Confirmed with Link: Slafkovsky, Guhle, Harris and Xhekaj made the team!!

[BaseballCoach]

I am referring to the narrative that's already dominating fanbase discourse: tremendously overhyping a prospect who has manifest flaws in his game, and rushing a player who has shown little - less than his predecessors who blazed this path in the past decade - to give the fans red meat.

I don't need red meat. I want us to be patient, let the kid learn how to beat NHL opponents, and within 2-3 years he will hopefully be a good top-6 winger.

He has not shown less than KK at all. Furthermore, he is more physically ready for challenges from men than KK was. Thankfully, the team in place is not led by Bergevin and Julien. MSL and upper management are ready to let the kids learn and not be perfect.

 

[ReimanSum1908]

I wasn't necessarily referencing your desires but the mindset of the management and their reasons for placing a spectacularly young player who was among the worst forwards on the team in any given preseason game, despite a few flashes of completely raw skill, into a role for which he is unprepared.

Kotkaniemi was a league ahead of Slafkovsky at the same point in their respective development curves, with our former prospect continually standing out for the best reasons with his skill - the center who would anchor the team for the next fifteen years with talent that simply oozed out of him, was what we heard on these boards; a young man with vision and character. Not only had he proven more consistently, rather than having a record of mediocrity punctuated by a single short tournament with unsustainable success, he also looked better in the NHL, and still he shouldn't have been there.

 

[Runner77]

A demoted Arber awaiting his call-up, will take out his frustrations on a couple of annoying customers.

Heads are going to roll.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

Kind of surprised about Harris making the team, he wasn’t good enough. I’m hoping he’s just a placeholder.

Harris was good enough.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

Jackeye made it because he’s a promising super middleweight with some skills. We have no one like him.


Tinordi couldn’t fight. This kid can.

Tinordi couldn’t play either. This kid can.

Yup! and on top of all that, if Drouin Hoffman and Dadonov all have career years we could be looking at winning the Presidents Trophy

I spit my coffee out. If Allen wins the Vezina and Conn Smythe we have a good chance at the cup.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

I don't need red meat. I want us to be patient, let the kid learn how to beat NHL opponents, and within 2-3 years he will hopefully be a good top-6 winger.

He has not shown less than KK at all. Furthermore, he is more physically ready for challenges from men than KK was. Thankfully, the team in place is not led by Bergevin and Julien. MSL and upper management are ready to let the kids learn and not be perfect.

I agree with you coach. The only thing that concerns me a bit is I do believe losing can become part of the culture. These kids are going to lose a lot of games. Hopefully they learn from it and grow their games and when the time is right they elevate in the important ones.

I do worry that playing meaningless games takes it toll on kids after awhile.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Nope I'd rather him have bigger minutes than 3rd pair time. One of Matheson/Edmundson will replace him.

If one acts under the assumption that this a lost year ( and I would suggestion that on the 'strength' of our goaltending alone, such is the case) then Harris should replace Wideman in any construction of the team this year . Harris is both the present and the future of the team. Wideman is neither. Nothing that I have seen of Harris last season or this pre-season leads me to believe that Harris can't compete at the NHL. Will he make a few more errors than Wideman? Big deal. I would rather have him play 5-6th defense minutes at the NHL level than top 4 minutes in the AHL.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

If one acts under the assumption that this a lost year ( and I would suggestion that on the 'strength' of our goaltending, such is the case) then Harris should replace Wideman in any construction of the team this year . Harris is both the present and the future of the team. Wideman is neither. Nothing that I have seen of Harris last season or this pre-season leads me to believe that Harris can't compete at the NHL. Will he make a few more errors than Wideman? Big deal. I would rather have him play 5-6th defense minutes at the NHL level than top 4 minutes in the AHL.

Harris won’t make more errors than Widensn anyway. He plays a pretty error free game most of the time. He’s adjusting to the pace a bit, but there’s no way he’s more error prone than Wideman.

 

[HomaridII]

I know I've said it before lol but I am so proud of Arber. Twice passed over in the OHL draft, twice passed over in the NHL draft, never once appearing in the NHL's Central Scouting List. 3 points in 60+ games in the OHL in his draft year to 50 pts in 69 games and a +44, best in the OHL. This kid has worked his butt off to be where he is and deserves all of it.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Harris won’t make more errors than Widensn anyway. He plays a pretty error free game most of the time. He’s adjusting to the pace a bit, but there’s no way he’s more error prone than Wideman.

