Jukurit
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Had 2 goals in his first 27 Liiga games.
Has 2 goals in his first 6 NHL games.
Has 2 goals in his first 6 NHL games.
LW Juraj Slafkovsky (2022, 1st, MTL) Part 3
- Thread starter GermanSpitfire
- Start date
ChesterNimitz
governed by the principle of calculated risk
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Surprisingly, I think that at this stage of his development, Slafkovsky’s game, built on size and short burst quickness, is better suited for the smaller NHL ice surface, even if against superiot competition.
I think it's also that some people see Liiga as a development team. It really is not, the teams are trying to win they are not here to grow future NHL players. Even very good players have been underused in Liiga and SHL (see Hintz Aho, Kemell now), which is why I preferred Slaf to gros in NA personally.
Jukurit
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I don't really agree with this. Plenty of young players have scored in Liiga. Aho scored 45 points in 45 games in his Draft+1 year. Kemell just isn't playing that good right now, so his usage is mostly justified. I didn't think Slafkovsky was all that impressive when I watched him play in Liiga last season. Ok player, but nothing special. His usage was justified IMO.
JabbaJabba
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Ezpz
No mad pls
- Apr 16, 2013
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You inadvertently agreed with his point. Teams are focused on winning now and don't emphasize the development of young players they know are NHL-bound. Aho happened to be the best option at the time so he got big minutes, they weren't trying to help him be successful in the future. I think this is how stats get lost in translation between European leagues and the NHL. There's plenty of guys who put up big numbers in big roles and aren't even close to NHLers. The reverse is also true.
Breakfast of Champs
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You're actually agreeing with that poster, they're basically saying is that his Liga team is trying to win and won't be giving him opportunity for development sake.
He was 17 and he wasn't a top player in the league, so he was given ice and opportunity accordingly, unlike the AHL where he would be given pp and top ice time because his development is in their best interest being a direct affiliate with the NHL team.
Each would have it's pros and cons , but I think he's staying in NA whether it's NHL or AHL this year
Jukurit
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So if developing young players is more important than winning now, why isn't Slaf playing even more minutes? 11:16 TOI/GP so far. Obviously you gotta pump that up to about 20:00 and have him play every single second of every single PP. Now that's player development!
Hostile Offer
Artist formerly known as Eagle Peninsula
Liiga is also a very low scoring league in general. Almost no one puts up PPG totals in there. Slaf is still definitely a project though, I would send him to AHL after his 9 game stint with the big team.
TheGr8Cornholio
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Slaf can be sent down to Laval at anytime during the season. I’d keep him with the big club as long as he shows progression.
Kennerback
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That s exactly my point ! They play the best players to win and your best prospect may not be ready to handle first Line duties for a contending team.
VoidCreature
Before you see the light, you must die.
Wrong thread lol. I really like Slafkovsky, he’s fun to watch. Looking forward to seeing his progression.
- Aug 21, 2016
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Liiga is a trash league for kids to play in, alot of skating, perimeter and some really weird trap systems. Sending Kemell back there was a huge mistake IMO and a full year of development wasted, AHL was the right choice.
teravaineSAROS
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So you are agreeing.
Kennerback
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Over the years, I’ve just seen too many NHLers that had trash numbers in Euro men’s leagues their draft years be superstars in the NHL. Or that were stuck in Euro U-20 juniors or Tier2 pros instead of the top pro League. I’ll always take Teemu Selanne who was playing Tier2 pro his D and D+1 over Joel Armia that crushed Liiga his draft year. Or Sundin, or Kovalchuk over Puljujarve. Success in Liiga during the draft year is one point of data among others.
sergejean
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I disagree. Putting a player in a situation to succeed and rewarding him with PP time when earned IS player development.
MSL and the Habs seems to be handling Slaf just fine since he joined the club.
That’s all, folks. We are 10% into their first season and we’ve seen enough.
Breakfast of Champs
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Read both of our posts again, we are talking about the AHL vs Liga where one is a top tier league trying to win and the other is a development league of sorts for the NHL clubs.
How did you come to the conclusion that playing a player 20+ min and every second on the PP in the NHL right now is what we meant. Clearly the NHL is not a development league. IF Slafkovsky stays, they will have to balance his development with the number 1 priority still being to win games as a franchise.
Jukurit
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Kinda like how TPS had to balance his development with the number 1 priority still being to win games.
I disagree.
MXD
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Then you should probably edit your posts, so as they read the opposite of what they do now.
I don't think they cared for his development since they knew they wouldn't benefit from it.
I think that's the difference from having him on Montreal right now, they own his rights for the foreseeable future.
ChesterNimitz
governed by the principle of calculated risk
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That may be a case of damning him with the faintest of praise.
