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Meanwhile on the main boards: "Is Slafkovsky the worst #1 pick ever?"......
Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two
- Thread starter Lafleurs Guy
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admiralcadillac
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- Oct 22, 2017
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SlafySZN
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- May 21, 2022
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He is reading the NHL play so much better, it's almost like he learned stuff last year.
Pazucha
Registered User
- Apr 3, 2023
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Great game today but I hate that he has to play with Anderson..
JadedRandom
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- Aug 14, 2008
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Slafkovsky still takes too much time to process the game out there, and he has yet to assert himself physically like he should/could with his great size. You can also tell that the confidence offensively isn't there yet, that he doesn't brace for impact quickly enough, needs some more work on explosiveness/balance, and that he also hasn't really found chemistry within his line.
But even with all of these warts and jumbled rookie plays that he continues to make, I still like the progression that I've seen from Juraj Slafkovsky so far.
He is better defensively thus far, more careful with managing the puck, has started connecting more regularly on some of his passing plays with his linemates, and hounding the puck much more effectively than he once did last year (improved timing and angles of pursuits really go a long way).
He will need to start shooting the puck more though, as he's lost several opportunities to do so overthinking plays the last couple games, but more egregiously against the Leafs in the first game of the season.
All of that to say that I can see the immense potential that this kid has at the NHL level, which he has barely begun to tap-into. But I just genuinely think that Slafkovsky might be a bit of a slow-burner and take a couple of seasons more before he starts settling in and becoming a regular difference-maker for us.
People will get impatient with Slafkovsky given where we selected him in the draft, but he is still quite raw, and will need a lot of reps at the pro level before he's anywhere near a finished product.
Anyways, that's it from me. Cheers.
But even with all of these warts and jumbled rookie plays that he continues to make, I still like the progression that I've seen from Juraj Slafkovsky so far.
He is better defensively thus far, more careful with managing the puck, has started connecting more regularly on some of his passing plays with his linemates, and hounding the puck much more effectively than he once did last year (improved timing and angles of pursuits really go a long way).
He will need to start shooting the puck more though, as he's lost several opportunities to do so overthinking plays the last couple games, but more egregiously against the Leafs in the first game of the season.
All of that to say that I can see the immense potential that this kid has at the NHL level, which he has barely begun to tap-into. But I just genuinely think that Slafkovsky might be a bit of a slow-burner and take a couple of seasons more before he starts settling in and becoming a regular difference-maker for us.
People will get impatient with Slafkovsky given where we selected him in the draft, but he is still quite raw, and will need a lot of reps at the pro level before he's anywhere near a finished product.
Anyways, that's it from me. Cheers.
- Jan 18, 2022
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The fundamentals you all agree he needs to improve (and some of you claim he is showing improvement upon) can all be figured out in the AHL or in Europe as well. Breathing right, picking the right lanes, making the right read in the d-zone. These are fundementals. It's mental that we even have to note this for a freaking 1OA. A first round pick should know how to play hockey for heaven's sake!!
Playing elsewhere would have the massive, added bonus that he wouldn't face literally the best defenders in all of hockey night in night out. He needs to develop his playmaking game on top of his fundamentals. He's an exceedingly raw player, and putting aside a handful game sample some other prospects received, he is probably the most underprepared for the NHL I've ever seen on the Habs. It's still far too fast for him to keep up, much less thrive and produce.
It could be that some years from now he'll put it together but there is a lot of downside risk from now until then -- including injuries and blindside hits -- so the Habs organization's stubborn insistence of keeping him in the NHL better pay off.
Playing elsewhere would have the massive, added bonus that he wouldn't face literally the best defenders in all of hockey night in night out. He needs to develop his playmaking game on top of his fundamentals. He's an exceedingly raw player, and putting aside a handful game sample some other prospects received, he is probably the most underprepared for the NHL I've ever seen on the Habs. It's still far too fast for him to keep up, much less thrive and produce.
It could be that some years from now he'll put it together but there is a lot of downside risk from now until then -- including injuries and blindside hits -- so the Habs organization's stubborn insistence of keeping him in the NHL better pay off.
CanadienShark
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- Dec 18, 2012
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Habs Halifax
Loyal Habs Fan
Dumb dumb Ducharme was not really great with the young kids. Go figure eh? We thought bringing in Ducharme and Bouchard were good moves. Anyways, KK did get miss managed by both Julien and Ducharme.
If there were no offer sheet (Canes revenge), I think he stays and takes a bridge deal and the disgruntledness goes away.
Unique circumstance with Ducharme and the Canes offer sheet revenge. Worked in KK's favor
Habs Halifax
Loyal Habs Fan
KK did sign Aug 28th so his date was off. Other two are correct.
Canes tried to trade for him first? That's a rumor. Possibly true but we don't know that for sure do we? You can assume so I guess
- Jan 18, 2022
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The two below comments are from the main board thread. Absolutely nothing new but it sets the baseline of what he was in Liiga when 99.9% of us hadn't had a chance to see him. From this description he doesn't look much different today, except he can't yet leverage his body in the NHL, at NHL speeds, as well as he could in Liiga.
We have no idea whether this draft is strong or not. It is way too early. What if Cooley becomes a 1C scoring at a PPG pace, what if Nemec Jiricek become 1D… This weak draft stuff is crazy. Chances are Slaf is still top 5 in the next draft ceteris paribus. I remember when 2021 was supposed to be weak too… Beniers Power Hughes at least are looking very good.