Even more reason for him to be on the team than a career journeyman.

 

[417]

With no NHL experience, Xhekaj, Harris and Guhle all make the team. How is that good for these players' development? Even Bergevin wouldn't start the season with 3 rookies on defense. If he had pulled this move this board would deservingly rip him a new one but it's the new guys and we're still on our honeymoon so it's honky dory.

Contrary to popular belief, development does/can happen at the NHL level, the beauty this year if we don't have to measure it against immediate results (I.e. Wins) so it should provide a less pressurized environment needed to develop.

I doubt all 3 of those players are going to be here 1 month from now, and if they are, it mean things are going well as it relates to development.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Guhle darkhorse Calder candidate, you heard it here first.

If he stays healthy, no one, is beating out Matty Beniers for the Calder.

 

[Lshap]

I’m a little worried about these kids making the team in the sense of not repeating what we had done so many times in the past.
I would have probably sent Slaf and Arber down. Harris I think is ready and Guhle I think convinced me in his last 2 games. He played very well and consistently throughout all pre season.

Saw someone on Twitter saying that it doesn’t make too much of a difference where the development happens (AHL or NHL) especially for a team where the sole focus of the year is player development. If the team was focused on winning than it may be indeed be better in AHL but since even the habs are focused on developing, it may be okay to have them up.

Yeah, I agree when it comes to development, the 'where' is less important than the 'how'. Slafkovsky doesn't look ready for the NHL, but if it gives him a taste of what's to come without overwhelming him, a short stint could be positive. He'd have to make a major leap forward to consider keeping him beyond a few games.

 

[River Meadow]

Kotkakovsky made the team?

Interesting.

I thought he could use some development with a LOT of playing time in the AHL, but hey what do I know..

 

[montreal]

not a fan of rushing these kids to what could be a real shit show of a season. We'll see what happens when all is said and done but so far not a fan at all.

 

[jrom]

Kotkakovsky made the team?

Interesting.

I thought he could use some development with a LOT of playing time in the AHL, but hey what do I know..

HuGo was clear to them, they made the opening day roster and that’s it. Play will dictate where players go.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

If he stays healthy, no one, is beating out Matty Beniers for the Calder.

I don't see anything special there. Could be any number of contenders this year Powers. L Hughes, Guenther, K Johnson.

 

[ReimanSum1908]

And I hadn't even seen this data before stating the obvious that Slaf, obviously inferior to KK, was being rushed.

 

[MasterD]

and a poor radar for danger

Agfreed, he's always getting clocked in the corners, it's as if he doesn't have spacial awareness of the other team's players

 

[Fainting Couch]

I see many of the PLAY THE KIDS! crowd have become the BUBBLEWRAP THE KIDS FOR A FEW MORE YEARS crowd.

 

[ReimanSum1908]

I see many of the PLAY THE KIDS! crowd have become the BUBBLEWRAP THE KIDS FOR A FEW MORE YEARS crowd.

Play the kids if they're in the NHL over scrubs that are clearly worse than them.

Give the kids significant minutes in the minor leagues and AHL if they are not sufficiently developed to make it in the NHL or learn and improve, or have a great deal to learn at a lower level, like all three of the ones who "made it."

This is not the "gotcha" observation that you appear to think it is, but an inability to engage in categorical or nuanced thinking on your part.

 

[Kennerback]

Play the kids if they're in the NHL over scrubs that are clearly worse than them.

Give the kids significant minutes in the minor leagues and AHL if they are not sufficiently developed to make it in the NHL or learn and improve, or have a great deal to learn at a lower level, like all three of the ones who "made it."

This is not the "gotcha" observation that you appear to think it is, but an inability to engage in categorical or nuanced thinking on your part.

“Inability to engage in ... nuanced thinking” Represent!

Is your draft guru claiming that Slaf has a 44% chance of making the NHL?

 

[MtlSars]

Well I suppose the good news is, they will be played more than 12 min a game and be allowed to make mistakes under MSL.

 

[Heffyhoof]

Very weird how mildly supporting Slafkovsky and taking issue with the commentors who've posted 100-1000 Slaf related negative posts in the last month is 'rushing and ruining him and his progression.'

 

[Deebs]

not a fan of rushing these kids to what could be a real shit show of a season. We'll see what happens when all is said and done but so far not a fan at all.

They can still go down