Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[Frank Drebin]

I can guarantee you that this board would be in a full blown melt down over Bedard's performances to date.

WAHHH THE ONE TIME WE GET A 1ST OVERALL WITH A GENERATIONAL TALENT AND HE'S BASICALLY LAFRENIERE, WAHHHH

I haven't watched a pile of Bedard, but there were definitely times during that Chicago game where he looked like a superstar.

I don't need superstar production right away, just tiny glimpses of potential. I'm sure Jack Hughes had those glimpses in his rookie and sophomore years.

 

[morhilane]

Pezzeta played way to good to be benched after only 6 minutes :/

PP2 played more time than PP1 this game? Do you have any stats for that? Or are you talking only about the third period?

Total 5v4 PP time on naturalstattricks. Outside of Matheson who had 3:22, the other players with the most TOI on the PP are (at 3:01 minutes) are: Slafkovsky, Gallagher, Anderson, Newhook. Barron/Xhekaj have 1:10 and 1:13 minutes each. Suzuki, Caufield, Pearson, Monahan are between 2:55 and 2:58.

Usually, the split is way more in favor of PP1, the game against Washington: PP1 had near 4 minutes, PP2 didn't even hit 2 minutes.

 

[Kennerback]

I’ve never seen a topX talent look this not-phenomenal. Never once. Not even Kotkaniemi and he was among the worst I’ve personally seen (because he was rushed).

Right now I follow the games of the top picks from the last 2 season. Not a single one declines to take the puck to openings in the slot. Kotkaniemi, Lafrenière, Kakko all take empty open ice lanes….Someone brought a list of most frustrating players to watch and there was René Bourque and Kostistyn. René Bourque was often a lazy unmotivated player, but if you hand him the slot on a silver plater, he’d get there and shoot in an instant.

Maybe Slaf has such a bad shot he doesn’t want to show anyone. Or maybe he needs a shrink more than anything.

 

[absolute garbage]

The main concern for me is that I don't really see anything exceptional with him. To me, the only clear and visible plus skill he has is his stick. He has a very fast stick, good reach, and fairly soft hands to go along with it.

Everything else about his game and skillset is very flawed. He can't even use his size in any meaningful fashion.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Every management type, scout and talking head leading up to 2022 draft. All were unanimous there was no elite talent at top end of the draft, many calling it the weakest since 2000.

Even last week Corey Pronman in his article on The Athletic placed Slaf still as 1OA for 2022 draft stating:

I find it odd for scouts to claim there was no top end talent at all in an entire draft. The ceilings they were projecting for the top players just seems unnaturally low regardless of how weak you may think the draft is as a whole. Is it because they didn’t have the usual amount of data due to Covid?

 

[salbutera]

I find it odd for scouts to claim there was no top end talent at all in an entire draft. The ceilings they were projecting for the top players just seems unnaturally low regardless of how weak you may think the draft is as a whole. Is it because they didn’t have the usual amount of data due to Covid?

Top end of the draft didn’t have projectable elite talent

No one said entire draft

 

[sandviper]

I’ve never seen this person make a coherent comment. Is it always meta, soapbox grandstanding commentary?

If Slafkovsky had the pedigree Galchenyuk had (much less Shane Wright or Conor Bedard) he would get years and years of rope. But he doesn’t. Slaf is a very red flag riddled player, so naturally he doesn’t have much faith from the commentary community… because beating Team Kazakhstan doesn’t impress anybody. Because his resume does not encourage blind faith.


Don’t be upset I’m 100% right about Slaf. My prescience about the situation doesn’t mean I want him to fail.

I want the Habs to stop shooting themselves in the foot. I hate tanking, I want to see playoff runs.

Gonna be another 2 seasons after this at least, maybe 3 until we’re playoff contenders.

 

[Mrb1p]

Top end of the draft didn’t have projectable elite talent

No one said entire draft

But then thats not the top end, thats their failure to assess top end talent.

