Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[Jaynki]

False dillema at best.

On a pure sample size, league play has always been more important to evaluate a player.

Player evaluation and player development are two very different things. Sending a player to the WJC or the AHL falls in the latter, using a short tournament to justify picking a guy first overall while everyone who watched him in Liiga said they were cautious about him is player evaluation.

Go read the opinion of Finnish posters on the prospect board from september 2021 to april 2022, nobody thought he was NHL ready. Then the tournaments happened and history was made.

It turns out league play was a more accurate representation of his NHL readiness, afterall.


I put out a draft list every year and I put out an affiliated prospect list every year. I make my opinions known to literally everyone.

Lucas Raymond produced less than Slaf in his draft year. And he did not had the international superstar performance.

He was barely 0.5ppg in his d+1 in the SHL.

Yet he stormed the league with 57points and a calder nomination.

Its not as linear and as simple as production. These are defensive league with paid professional, unlike ncaa and chl, and its a totally different environment. In some league, teams can even be demoted and it result in major financial losses. There is a lot of context needed when evaluating a european player.

Slaf sucks still. Doesn’t get open space, the time he uses his shot it’s a muffin or wide of the net, he’s a good passer when it’s not in their skates I’ll give him that and using his body, skating a bit better but there’s just no “elite” in there. He’ll be a 3rd liner 45 point max player

Sure. Stealing a puck from, and outskating and outpowering Rasmus Dahlin is a common occurence for every 19 years old in this league.

Getting the most breakaways and 2 on 1 since the beginning of the season is a very strong statement to his skating deficiencies and inabilites to get in open space.

 

[Mrb1p]

REPEATING - Were you high on Adam Boqvist or not? You never said, just dissed a post of mine (Evans for Boqvist) without stating your own position as to which team was getting the raw deal. Not the first time.

Care to say why and for whom the idea was so ridiculous that you dissed it like that?

Surely youre not trying to look smart because Boqvist is a healthy scratch at 22, right?

 

[ReHabs]

We can contextualize Slaf performance in the OG with the likes of Power, Mactavish and Beniers. Players he outplayed by a big margin.

We can contextualize his WC with a lot of other DY player. He performed better than every other guys there in recent year including Fantilli and Carlsson.

There are a lot of great comparables he outplayed there.

I would still bet a boatload on Slaf because he is an improved player and he is in his window of maximum growth. Im eager to see him produce tho.

Can we contextualize his play with other 1OAs?

It seems you like to pick and choose what’s relevant and what’s dismissiable.

 

[Whitesnake]

@417 We love to see our players or prospects in tournaments 'cause it's fun. CLEARLY not because it's indicative of a career.

True that anybody who uses tournaments as to ''it's a great developmental experience'' are wrong....in my opinion. It,s something to add to it.

But a great prospect/player will be great. At one point. No matter the tournaments he does or doesn't do.

 

[417]

@417 We love to see our players or prospects in tournaments 'cause it's fun. CLEARLY not because it's indicative of a career.

True that anybody who uses tournaments as to ''it's a great developmental experience'' are wrong....in my opinion. It,s something to add to it.

Agreed Whitesnake, but are we seriously going to act like people, fans and media, don't freak out over WJC, whether positive or negative.

Steve Downie was the next Cam Neely back in 06’!

Cole Caufield was a bust a few years ago.

All off the strength of short tournament samples.

But now i’m reading those tournaments don’t matter (which I generally agree with by the way).

So which one is it?

But a great prospect/player will be great. At one point. No matter the tournaments he does or doesn't do.

And regardless of his performance, good or bad, at said tournaments.

Yes, agreed.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Looks already better than last year. But he need to play on PP1 to get some points. We all see his top 6 material so far, he can play on top 6. I really like what I see from him. He just needs PP#1 and everything will be very good this year from him.

The stats will come, he is a mature young two-way powerforward who have great protection of puck at young age. He need to be more creative and less "simple game", but it's ok so far... he play the right way and he show his high potential. I will 100% re-draft him at #1, no doubt.

 

[Jaynki]

Can we contextualize his play with other 1OAs?

Yes, we won it in a mitigated year with no unanimous 1st. In other words, he is not the surefire superstar we irrationally expect from 1st overall.

