Player Discussion The Slaf Thread - Parabolic Growth Edition

[Andy]

Re: bolded completely correct. To add, he finally has that halo effect of a spotlight seemingly following him everywhere across the ice. Star players have it. Slaf did not have it last year. Now he has it. It's incredible to see.

Habs fans should be happy and enjoying this streak. I've never seen a young player have a streak like this for the Habs. This sort of phenom has always been on another team. After so many bitter false starts (Kostitsyn, Galchenyuk, Drouin, and Kotkaniemi...) It's a nice feeling when one of our youngsters actually steps up and enjoys parabolic growth (cc: @Jaynki).

Back to hiatus. Ciao.

Welcome back bud. I hope you stick around. Don't let folks scare you into not participating. I know it can be tough for everyone to pile on you, but your opinion is very much appreciated here.

It's definitely easy to have PTSD after the failures of Kostitsyn, Drouin, KK, and Galchenyuk. Let's hope we finally have the one.

 

[shamrun]

I love the fact that he is proving to be effective in different areas of the ice. he can score with a wrister up high. he can dish passes through traffic. He can also win board battles and protect the puck. When he goes to a slump he can find something simple and effective to rely on.

Cant wait for the habs to push for the playoffs. Just need a little more seasoning. i think we are close.

 

[The Don Hughes]

You guys remember the Waze analogy from Marty? I feel like Slaf took an exit, avoided traffic and came back onto the highway hours ahead of schedule.
Hopefully he keeps the fire that drives him. So fun to watch that 1st line compared to the last few years.

 

[HabbyGuy]

Re: bolded completely correct. To add, he finally has that halo effect of a spotlight seemingly following him everywhere across the ice. Star players have it. Slaf did not have it last year. Now he has it. It's incredible to see.

Habs fans should be happy and enjoying this streak. I've never seen a young player have a streak like this for the Habs. This sort of phenom has always been on another team. After so many bitter false starts (Kostitsyn, Galchenyuk, Drouin, and Kotkaniemi...) It's a nice feeling when one of our youngsters actually steps up and enjoys parabolic growth (cc: @Jaynki).

Back to hiatus. Ciao.

Sorry not trying to make too much fun of you, but this is how I envisioned your acknowlegment of Slaf before scurrying off again.



It's ok we all get it wrong sometimes, thanks for stopping by, that couldn't be easy.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

He's definitely exceeded my expectations for the season. If he continues to play this way, 50 points is within reach, which is completely wild given how raw he was. If it wasn't for those 10 games with Anderson, I think 50 points would definitely be almost a given. Nuts how many chances power donkey didn't convert on.

What I've noticed about Slaf is that he's even putting up points in games where he's "quiet". That's something a lot of stars do in the league.

He has a knack of turning a nothing play into a scoring chance. Just simple passes and smart reads. He knows where the open areas are.

I really hope he ends up a star. He's got all the tools man.

That’s what a true first line does. They may not always have games where they dominate, but they’ll find a way to get on the scoreboard even if it’s just a point or two between the top line.

Up until now, minus the small stretch where Dach was with them, Suzuki and Caufield have had to carry dead weight with them. Slaf has arrived and now the first line is legit, and they’re all producing as a result of it. It’s beautiful to watch.

 

[Jaynki]

Re: bolded completely correct. To add, he finally has that halo effect of a spotlight seemingly following him everywhere across the ice. Star players have it. Slaf did not have it last year. Now he has it. It's incredible to see.

Habs fans should be happy and enjoying this streak. I've never seen a young player have a streak like this for the Habs. This sort of phenom has always been on another team. After so many bitter false starts (Kostitsyn, Galchenyuk, Drouin, and Kotkaniemi...) It's a nice feeling when one of our youngsters actually steps up and enjoys parabolic growth (cc: @Jaynki).

Back to hiatus. Ciao.

ReHabs!!! I am happy we can enjoy this parabolic, exponential growth.

I think its time to revisit some quotes. Looks like my 50 points prediction was not too far off.

