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

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Habs GM today on Slafkovsky:

-His two exhibition games have been "slightly underwhelming", however he was highly impressive in rookie tournament and scrimmages
-Slafkovsky led all Habs players in scoring chances by a "significant margin" throughout all intrasquad scrimmages
-Struggling a bit with consistency thus far overall, but has mostly looked really good
-Will do what's best for player, including sending him to AHL if necessary

I'm glad that someone other than myself and ExpatHabs are voicing concerns about Juraj's 'slightly underwhelming' performance to date.
 
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i've been very impressed with Slafkovsky so far in the pre-season games, not sure what some of y'all are watching

he's got the side and the strength and he looks absolutely powerful out there,, i love the way he battles down low and is aggressive unlike some of the recent 1st overall picks we've seen that cant get it done in the playoffs
 
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If he was picked #4 OA this wouldn't be a discussion and there would be no concerns. I just hope Shaner doesn't put up 60 points this year for the soyboys, that would be bad,
 
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I think winning should be the primary thing. If "winning choice" doesn't include Slafkovsky, then that just means that Slafkovsky isn't very good.
Or that he's 18, Draisaitl wasn't very good either at 18,

It's actually wild to me how many in here say all the time if there not ready send them back until they are dont spoil, but others spout this nonsense when he has a slow start to preseason
 
Or that he's 18, Draisaitl wasn't very good either at 18,

It's actually wild to me how many in here say all the time if there not ready send them back until they are dont spoil, but others spout this nonsense when he has a slow start to preseason
?
I was discussing whether he should play in Liiga or AHL. Draisaitl didn't play in AHL or Liiga at his age. I don't know what your point is.
 
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He's a bust! Sheesh....way too.much drinking and posting.

Bad news...Slaf looks lost and making unsound decisions in his first foray into NHL level. Hockey sense is not there.

Good news...he's a winger. That means he's got the easiest runway to learn the north south game. He's going to need a thinking center and coaching. I would NOT be suprised if he's a completely different player half a season from now.

So relax. He's got the tools but the tool belt is a bit lose. It's easily fixable. Give it a season.
 
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My choice for #1 was Cooley, still think he'll be the best scorer in the draft. Yes, it's a guess as I'm not a scout. I think Arizona had him #1.
 

Brutal
 
One thing you always worry about with these kids is the weight.

Like they get obsessed with gaining weight and becoming stronger.
They add 10-15 lbs in one summer and then you look at them skate in the mud and wonder what happened.

Happened to way too many Finnish skaters who weren’t the best of skaters to begin with.

Gaining real muscle/strenght will take years when done properly. Just be smart about it.

Don’t fall in love too much with weight gain in one summer and instead put more focus on skating with pro’s.
Something I wish so many more Finns would have done
 
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If he was picked #4 OA this wouldn't be a discussion and there would be no concerns. I just hope Shaner doesn't put up 60 points this year for the soyboys, that would be bad,

Why? Who cares if Wright gets 60.. if he does, good on him. His points output next year doesn't make Slaf any better or worse long term.
 
My choice for #1 was Cooley, still think he'll be the best scorer in the draft. Yes, it's a guess as I'm not a scout. I think Arizona had him #1.
I also think Cooley will emerge as the top offensive talent in the draft. People dunking on Arizona for passing on Wright are out to lunch.

Wright will be a really good player imo, but he'll never quite possess the creativity and imagination of Cooley. Cooley plays like Zegras, if Zegras had a two-way game.
 
I also think Cooley will emerge as the top offensive talent in the draft. People dunking on Arizona for passing on Wright are out to lunch.

Wright will be a really good player imo, but he'll never quite possess the creativity and imagination of Cooley. Cooley plays like Zegras, if Zegras had a two-way game.
Problem for Cooley is he’s further from the NHL, in that he needs to prop up several aspects, so his upside is that much harder to judge.
 
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Brutal
lol wishful thinking or overreaction after two preseason games? kid is 18. hater
 
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One thing you always worry about with these kids is the weight.

Like they get obsessed with gaining weight and becoming stronger.
They add 10-15 lbs in one summer and then you look at them skate in the mud and wonder what happened.

Happened to way too many Finnish skater who weren’t the best of skater to begin with.

Gaining real muscle/strenght will take years when done properly. Just be smart about it.

Don’t fall in love too much with weight gain in one summer and instead put more focus on skating with pro’s.
Something I wish so many more Finns would have done
Yeah, I really don't understand the obsession with weight. NHL is fast league. Being fast is more important than weighing a lot.
 
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Problem for Cooley is he’s further from the NHL, in that he needs to prop up several aspects, so his upside is that much harder to judge.
Yeah, I mean that's why none of us are NHL scouts, it's difficult to project an 18 year old, kids with different development curves than peers of the same age to what he'll be even a year from now, 5 years from now, 10...

I don't have an issue with Slafkovsky as no.1 tbh, because he represents the highest upside in the draft if everything hits. The dude is just built different. 238lbs teenager. Unique blend of size, strength and skill. Wright has a safe floor, in that he's a great skater that projects as a two-way player with elite hockey iq. The only issue regarding Wright is mostly his lack of flash and perceived internal drive.

I think if a team is picking someone 1st overall, they want a leader, they want a guy that is unfazed by the big moment, someone that teammates can look to and think, he'll go get us one down late in the game. As a 4th overall, you don't have the same pressure to be THAT guy. And Beniers is probably leadership personified. It's a home run pick for Seattle.
 
1 thing I wonder is, should Slaf had stayed in Finland for this season? Way less media and fan pressure. Familiar environment, coach and teammates. Could just focus on hockey and not have to deal with all the "noise".
He has to deal with it sooner or later, can't hide it from him forever. It's no big deal if he isn't ready yet, I'm sure they will do what they think is best for him and the team, it's not just him that has to develop, the whole team is going to be a work in progress for the next few years. He will be o.k whether he plays in Montreal, Laval or Finland, he just needs more experience.
 
Yeah, I really don't understand the obsession with weight. NHL is fast league. Being fast is more important than weighing a lot.
Matthews who is one of the biggest high picks over the past decade (Slaf is slightly bigger), and he intentionally cut weight a year or two ago to get faster.
 
My choice for #1 was Cooley, still think he'll be the best scorer in the draft. Yes, it's a guess as I'm not a scout. I think Arizona had him #1.

If size is of no question, then Cooley is the most skilled, yes, I think we all agree.

However size is a huge component, especially needed during the playoffs.

Let's see how things shake out....
 
NEw ice. New country. New language. The kid has several “New” things to learn, while he’s trying to compete in the best league. Will take time.
 
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