Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[The Gr8 Dane]

We should send the whole team down after last night

That's the thing , in the games where the entire team has stunk slaf looks like one of the 9 best forwards on the team and he barely does anything out there. Sad stuff . Its really not saying much , he should just go down and get all the puck touches in the world

 

[Egresch]

I still find his awareness and IQ to be lacking.

But he made a huge improvement since last year. By this time, there were like 3 big hits on him. I have not seen any situation where he was in vulnerable position this year.
His defensive awareness is excellent for 19y old kid (3 takeaways, 4th on team). It is no coincidence he is not on the ice when we concede. He starts to use his body (13 hits, 4th on team). Only 2 giveaways (13th on team), one of them was in defensive zone. 3 blocks added.
His advanced stats show big improvement in all those areas. He needs to improve his shot obviously. 18 attempts, only 6 on goal, 7 missed and 5 blocked.

NHL Player Statistics -Advanced Stats 2024-2025

Scoring Leaders, Expected Goals, Player Stats

moneypuck.com

 

[WeThreeKings]

He actually had a good game last night. His first touches were good, he had a couple nice passes and scoring chances. Things are coming along slowly but they are improving and coming along.

 

[Habs4Life]

He actually had a good game last night. His first touches were good, he had a couple nice passes and scoring chances. Things are coming along slowly but they are improving and coming along.

You can tell he does not have his man strength yet. Needs to work on that.

 

[StCaufield]

Trust me: If you're going to a hockey game, never buy seats on a high horse.

I mean the view would be great. I’m already 6’4 and piss people off enough with the people behind me lol saddle seats are borderline sky box

 

[Ozmodiar]

I don’t know if it would work to be honest. The top line is struggling to get offensive pressure. They’re chasing the puck a lot.

Dach was perfect. Now that he’s gone I am again inclined to send this guy to the AJL. Let him dominate with Roy. Then they both come up next year.

I was suggesting a trial. Maybe it wouldn’t work, but at least they’d get more information.

… and maybe it would be the AHL after that. That would be fine by me.

 

[sandviper]

I mean, RHP has 2 points in 5 games but yeah he hasnt been too strong either. He has the benefit of 22 points in 39 games so far in his career though.

Newhook has produced with 5 different players, Slaf has produced with no one.

When do we start blaming Slaf for actually not producing ? I haven't watched last game, but Slaf is an anchor out there. He doesn't tilt the ice, he doesn't make positive plays, he's not good at retrieving pucks, he doesn't shoot, he doesn't drive the net, he doesn't intimidate, he doesn't play good defense, basically whats his strength ?

He finished high school?

Anyhow, production will have to come but I think it’s going to be another developmental year and news flash! I‘d be expecting NEXT season to have a lot of ups and downs. My expectation is we’ll see him emerge by his 4th or 5th season into the player I think we hope he’ll be, which should coincide with the time we‘re actually competing.

 

[Jaynki]

He actually had a good game last night. His first touches were good, he had a couple nice passes and scoring chances. Things are coming along slowly but they are improving and coming along.

Agree, i think we are starting to see more and more the dominant, active player we have witnessed at the world cup.

I am eager to see him blacken the scoresheet now tho.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Yup, I know the production hasn’t been there, but he’s certainly passing the eye test. Made some great passes and had a chance to bury a few shots- wish he had. I think he’s going to be a good top six player at least.

 

[River Meadow]

Offensive production aside. This version of Slaf is better than last year's.


For my part, the way I see things...this year has already gone to shit. It's going to be another "learning" year. Whether Slaf plays in AHL or NHL is all the same to me at this level.

What I am realizing, is that I need to lower my expectations on this player. The picking him first thing, clouded my vision a bit.

True.

He is nowhere near close to a 1st OA talent, he just isn't.

He is a mid to late first rounder in a normal draft, and that's mainly because of his size and package.

He could very well become a 3rd line 'specialist' forechecker type, or a decent 2nd liner if things pan out well.

 

[Habbietat]

When your basis of comparison for Slaf is making a simple pass, and minor improvements on an already limited skillset, safe to say of course hes going to pass eye tests and look like hes improving, to me I see a dude who has no idea what hes doing, has no mind outside of what the coach is telling him so theres nothing to adapt what hes learning to a certain type of game hes playing

 

[loudi94]

True.

He is nowhere near close to a 1st OA talent, he just isn't.

He is a mid to late first rounder in a normal draft, and that's mainly because of his size and package.

He could very well become a 3rd line 'specialist' forechecker type, or a decent 2nd liner if things pan out well.

Much like KK, players like Slaf need time to grow into their role. When Slaf becomes a "man", he will be a force. We have the luxury of time to bring him along.