Its the harsh reality of the NHL.

We dont operate in the wonderful glitters of tanking = assuring a superstar.

It requires extreme luck and timing to draft those rare talent.

And apart from those rare epic 1st overall player, every single top prospect come with their dark side. Slaf is no exception of that. It dont forbid some of them to have HOF career.

 

[NotProkofievian]

I'm going to use the power of positive thinking to ask believe and receive a Slaf goal from the universe tonight.

 

[417]

Yes, we won it in a mitigated year with no unanimous 1st.

Its the harsh reality of the NHL.

We dont operate in the wonderful glitters of tanking = assuring a superstar.

It requires extreme luck and timing to draft those rare talent.

And apart from those rare epic 1st overall player, every single top prospect come with their dark side. Slaf is no exception of that. It dont forbid some of them to have HOF career.

I'm a firm believer that you shouldn't compare 1st overalls to other 1st overalls, unless it's for fantasy or poll purposes, basically just anecdotal.

1st overall picks should be compared to their current draft class year.

 

[Jaynki]

I'm a firm believer that you shouldn't compare 1st overalls to other 1st overalls, unless it's for fantasy or poll purposes, basically just anecdotal.

1st overall picks should be compared to their current draft class year.

Obviously.

And when we do the exercice,

There is a strong debate to be had with Cooley, but apart that, Slaf still looks like the strongest pick.

Too early to conclude anything but it feels like we dodged a bullet with Wright.

 

[Whitesnake]

Agreed Whitesnake, but are we seriously going to act like people, fans and media, don't freak out over WJC, whether positive or negative.

Steve Downie was the next Cam Neely back in 06’!

Cole Caufield was a bust a few years ago.

All off the strength of short tournament samples.

But now i’m reading those tournaments don’t matter (which I generally agree with by the way).

So which one is it?

And regardless of his performance, good or bad, at said tournaments.

Yes, agreed.

Tournaments don't matter as far as knowing the greatness or lack thereof of a prospect/player. There's just no other conclusion than that.

Simon Gagné was awesome at the WJC! True. So was Gabriel Bourque.....

Obviously.

And when we do the exercice,

There is a strong debate to be had with Cooley, but apart that, Slaf still looks like the strongest pick.

Too early to conclude anything but it feels like we dodged a bullet with Wright.

My assessment at the time was this:
Safe: Wright
Needs: Slaf
Best ratio skills/player: Cooley

I saw a reason for going with all 3. Though the guy I had most trouble with was Wright seeing how uncommitted he was at playoffs time. Hated his game. At the end, my pick was Cooley. But I was fine with Slaf. Yet, being fine with Slaf did NOT meet making him play in the NHl at 18...ESPECIALLY when I'm told by my GM that was important is not now, but who will be great in 4-5 years.

 

[417]

Tournaments don't matter as far as knowing the greatness or lack thereof of a prospect/player. There's just no other conclusion than that.

Simon Gagné was awesome at the WJC! True. So was Gabriel Bourque.....

Fair enough…but this seems to be sliding scale.

Cause I guarantee the same posters who are poopoo’ing Slaf’a Olympics performance, will be the same one’s demanding management send him to the Slovakia for the WJC at Xmas or the WC in May.

 

[Whitesnake]

Fair enough…but this seems to be sliding scale.

Cause I guarantee the same posters who are poopoo’ing Slaf’a Olympics performance, will be the same one’s demanding management send him to the Slovakia for the WJC at Xmas or the WC in May.

I'll tell you why they would say that....'cause they hope and think that at least he'll look dominant somewhere. CLEARLY being the best of the Slovakian should mean being translated into points. So they'll be reassured.

yet, you don't need that to know already that if paired with guys his age, whether it's the Q, OHL or WHL, he'd be great there too.

 

[Habbietat]

I'm going to use the power of positive thinking to ask believe and receive a Slaf goal from the universe tonight.

 

[River Meadow]

What made us draft him 1st overall, ultimately?

It was that smile.... that damn smile.

 

[waitin425]

 

[Jaynki]

Tournaments don't matter as far as knowing the greatness or lack thereof of a prospect/player. There's just no other conclusion than that.

