors coming in. Same in the second year. But he and Dach were so good together in preseason I felt like it could work. Then Dach got hurt and Slaf looked lost again. He’d show flashed of brilliance but he wasn’t doing well. Then he was moved up to the first line - then for a while only Caufiled - and he looked great.

He was never a mystery box. There was never any question about his talent and commitment. It was invention from the fanbase and insecurity/PTSD from former failed top picks.

Sorry but I disagree. Nobody doubted his commitment but there wasn’t any kind of consensus on how good this guy would be.

Yeah, some people had written him off from day one. A few people were insanely hard on him. Those people aside though, I don’t see how you can look at some of those stretches and say he was always awesome. No he wasn’t.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Until his 3rd period, like all Habs players, make mistakes, but he is really good on PP.

His pass on PP are on the same level of Suzuki. No doubt, this guy will be the face of the franchise. Special talent, special attitude and he want to make the difference (the speech of Bobrov), he want to be the difference maker and you see that on all details of his game. His forecheck is so good at 19 years old. His protection of puck is great at such young age.

Great 2nd season by Slaf so far.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

First 85 NHL games:

Slafkovsky: 28 pts, -26, 122 hits, 65 BkS, 32 GvA 14:44 TOI

Jack Hughes: 35 pts, -28, 23 hits, 27 BkS, 95 GvA, 16:47 TOI

Lafreniere: 29 pts, -11, 90 hits, 21 BkS, 27 GvA, 13:36 TOI

 

[SlafySZN]

 

[Matthew McConaughay]

You guys think the Habs will pick-up Slaf's friend Adam Ruzicka on Waivers, big 6'4" center.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

You guys think the Habs will pick-up Slaf's friend Adam Ruzicka on Waivers, big 6'4" center.

never heard of him but yes

 

[JoelWarlord]

What a slick pass on the Suzuki goal