 

[ReHabs]

He actually had a good game last night. His first touches were good, he had a couple nice passes and scoring chances. Things are coming along slowly but they are improving and coming along.

This reads like a peewee coach describing the rich kid on the team's performance to his rich parents who donate to the school.

Much like KK, players like Slaf need time to grow into their role. When Slaf becomes a "man", he will be a force. We have the luxury of time to bring him along.

As we know, time never brings with it anything chaotic. Everything goes according to plan.

Money tomorrow is better than money today, goes the the famous saying.

A player who isn't a 'man' yet is surely best off learning how to breathe and receive passes in the best division in the entire sport, facing the best defenders in the sport. Seems smart. MSL has developed many NHL players, he knows what he's doing.

 

[Habbietat]

Much like KK, players like Slaf need time to grow into their role. When Slaf becomes a "man", he will be a force. We have the luxury of time to bring him along.

KK showed atleast great goal scoring ability and great around the net first couple years

 

[Egresch]

He is a mid to late first rounder in a normal draft, and that's mainly because of his size and package.

2023 was arguably the best draft of last decade and he would still be in top 10.
Bedard, Michkov, Carlsson, Fantilli and lets say Smith, Reinbacher, Benson that would still put Slaf at 8, nowhere near "late first rounder in normal draft".

 

[ReHabs]

2023 was arguably the best draft of last decade and he would still be in top 10.
Bedard, Michkov, Carlsson, Fantilli and lets say Smith, Reinbacher, Benson that would still put Slaf at 8, nowhere near "late first rounder in normal draft".

I can certainly see the Habs picking him at 5OA in the 2023. Intangibles, character, winning culture, he makes his own baked beans, scored against Team Kazakhstan. Total package.

 

[Hannibal]

It’s frustrating because every top young player gets first PP wave on their team. Slaf is really good of the PP and very good with puckretrieving. He should be on the first wave. It’s not like our PP is too good to be changed. And that f***ing first wave are staying almost the entire 2 minutes. Stupid.

And let’s freaking try him with Suzuki.

 

[Egresch]

I can certainly see the Habs picking him at 5OA in the 2023. Intangibles, character, winning culture, he makes his own baked beans, scored against Team Kazakhstan. Total package.

They certainly would

 

[NORiculous]

Leo Carlsson is healthy scratched by the Ducks.

They want to ease him in the NHL.

He should not be better served playing top minutes in the SHL or the AHL dominating instead?

There are major upside with being eased and developed in the NHL.

Depends what you have to learn.

Sometimes looking at a game from the press gallery is a good thing for kids, to see the game from afar and have perspective.

Also… one or two games isn’t 40. You are making assumptions by comparing him to what Slafkovsky went trough last year.

 

[Mrb1p]

This talk about “he looks good” but without any production reminds me of what we went through with Kotkaniemi.
He’s going to have to start putting up points.

KK never had a stretch of 45 games as unproductive as Slaf just had. He also did it while playing less, having the body of a stick, playing the tougher position and while being stapled to Armia.

 

[Jaynki]

Depends what you have to learn.

Sometimes looking at a game from the press gallery is a good thing for kids, to see the game from afar and have perspective.

Also… one or two games isn’t 40. You are making assumptions by comparing him to what Slafkovsky went trough last year.

The only assumptions i make is that there is upside to be developed in the NHL. Assuming the player is at this level of play, obviously.

 

[Mrb1p]

It’s frustrating because every top young player gets first PP wave on their team. Slaf is really good of the PP and very good with puckretrieving. He should be on the first wave. It’s not like our PP is too good to be changed. And that f***ing first wave are staying almost the entire 2 minutes. Stupid.

And let’s freaking try him with Suzuki.

I agree with this. If youre gonna keep him in the NHL at least give him pp1.

 

[River Meadow]

Much like KK, players like Slaf need time to grow into their role. When Slaf becomes a "man", he will be a force. We have the luxury of time to bring him along.

Define 'a force'.

 

[Egresch]

I agree with this. If youre gonna keep him in the NHL at least give him pp1.

Absolutely, PP1 sucks, but we still keep there Anderson and Monahan who are both not in long-term plan of this organization. Management decided to develop Slaf slowly in NHL which might turn OK in 3-4 years, but it makes a lot of people upset.

 

[417]

It’s frustrating because every top young player gets first PP wave on their team. Slaf is really good of the PP and very good with puckretrieving. He should be on the first wave. It’s not like our PP is too good to be changed. And that f***ing first wave are staying almost the entire 2 minutes. Stupid.

And let’s freaking try him with Suzuki.

It's just how the Montreal Canadiens do things.