LW Juraj Slafkovsky - TPS Turku, Liiga (2022, 1st, MTL) Part 2

[ottawa]

Was still underwhelming in Liiga. Am still worried.

So was the supposed next best forward in Shane Wright as far as expectations and progression goes, it was a weak draft...what can you do? Cooley had a great year but there's questions about how well his game will translate to the NHL level.

It's hard to get too worked up or worried about all this so early after the draft, this is something we'll have to re-assess in a few years from now.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

?
I said I would be worried. I don't think huge, skilled guy like Slaf producing against kids is really that impressive.

Except Slaf is a kid. And he produced against his peers just as Wright did in the OHL. But Slaf dominated against men in international tournaments and that put him over the top.

 

[Jukurit]

Except Slaf is a kid. And he produced against his peers just as Wright did in the OHL. But Slaf dominated against men in international tournaments and that put him over the top.

But he has the body of a huge man.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

But he has the body of a huge man.

His big body will still be an advantage when he plays in the nhl

 

[Jukurit]

His big body will still be an advantage when he plays in the nhl

Yes. But it will be less of an advantage against bigger, better skating and better defending players.

 

[gifted88]

How would you compare Slafkovsky's cancelled WJC to other 2022 draft eligible players in that same tourney? I know it was only 2 games, but in that tourney who was the top draft eligible player?

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Yes. But it will be less of an advantage against bigger, better skating and better defending players.

His best play came against men at the Olympics and worlds, on smaller NHL sized ice.

 

[Wats]

Probably the least hyped 1st overall pick in a really long time.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

But he has the body of a huge man.

Which makes him a valuable commodity for the NHL.

 

[Fixxer]

I don’t know how high his ceiling is, but you just can’t trade for that kind of player in their prime. Gutsy move by Kent Hughes, who had the balls to pull this out.

 

[KevSkillz4]

I think that the best comparable for Slafkovsky is Andrei Svechnikov.

 

[montreal]

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Probably the least hyped 1st overall pick in a really long time.

Power was less hyped. Slafkovsky has more hype because it’s Montreal and it was a controversial pick.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Power was less hyped. Slafkovsky has more hype because it’s Montreal and it was a controversial pick.

No. He was not hyped before the draft. He was probably not even the consensus #1 pick. wwright was more hyped than him. Because of the market Slaf has had more post draft hype.

 

[Goon42]

Slafkovsky is by far the least hyped 1st overall pick in the last decade

 

[severian]

Slafkovsky is by far the least hyped 1st overall pick in the last decade

I’d say he’s tied with Hischier.

 

[AlexGretzchenvid]

Hot take.

 

[majormajor]

Edit: response to said hot take.

 

[Gravity]

No discussion on the 1st OV selection?

 

[HabsAddict]

What some don't realize is that he's not only big for an 18, he's BIG as a NHL player.

He's 6'4" and 219 now, by the time he's 23, he's at least 235-240.

Good luck stopping him...and make sure medical insurance is paid up.

 

[severian]

Except Slaf is a kid. And he produced against his peers just as Wright did in the OHL. But Slaf dominated against men in international tournaments and that put him over the top.

The last time I heard that size and dominated against men line of argument was Rangers fans trying to sell the idea of Kaako over Hughes. Obviously, that doesn't mean this will be the case with Slaf, but short tournament skew results big time. And lets not forget that the Olympics were not exactly the greatest competition this time around.

 

[Ace]

Power was less hyped. Slafkovsky has more hype because it’s Montreal and it was a controversial pick.

Power was seen as the consensus 1 all year his draft year and after the World Championships solidified himself as the unanimous 1 on McKenzie’s scout poll. He spent the whole season being the guy talked about for #1.

Slaf was talked about as a guy some scouts would take higher up to and including the day of the draft.

“I’m surprised he was taken” is not more hype than “yeah they took the guy people said was #1”

 

[Lavar Ball]

He's the least hyped number one pick because he's the only number one pick of the last decade who wasn't the most hyped player in his class, with the only exception maybe being 2017 when there wasn't a clear number 1 prospect really. Wright was pretty clearly the most hyped player of 2022, and if he went Number one he would be seen as a more hyped prospect than Power for sure

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Power was seen as the consensus 1 all year his draft year and after the World Championships solidified himself as the unanimous 1 on McKenzie’s scout poll. He spent the whole season being the guy talked about for #1.

Slaf was talked about as a guy some scouts would take higher up to and including the day of the draft.

“I’m surprised he was taken” is not more hype than “yeah they took the guy people said was #1”

I disagree with what hype means then. I don't think hype is who has the longest very tenuous hold on going first in the draft. Who is more hyped, Brad Lambert or Lian Bischel? Bichsel went much higher. Hype does not always correlate with draft position.

 

[93LEAFS]

What some don't realize is that he's not only big for an 18, he's BIG as a NHL player.

He's 6'4" and 219 now, by the time he's 23, he's at least 235-240.

Good luck stopping him...and make sure medical insurance is paid up.

Maybe. Matthews came in at like 6'3 220, but has actually cut weight since joining the league. Felt it was important to get faster.