 

[Saundies]

We could lose every single game for the rest of the year but as long as our Top Line continues to roll, build chemistry, and grow in their games, I won't care.

Especially Chadkovsky.

 

[Whitesnake]

I love the fact that he is proving to be effective in different areas of the ice. he can score with a wrister up high. he can dish passes through traffic. He can also win board battles and protect the puck. When he goes to a slump he can find something simple and effective to rely on.

Cant wait for the habs to push for the playoffs. Just need a little more seasoning. i think we are close.

Tough to say that when we actually have 1 line.....There,s still some questoin marks about Newhook. And even Dach if it's only to know if he can stay healthy. And I,ll say the same about Guhle. I think we are further down.....and to move ahead, Hughes will have to use picks and prospects to save us a few years.

But in regards to Slaf...just wow right now. He's just great in all spheres of the play. He adapted so well and so fast. Kid is a big time learner of the game.

 

[417]

ReHabs!!! I am happy we can enjoy this parabolic, exponential growth.

I think its time to revisit some quotes. Looks like my 50 points prediction was not too far off.

 

[InglewoodJack]

Since the last cup, the most excited I’ve ever been for the Habs was those first few PK games where you knew we had something special on our hands and things were about to change for us. Seeing our top line and Slafkovsky developing into a future star in real time is about as close to that feeling as I can remember. You add in Suzuki and Caulfield who are still developing, and if things keep going the way they are, we’ve got the foundation for what could be an incredible era for us. Seeing a high rated kid develop into who we hoped he could become just doesn’t feel like something that happens in Montreal. Still a lot of time before he’s a lock to reach his potential, but man, JS just gets better every game, and when you watch him play, it just feels sustainable.

 

[OldCraig71]

Outside of the points and watching him break out there is one other important thing I have noticed about him all season. He rarely makes a bad pass! Even when pressured he always has the skill to find someone cross-ice in full stride and we haven't had a player with that ability since Markov was here. I think it's at the point where he is the best passer on the team, great accuracy over and over again. I don't know if he will be a 40-goal scorer or not but it is looking more and more like he will get 40-50 points from assists.

I would like to see him take the body a little more along the boards instead of being tentative in that area and once he does it will open up even more room for Yvan Cournoyer v2. Throw in Bergeron Lite and we might have a 250 point fist line in a season or two. I think that is very possible for the three of them right now and I admit that I didn't see that early on.

 

[Jaynki]

Since the last cup, the most excited I’ve ever been for the Habs was those first few PK games where you knew we had something special on our hands and things were about to change for us. Seeing our top line and Slafkovsky developing into a future star in real time is about as close to that feeling as I can remember. You add in Suzuki and Caulfield who are still developing, and if things keep going the way they are, we’ve got the foundation for what could be an incredible era for us. Seeing a high rated kid develop into who we hoped he could become just doesn’t feel like something that happens in Montreal. Still a lot of time before he’s a lock to reach his potential, but man, JS just gets better every game, and when you watch him play, it just feels sustainable.

I watch hockey since late 1990.

The most notables forward i have witnessed are Koivu, Kovalev (1 season), Cammalleri (1 season) and Pacioretty.

Fair to say that Suzuki and Slafkovsky are the most promising, exciting forward i have seen play for our team.

As much as we have heard how 2022 was a weak draft, i now feel incredibly lucky to have Slaf.

There is no player outside Jack Hugues and Connor Bedard i would take over Slafkovsky right now. From 2019 and 2023.

 

[Pazucha]

Slaf in the last few games

 

[417]

I watch hockey since late 1990.

The most notables forward i have witnessed are Koivu, Kovalev (1 season), Cammalleri (1 season) and Pacioretty.

Fair to say that Suzuki and Slafkovsky are the most promising, exciting forward i have seen play for our team.

As much as we have heard how 2022 was a weak draft, i now feel incredibly lucky to have Slaf.

