Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[Tyson]

Solid game 1. His line has created instant chemistry

 

[Kennerback]

7.5/10. Needs to be more selfish. Nice assist.

 

[Hope Of Glory]

I don't remember him being that good last year. Must be the new breathing technique.

Seriously, very solid 1st game. Some nice flashes of what he'll be able to do with time. Was fun to watch. He and Dach are gonna terrorize people on the forecheck lmfao

 

[Jaynki]

Are there still people that can't see the elite skill?

 

[417]

Really good game from Slaf tonight, no need to make a huge deal out of it anymore than its not worth it to make a bigger deal out of a bad preseason game.

They’ll be games where he's not as good and the tone of this thread will flip.

But I hope we can put to rest this nonsense talk about the organization doing him a disservice by playing last year, he’s looking more comfortable because he’s gaining experience and tonight, he was rewarded.

Let's hope for more games like this

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Really good game from Slaf tonight, no need to make a huge deal out of it anymore than its not worth it to make a bigger deal out of a bad preseason game.

They’ll be games where he's not as good and the tone of this thread will flip.

But I hope we can put to rest this nonsense talk about the organization doing him a disservice by playing last year, he’s looking more comfortable because he’s gaining experience and tonight, he was rewarded.

Let's hope for more games like this

Exactly. There are no wrong path, the issue is if he is overwhelmed by the NHL. He is adapting well to the tempo now.

 

[Jabba11]

Slaf played great tonight, very happy to see his strong showing tonight. First on the puck, great decision making, improved decision making, taking more shots. Could have had another helper. Overall, kid is gonna be great, our 1st overall pick!

 

[417]

Exactly. There are no wrong path, the issue is if he is overwhelmed by the NHL. He is adapting well to the tempo now.

There were times last year where he was overwhelmed, I think that's normal but all the talk about how he had no business playing in the NHL was exaggerated IMO.

He's still learning and that’s ok, yes, even in the NHL…you measure his progress in segments of 10-15 games and you re-evaluate as you go along.

So far, from his preseason to game 1…the progress is there. In 10 games that might not be true and then you can consider other options.

But this shift-to-shift, game-to-game overnanalysis is just over the top, IMO.

 

[Kennerback]

Are there still people that can't see the elite skill?

He does have good skills but it’s not the be all and end all. He had a good game but I felt some shifts he missed opportunities to create scoring chances. Elite is regularly exploiting those seams. Even turn nothing into something.

 

[Hannibal]

We’re starting to see what the kid will look like in 2-3 years and boy will he be dominant.

Keep him with Dach all year.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Really good game from Slaf tonight, no need to make a huge deal out of it anymore than its not worth it to make a bigger deal out of a bad preseason game.

They’ll be games where he's not as good and the tone of this thread will flip.

But I hope we can put to rest this nonsense talk about the organization doing him a disservice by playing last year, he’s looking more comfortable because he’s gaining experience and tonight, he was rewarded.

Let's hope for more games like this

I would take a year's worth of posts about him being rushed over one more post about him having 50 point upside.

 

[417]

We’re starting to see what the kid will look like in 2-3 years and boy will he be dominant.

Keep him with Dach all year.

Beast

 

[Redux91]

Hes been a monster tonight, a beast on the puck, great skills and awarenesses.

Wonder what our expert scouts @Mrb1p and @NotProkofievian think about that showing.

You're forgetting .. One... glaring omission.
The worst one of them all lol

 

[Mrb1p]

Really good game from Slaf tonight, no need to make a huge deal out of it anymore than its not worth it to make a bigger deal out of a bad preseason game.

They’ll be games where he's not as good and the tone of this thread will flip.

But I hope we can put to rest this nonsense talk about the organization doing him a disservice by playing last year, he’s looking more comfortable because he’s gaining experience and tonight, he was rewarded.

Let's hope for more games like this

It is a big deal to be fair. Not because it means hes arrived, or because he may not slump after or whatever other absolutes you'd want to stick to him but because he showed things he didnt show yet in the NHL. Its the first time he has a game where it feels like he belongs and actually made a ice tilting impact.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Solid game tonight. Made a couple of really nice passes and kept the puck in a few times. Looked great for most of the night and that line was our best by far.