Jagger Firkus, David Jiricek, Logan Cooley, Pavel Mintyukov all look like future elite players.

 

[admiralcadillac]

The overly defensive nancies are really friggin annoying and drive the narrative around here. Im not sure why its allowed, if Im honest.

Oh give it a break. If there’s one thing that doesn’t dominate discourse here it’s people criticizing negative posts.

The idea that you would ban people defending our top prospect (justified or not) is really weird.

 

[Deebs]

But then thats not the top end, thats their failure to assess top end talent.

Jagger Firkus, David Jiricek, Logan Cooley, Pavel Mintyukov all look like future elite players.

What is the definition of "Elite" in your world?

 

[Kennerback]

The main concern for me is that I don't really see anything exceptional with him. To me, the only clear and visible plus skill he has is his stick. He has a very fast stick, good reach, and fairly soft hands to go along with it.

Everything else about his game and skillset is very flawed. He can't even use his size in any meaningful fashion.

To be fair, he uses his size as much as anyone, but only on the defensive side of the ledger. I commend him to agressively go to the corners and throw his weight around. He’s also able and willing to take cross checks and abuse when screening the net.

On the offensive of the ledger it’s a different story. Give Slaf the puck, his size, his physicality go out the window. With the puck on their stick, RHP and Newhook use whatever size they have better than him.

 

[admiralcadillac]

I’ve never seen this person make a coherent comment. Is it always meta, soapbox grandstanding commentary?

If Slafkovsky had the pedigree Galchenyuk had (much less Shane Wright or Conor Bedard) he would get years and years of rope. But he doesn’t. Slaf is a very red flag riddled player, so naturally he doesn’t have much faith from the commentary community… because beating Team Kazakhstan doesn’t impress anybody. Because his resume does not encourage blind faith.


Don’t be upset I’m 100% right about Slaf. My prescience about the situation doesn’t mean I want him to fail.

I want the Habs to stop shooting themselves in the foot. I hate tanking, I want to see playoff runs.

You are indeed prescient and all-seeing oh great one especially in your hindsight.

 

[Mrb1p]

Oh give it a break. If there’s one thing that doesn’t dominate discourse here it’s people criticizing negative posts.

The idea that you would ban people defending our top prospect (justified or not) is really weird.

Its not about banning people for defending prospects. Its about stopping the bullying from the clique of a few person that like to spin everything you say when they dont like you or have a different opinion than you on a certain player.

Whitesnake and I are called Slaf haters because we think he shouldnt be in the NHL and that he would learn more in an appropriate environement for him. That leads to insults, incessant reports for "trolling" when you think he wasnt good in a game and unrealistic claims about his play

 

[Ozmodiar]

Watching him skate … I’d like to see more dorsiflexion, TBH. Plenty of knee bend, but not enough ankle bend. Like he’s sitting in a chair.

I haven't watched a pile of Bedard, but there were definitely times during that Chicago game where he looked like a superstar.

I don't need superstar production right away, just tiny glimpses of potential. I'm sure Jack Hughes had those glimpses in his rookie and sophomore years.

Yes, he did.

 

[admiralcadillac]

Its not about banning people for defending prospects. Its about stopping the bullying from the clique of a few person that like to spin everything you say when they dont like you or have a different opinion than you on a certain player.

Whitesnake and I are called Slaf haters because we think he shouldnt be in the NHL and that he would learn more in an appropriate environement for him. That leads to insults, incessant reports for "trolling" when you think he wasnt good in a game and unrealistic claims about his play

Who cares what you’re called. I would’ve put him in the AHL myself but I also don’t want to pretend I know better than the coaching staff and management. There’s always time to see if the decision pans out.

 

[Angler]

I think the criticism is fair, but there's obviously a group of posters who have invested an absurd amount of time ripping on Slaf to the point that they actually want him to fail, so that they can save face. It's pretty sad really.

 

[Mrb1p]

What is the definition of "Elite" in your world?