Habs Halifax
Loyal Habs Fan
Yeah, I had his ELC contract in as the signing date. My bad. The point was others like Dach or Newhook could have been offer sheeted like KK was. Teams just avoid it and for good reason.. Aho situation back fired on us.
I do remember going from... match, no match, match, to no match. Should have went with my ordinal gut
Jaynki
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- Feb 3, 2014
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The tone in page 76 (before yesterday game) and the tone in page 78 (after yesterday game). 
Pretty nice game yesterday where we had a glimpse of his potential. I find it funny when people says the game is too fast for him. He had his breakaway against the Dahlin/Samuelsson pairing. He don't appear fast because of the way he skates but he has one hell of a motor.
You are kidding yourselves.
In 2023, Slafkovsky would have been in the discussion with Carlsson, Fantilli, Smith and Michkov.
2021 would have been in the discussion with Power, Beniers, McTavish, Hughes.
2020, right up there with Laf, Stutzle, Byfield.
I mean there is quite a strong margin between a non-unanimous 1st overall and not even a 10OV pick.
Pretty nice game yesterday where we had a glimpse of his potential. I find it funny when people says the game is too fast for him. He had his breakaway against the Dahlin/Samuelsson pairing. He don't appear fast because of the way he skates but he has one hell of a motor.
You are kidding yourselves.
In 2023, Slafkovsky would have been in the discussion with Carlsson, Fantilli, Smith and Michkov.
2021 would have been in the discussion with Power, Beniers, McTavish, Hughes.
2020, right up there with Laf, Stutzle, Byfield.
I mean there is quite a strong margin between a non-unanimous 1st overall and not even a 10OV pick.
WeThreeKings
Demidov is a HAB
Was a great game from him except for the 2nd where it was a specialty teams fest again.
He's pre-scanning, shoulder checking, confident making plays and passes.
Production, physicality and creativity will come with confidence and time.
He's pre-scanning, shoulder checking, confident making plays and passes.
Production, physicality and creativity will come with confidence and time.
le_sean
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- Oct 21, 2006
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He very clearly looks different today than he did last year. It’s obvious that the team wanted him to learn from Marty, as opposed to any other coach. Look at what good coaching is doing to KK, another big awkward Liiga player that came to the NHL “too early”.
People just need to be patient. He’s obviously taking steps in the right direction. This whole “need to learn the system” posts about his time in Finland is grasping at straws. The kid is not chasing the play like last year and actually looks for more options than his first when he has the puck on his stick. It’s night and day compared to his rookie season.
cave troll
Registered User
I disagree cause I think he's nowhere near 80% of players you mentioned. Most of them had a immediate impact the moment the started to play in NHL.
Michkov is a kid who is at PPG at 18 in a pro league much stronger then Liiga.
Right now, since Slaf has a little impact we all judge him with, hey he made a good pass, hey, he skated good this shift. hey, he did hit somebody on last shift and basically putting all the blame on his bad plays or being invisible on a linemate called Josh Anderson. Yep, I'm sure he would be better if he played with McDavid and Drai.
nhlfan9191
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- Aug 4, 2010
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Ducharme was a bit of a surprise. He was brought into the organization with hopes that he would help add some modern takes behind the bench and he ended up doing the complete opposite.
I know it’s been mentioned but there was an attempt at a trade for KK by Waddell. I don’t think this is a rumour as Waddell said so himself unless he was just trolling us.
Regardless of the risks and threats of OS, I think it’s pretty much a given that this was 100% retaliatory for the Aho OS.
As for signing it, KK signed it because he was unhappy. MB definitely could had handled the relationship better, but DD scratching him and being a poor communicator in general was the nail in the coffin. With Bergy extending DD that summer, the writing was on the wall. Of course, Danault leaving, and Price and Weber done, that didn’t help.
Of course, you throw enough money at a player, they will take it but if a player is happy, they’ll give it pause. I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that Brayden Point, when he was a RFA, announced that he was NOT going to sign any OS.
Teams generally don’t OS anymore (think we all know why), but I also think if you treat your players well, the risk of them signing an OS is mitigated. It’s not eliminated but it is less likely if they like where they are.
Edit: Oh, I realized this is a Slaf thread, so I’ll add that I’m not overly worried about an OS coming his way.
Speaking of Marty, the coach had Slaf on the ice in the final minute of the third period in the 2-2 game against Washington. He has taken huge strides in defensive awareness (he always had the will to defend, just not the reads). One game in a tight situation like that is worth three or more in the AHL.
Slafkovsky is 6th in ice time per game (14.52 minutes) among forwards, despite no time on the PK and only PP2 appearances. He's actually 4th in ES minutes per game and has not been scored against at ES. This deployment is way better for his development than 20 minutes in Laval, especially when we factor in the value of practice time and coaching time in the best league.
The points will come. I'm not fixated on that. It's about quality of play at this point.
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nhlfan9191
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- Aug 4, 2010
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I think we may have been used as a league wide example as to why teams should think carefully before making offersheets. Our offer was flat out insulting. They were never going to let someone Aho go for a couple of draft picks and Molson and Bergevin basically spit in Durdon’a face by front loading it and trying to flex their pockets on him. Just an ugly pointless move that Carolina got the last laugh in.
Whitesnake
If you rebuild, they will come.
- Jan 5, 2003
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Why? Is it a drawback for every player playing juniors right now? The ONLY reason he's in the NHL right now is his draft pick and size. So he is able to sometimes look fine because of his size. But more often than not, he's lost. It's going too fast. He needs to learn how to walk. Strangely, they've realized it with Mesar.....but somehow don't have the ego to do the same with Juraj.....
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