There is no player outside Jack Hugues and Connor Bedard i would take over Slafkovsky right now. From 2019 and 2023.

I thought we had something with Pacioretty and Galchenyuk in 2015-16...but that was short lived.

 

[InglewoodJack]

I watch hockey since late 1990.

The most notables forward i have witnessed are Koivu, Kovalev (1 season), Cammalleri (1 season) and Pacioretty.

Fair to say that Suzuki and Slafkovsky are the most promising, exciting forward i have seen play for our team.

As much as we have heard how 2022 was a weak draft, i now feel incredibly lucky to have Slaf.

There is no player outside Jack Hugues and Connor Bedard i would take over Slafkovsky right now. From 2019 and 2023.

I’ve been watching for around the same amount of time and I think this is the most exciting crop of forwards we’ve had in my lifetime and JS is probably the second most talented player we’ve had after Subban (third because Kovalev, but that’s a different story), but of course having a winger who can score like he can is a lot more exciting than a defenceman, and you obviously hope that he has more longevity than PK.

Also, each time we’ve been good in my lifetime, it’s felt like we were running on borrowed time- Halak becoming Hasek in 2010, Price in 2014, Caulfield playing out of his mind in 2021- even all of the old Koivu & co runs where we’d upset the bruins in the first round and then something would happen in the second- all of this felt like we didn’t really belong but we had some hockey gods tilting the scale in our favour, but with the guys we have now, especially Slaf, I think the next time we’re good, we’re going to really be good, and the next time we make a run, it’s not going to be off luck and insane goaltending.

 

[waitin425]

Re: bolded completely correct. To add, he finally has that halo effect of a spotlight seemingly following him everywhere across the ice. Star players have it. Slaf did not have it last year. Now he has it. It's incredible to see.

Habs fans should be happy and enjoying this streak. I've never seen a young player have a streak like this for the Habs. This sort of phenom has always been on another team. After so many bitter false starts (Kostitsyn, Galchenyuk, Drouin, and Kotkaniemi...) It's a nice feeling when one of our youngsters actually steps up and enjoys parabolic growth (cc: @Jaynki).

Back to hiatus. Ciao.

Welcome back to the family our prodigal son! You are a Habs fan....and welcome here, always!

 

[WeThreeKings]

Could have had 4 pts last night.

Newhook missed the deflection and Slaf kinda botched the 3 on 1, could have shot that one but forced it a bit to Caufield.

 

[Ozmodiar]

Fair to say that Suzuki and Slafkovsky are the most promising, exciting forward i have seen play for our team.

I like how well they’re playing together, building chemistry. Using each others strengths.

They’ve both benefited greatly by being paired up.

Before they were put together suzuki was headed for another ~66 point season and Slaf … well, let’s just say there was too much Cooley talk around here. lol

 

[YukonCornelius 5thOA]

I am not into attention whores myself.

 

[Jaynki]

View attachment 820751

Cant see the pics, maybe its because im on my phone. Im itching to see it tho

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Cant see the pics, maybe its because im on my phone. Im itching to see it tho

Pics havent worked for me for like 4 days , on pc and phone , tough stretch for me

 

[OldCraig71]

What is with all the error messages when someone posts an image or attachment? I don't remember seeing that in the past.

 

[Pazucha]

What is with all the error messages when someone posts an image or attachment? I don't remember seeing that in the past.

(Temporary fix) Right click the image and press "load image"

Edit: Nevermind it doesn't work

 

[417]

Cant see the pics, maybe its because im on my phone. Im itching to see it tho

Just a classic Michael Jordan gif of him laughing at a video on his laptop.

Thought it was a propos..lol.

All in good fun

 

[PavelBrendl]

I think one of the biggest difference makers for him right now is that he's vastly improved the way he thinks the game. I've noticed that he's much more often got a plan B/escape plan. Plays that would die on his stick or in a board battle before, are now being extended because he's making these small touches into open space or to teammates, and he's becoming a dual threat in situations where he'd previously try forcing plays.