Confirmed Signing with Link: [MTL] F Juraj Slafkovsky signs extension with the Canadiens (8 years, $7.6M AAV; begins 2025-26)

[frightenedinmatenum2]

The reaction to this is going to work out like the Stutzle contract. Where people who weren't paying attention to the player's second half of the season are surprised by the team gambling on their continued progress. Then next year it will be obvious that cost controlling the player as earlier as possible was smart.

This doesn't kick in for another year.

I would love for Slaf to be a bust, but it's not in the cards.

 

[eojsmada]

Solid work, here. Based on his 2nd half, this will look closer to MacKinnon's prior contract by the time it finishes.

 

[Frank Drebin]

They literally have an entire year left of his ELC?

He’s trying very hard to troll. Let him be

 

[Michoulicious]

Keep tab of all these Leafs fans that say Slaf is overpaid here and come back in4 years. Will be a fun thread to revisit, like the Draisaitl one.

 

[Whalers Fan]

I know bridge contracts aren't thing anymore but ,, Really?

I mean it's probably going to work out but next 50 pt kid for Habs is going to point to this and say "Pay me"

Slaf is a 20 year old 1OA pick who looks like a future stud. The team is betting on him. It's not your typical 50 point player. The only other prospect who may fall into similar circumstances with the team could be Demidov in a few years. It's a gamble, but a good one, IMO.

 

[danyhabsfan]

He started the season with 2 points in 15 games and had 48 points in 67 games after that (59 pts pace)

I think this contract will age well.

 

[PAZ]

Good gamble.

Slaf had a great second half of the season, and similar to all the previous 'premature' extensions like Hughes and Stutzle - you gamble that they'll break out, because if they don't you were never going to be a legitimate contender anyways.

 

[HabsAddict]

Just in case you missed it, the contract starts NEXT season. So the kid is locked up for 9 years.

 

[Andrei79]

Slafkovsky is already a beast physically, so there's probably not as much as upside as there is for the typical 20 year old to improve from that aspect. I would've preferred the Habs to wait a little more, but meh.

Can't imagine how the kid is feeling. 60M dollars.

You haven't watched him play once have you ? Yes, he clearly still has a lot of upside physically.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

uhh... this is the definition of a boom or bust deal. either it'll look like one of the worst deals in the league or one of the best. not much room for any inbetween.

After playing almost the entire season as a 19 year old and putting up 50 points and playing at close to a ppg for the last half of the season....I don't think bust is a realistic option here.

You want to lean into your tribal bias a yell enemy propaganda from your Bruin pulpit but to frame this as a binary outcome with no middle ground is foolish considering he is not far off from justifying the contract having just turned 20.

You won't see me doing the same to Boston prospects because I prefer to deal with actual evidence and rational thought.

 

[DKH]

Massive overpay

Yikes

 

[BM14]

loltreal

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

You haven't watched him play once have you ? Yes, he clearly still has a lot of upside physically.

Yeah, it's just like Joe Thornton had no more room to grow at the same age lol. I mean the Kings should trade Byfield immediately because he can't possibly get better either

Slafkovsky just had a very similar season as Draisaitl in his D+2 but I wonder how a big guy like that possibly managed to super nova after that...? Surely he had little runway left having physically matured so early

 

[dgibb10]

Steal

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

You haven't watched him play once have you ? Yes, he clearly still has a lot of upside physically.

What does that have to do with what I said?

He's already the 17th heaviest fwd in the entire League. A lot of 20 year olds are getting pushed around like nothing.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Massive overpay

Yikes

22 years of bad takes?

Yikes

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

I don't usually go on these main boards but what I have heard is absolutely true.....so much toxic hatred from basement betas just begging to be noticed.

 

[Warh1ppy]

In 2 years if he's putting up 30-30 this will be an average contract based on todays signings and the cap increases coming. In 2 years if he's putting up 70+ points while bodying opposing defensemen, he's gonna be a steal.

 

[DKH]

22 years of bad takes?

Yikes

21

I didn’t post during lock out

 

[HabsAddict]

Massive overpay

Yikes

I agree. The kid needs to put on 30 pounds otherwise there is no hope that he can tilt the ice and block out the sun.

Personally, i have very little hope that he's going to be better then Demidov or Suzuki.

Total bust....

 

[Nazzz]

50 points season 8x7.6

 

[DKH]

I agree. The kid needs to put on 30 pounds otherwise there is no hope that he can tilt the ice and block out the sun.

Personally, i have very little hope that he's going to be better then Demidov or Suzuki.

Total bust....

I miss the days of Yvan Cournoyer & Peter Mahavolich

Cournoyer was my guy

 

[De Montreal]

Disagree with boom or bust posts.

Even if he tops as the 55-60 points forward he is right now, as power forward who put up that point is gonna get 7M on the open market easily. This is the market now.

Then if he become a 80 points guy it's a big steal but unless there's injuries I dont see how can that deal sours in any way

 

[EmptyNetAssassin]

Low-reward and low-risk signing. If he turns into a top25 forward it is a great signing. If he doesn't MTL will just stay in rebuild and drafting young talent and can trade him away in the future.

 

[CapSpace]

People shit on this deal and love the putrid UFA deals other teams handed today.

HF being HF.