Top 3 forward
Top 2 D
top 15 Starter G

 

[417]

Its not about banning people for defending prospects. Its about stopping the bullying from the clique of a few person that like to spin everything you say when they dont like you or have a different opinion than you on a certain player.

Whitesnake and I are called Slaf haters because we think he shouldnt be in the NHL and that he would learn more in an appropriate environement for him. That leads to insults, incessant reports for "trolling" when you think he wasnt good in a game and unrealistic claims about his play

Why would anyone call you guys haters just exclusively for that?

 

[Mrb1p]

Who cares what you’re called. I would’ve put him in the AHL myself but I also don’t want to pretend I know better than the coaching staff and management. There’s always time to see if the decision pans out.

I care ? It's f***ing annoying to try and have a honest conversation and just have people spin anything you say as "Youre hating" or whatever.

FWIW My assesment of Slafkovsky on draft day (and before) was that a team that would take their time and develop him properly would get a monster and special player. The Habs are literally doing the opposite of what I thought was the best way to develop him in every single way. It's not as if I changed my tune when they drafted him or something.

I think the criticism is fair, but there's obviously a group of posters who have invested an absurd amount of time ripping on Slaf to the point that they actually want him to fail, so that they can save face. It's pretty sad really.

I'd say there's Rehabs thats a notorious hater but aside from that not really, even he isn't rooting for him to fail, I think.

Thats some sort of boogeyman BS that a few posters are pushing.

 

[Kennerback]

I think the criticism is fair, but there's obviously a group of posters who have invested an absurd amount of time ripping on Slaf to the point that they want him to fail, so that they can save face. Its pretty sad really.

I think almost everyone wants him to succeed. Most people want to be proven wrong. It would be a wonderful lapse in judgment. He’s given us a mixed bag this season. At this point both the haters and defenders still have a place IMO.

 

[admiralcadillac]

Why would anyone call you guys haters just exclusively for that?

Here we go

 

[Mrb1p]

Why would anyone call you guys haters just exclusively for that?

I don't know, ask them.

At least for WS, who's not a hot take kind of guy, I know I can rub people the wrong way because I like my hyperboles, but people need to deal with it.

 

[417]

I don't know, ask them.

At least for WS, who's not a hot take kind of guy, I know I can rub people the wrong way because I like my hyperboles, but people need to deal with it.

Well I think you might be touching on the issue right there.

Having the opinion that you think Slafkovsky should be in the AHL is fine.

But revelling in him struggling in the NHL because you feel it reinforces your stannce...

That's another story.

I think the discussion surrounding where Slafkovsky should be playing requires much more nuance then yes or no.

 

[417]

FWIW My assesment of Slafkovsky on draft day (and before) was that a team that would take their time and develop him properly would get a monster and special player. The Habs are literally doing the opposite of what I thought was the best way to develop him in every single way. It's not as if I changed my tune when they drafted him or something.

2 things…

1. What you (or I, or anyone here ) thinks is the best way to develop him is irrelevant and inconsequential to the organization. That in itself should never serve as the barometer of whether or not they're doing the right thing. They need to do what THEY feel is the best thing for the player and stick to their convictions. They shouldn't worry about pleasing individual fans desires because that's an impossible task.

2. I find they're taking their time with him, if anything, I don’t think they're challenging him enough!

 

[ReHabs]

You are indeed prescient and all-seeing oh great one especially in your hindsight.

You don't get to discredit me. If I'm going to be known as a "notorious hater", you might as well accept I've had the exact same evaluation of Slafkovsky (which has been so far correct) from before the 2022 draft. It's not hindsight, it's foresight.

And in my defence, I don't think I'm a hater of Slafkovsky. If anything I have more hate for Molson, Gorton, Hughes, and Bobrov than I could ever have for any player. HuGoBoMo deserve zero credit until they earn it. What they've done with the 1OA is going to be a legendary bag fumble and so many of you would rather get mad at us pointing it out than them.