 

[417]

It is a big deal to be fair. Not because it means hes arrived, or because he may not slump after or whatever other absolutes you'd want to stick to him but because he showed things he didnt show yet in the NHL. Its the first time he has a game where it feels like he belongs and actually made a ice tilting impact.

It's a great start, we should all be hyped, I certainly am. I just know how this goes, next week he might not such a good game and then it's like tonight is completely out the window.

He played the 2nd most TOI of his career so far, he played with Dach who the Habs use in important situations, if that continues, it's going to be huge for his development this year.

I don't think he was in those situations that often last year to be fair.

 

[JoelWarlord]

It's just one game but starting to feel good about my "what was diagnosed as low hockey IQ was actually conditioning problems" take from the summer

 

[Mrb1p]

It's a great start, we should all be hyped, I certainly am. I just know how this goes, next week he might not such a good game and then it's like tonight is completely out the window.

He played the 2nd most TOI of his career so far, he played with Dach who the Habs use in important situations, if that continues, it's going to be huge for his development this year.

I don't think he was in those situations that often last year to be fair.

And I dont think he shouldve been. He showed very little last year, mostly survived, if you can call it that.

What hes doing right now is borderline thriving, thats the difference in development to me.

Of course someone with bad faith could say So He WASNt RuInEd?

It's just one game but starting to feel good about my "what was diagnosed as low hockey IQ was actually conditioning problems" take from the summer

He still made two or three boneheaded plays. He has processing problems at times.

Who cares though, so did Subban. He just has to play to his strength.

 

[Kennerback]

And I dont think he shouldve been. He showed very little last year, mostly survived, if you can call it that.

What hes doing right now is borderline thriving, thats the difference in development to me.

Of course someone with bad faith could say So He WASNt RuInEd?

He looked like he was treading water last year.

 

[habdynasty]

The line was great tonight.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

And I dont think he shouldve been. He showed very little last year, mostly survived, if you can call it that.

What hes doing right now is borderline thriving, thats the difference in development to me.

Of course someone with bad faith could say So He WASNt RuInEd?


He still made two or three boneheaded plays. He has processing problems at times.

Who cares though, so did Subban. He just has to play to his strength.

Thank goodness Subban had price save most of his ridiculous turnovers lol. The classic one is when he did two spin o Ramas in a row. I think against Winnipeg and laine

 

[calder candidate]

Slaf was moving is feet tonight and it show he covered a lot of ice on both goal and set a few chances centering the puck and solid defensively.
Probably is best game in the NHL to date.

 

[nhlfan9191]

It's a great start, we should all be hyped, I certainly am. I just know how this goes, next week he might not such a good game and then it's like tonight is completely out the window.

He played the 2nd most TOI of his career so far, he played with Dach who the Habs use in important situations, if that continues, it's going to be huge for his development this year.

I don't think he was in those situations that often last year to be fair.

There’s some crow feeding going on in this thread right now after 1 game which is fine. That was the best game Slafkovsky has played in Montreal so the excitement is warranted. But sample sizes matter. And we are talking one game in October. We’ve had our back and forth about what the best development plan is, but if he can consistently hold a top 6 spot for at least most of the season, then the conversation of him needing to be in the AHL or somewhere else can be squashed for good. But we still have a ways before we get there.

 

[417]

And I dont think he shouldve been. He showed very little last year, mostly survived, if you can call it that.

What hes doing right now is borderline thriving, thats the difference in development to me.

Of course someone with bad faith could say So He WASNt RuInEd?

.

Like I said earlier, I think you need to consider context last year (which is maybe an argument in itself that he should have been in the AHL, granted), I'm not sure he was as bad and you're making it, but fair enough.

Either way, maybe the borderline thriving you're referring to has something to do with him just being more comfortable, which has a lot to do with having played last year.

I have a difficult time with the argument that there wasn't anything beneficial that he would have learned last year, struggles not withstanding, that he could apply this year.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Slaf was moving is feet tonight and it show he covered a lot of ice on both goal and set a few chances centering the puck and solid defensively.
Probably is best game in the NHL to date.

Kirby Dach is a big help. He gets possession of the puck and slows things down. He’s really impressive. I thought he was our best player tonight.