Simon Gagné was awesome at the WJC! True. So was Gabriel Bourque.....


My assessment at the time was this:
Safe: Wright
Needs: Slaf
Best ratio skills/player: Cooley

I saw a reason for going with all 3. Though the guy I had most trouble with was Wright seeing how uncommitted he was at playoffs time. Hated his game. At the end, my pick was Cooley. But I was fine with Slaf. Yet, being fine with Slaf did NOT meet making him play in the NHl at 18...ESPECIALLY when I'm told by my GM that was important is not now, but who will be great in 4-5 years.

I understand and i dont necesarily disagree with your point.

Where we may have a debate if that i personally believe that there is upside to have early NHL experience.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Oh my...

 

[Kennerback]

Slaf sucks still. Doesn’t get open space, the time he uses his shot it’s a muffin or wide of the net, he’s a good passer when it’s not in their skates I’ll give him that and using his body, skating a bit better but there’s just no “elite” in there. He’ll be a 3rd liner 45 point max player

Slaf probably has the weakest drive to get to the slot and score for a top-6 In the NHL. Tell me who has less. I know none in the 200 or so. He’s completely aloof and nonchalant when he has the puck. For an outsider, it seems easy to just switch it on. Just skate the puck to the slot, one leg in front of the other. But it might be some psychological blockage he’s had since he was a kid.

However, digging the puck and skating with it, he does assertively. He also doesn’t mind contact. He works hard. He has a long reach. It tells me he might be a good defensive forward and a good penalty killer one day.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Surely youre not trying to look smart because Boqvist is a healthy scratch at 22, right?

I posted the trade proposal (Evans for Boqvist) after word came out that CBJ were looking to move a D for a not expensive F. I note you STILL don't explain which team would "obviously" nix the deal and why.

 

[habdynasty]

Getting better and better

 

[Jaynki]

Getting better and better

The thread or Slaf?

None of them?

 

[habdynasty]

The thread or Slaf?

None of them?

Slaf and me

 

[Jaynki]

Slaf and me

Could not agree more

 

[Sorinth]

No it don't.

Slafkovsky started the season with a killer Hlinka. 9pts in 5 games.

Then he had a slow start in the Liiga with 4 points in 21 games. Despite that, his offensive metrics were higher than Kemell and Lambert. (Offensive opportunities generated for himself + offensive opportunities generated for his teammates). He was sent to the U18 were he obliterated his competition and had 18 points in 11 games so they called him back. Just want to point out that he played defensive minute, in a rigid defensive system in the team that had the less offense of the liiga, for what its worth. Bad excuse for his low production in 31 games imo.

WJC he had 1 points in 2 games but he was all over the f***ing place. GoldenHands posted his game against Sweden.

Then came his 6 points in 10 games for liiga end of season.
His playoffs 7 points in 18 games.
Then 16 points 15 games in international play.

Folks argue that the international play are a small sample size and we should not based our opinion on it. Fair, and i agree.

But, he had a stretch of 29 points in 43 games against liiga reg season, but mainly playoffs and tougher opposition than Liiga.

How does that sample compares to the 21 games where he had 4 points on the beginning of the season?

Isnt really his 21 games where he underproduced the small sample we should dismiss? Also considering his metrics were excellent.

I am all in for an healthy debate. We can argue that he was not a unanimous 1st pick, not in the tier of the Matthews and Mcdavid of this world. Fair.

Maybe Cooley would have been a better pick, fair.

Was he rushed? Fair.

But the constant extrapolation on how he did nothing good, he has no skills, he is closer to a 10ov pick, if not for his size he is a 2nd rounder, he only was good againt sudan, etc. Those are toxic argument and they dont make for an healthy debate.

And it's not even about dismissing the early Liiga games, all games matter but they aren't all equal. It's not about picking the best 18 year old it's about picking the 18 year old who will be the best 22-30 year old. So it should come as no surprise that development/improvement throughout the year is something that scouts will value highly. It's probably the #1 reason Wright fell to 4th, he didn't seem to improve at all during the year, and there wasn't even much improvement over where he was 2 years beforehand. With Slaf they saw him struggle, then start to put things together and finish strong, so even though the overall numbers aren't great in the Liiga, the improvement he showed matters a lot.