Player Discussion The Slaf Thread - Parabolic Growth Edition

[SlafySZN]

Anybody got a highlight package of his second half of last year? Kinda like the Dach highlight package. I need a refresher of how good he can be

 

[WinterLion]

Hey what even happened to that development coach guru we had... can't we get him to marry Slaf or something?

 

[FLHabs]

Thanks for that!

Yup, this year is a major regression. He looked more explosive, faster, heavier, more confident, etc. I really think he either had a lazy off season, or just didn't train the right way. Hopefully he learned that the way he trained wasn't effective and major adjustments need to be made

 

[WentWughes]

Honestly I am not so sure he will turn into the player we hope. I have some serious concerns about his hockey iq and that typically does not dramatically increase. He will have hot spurts where he plays really well but I feel his contract might age poorly unfortunately. There has been a large number of games where he has been the worst player on the ice and kills plays for his linemates, time to demote him in the lineup and play someone else on the first line. I get being patient and I am generally optimistic when it comes to young players and the teams future but I cannot see it with him.

 

[ReHabs]

Maybe Slafkovsky, during his famous video sessions, he should watch some Logan Cooley clips instead of his own clips

 

[Habs7631]

I ain’t gonna lie he’s ass right now.

But he’s super young. Got of plenty of time for him to figure it out. And we’ve seen what he looks like when he’s on his game.

Still thinks he’s not 100%, some minor injury might be holding him back.

 

[Guy Larose]

I ain’t gonna lie he’s ass right now.

But he’s super young. Got of plenty of time for him to figure it out. And we’ve seen what he looks like when he’s on his game.

Still thinks he’s not 100%, some minor injury might be holding him back.

Why would you lie?

 

[ReHabs]

I ain’t gonna lie he’s ass right now.

But he’s super young. Got of plenty of time for him to figure it out. And we’ve seen what he looks like when he’s on his game.

This is the kind of comment you make for a long-shot prospect not a 1OA who already has a 56m contract to his name.

Still thinks he’s not 100%, some minor injury might be holding him back.

Ah we’re at the “mysterious injury” phase of discourse.

 

[SlafySZN]

This is the kind of comment you make for a long-shot prospect not a 1OA who already has a 56m contract to his name.

Ah we’re at the “mysterious injury” phase of discourse.

There’s nothing mysterious about the fact that he has been dealing with something.

 

[Habs7631]

Ah we’re at the “mysterious injury” phase of discourse.

Didn’t he go to the world championship after last season ended. Talks of back problems while he was there with articles/rumors that Habs management would have the power to stop him from playing?

He didn’t have a regular off-season. Lot of hockey played for him this year, not much time for rest. I’m just saying I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a little banged up.

 

[gusfring]

Honestly I am not so sure he will turn into the player we hope. I have some serious concerns about his hockey iq and that typically does not dramatically increase. He will have hot spurts where he plays really well but I feel his contract might age poorly unfortunately. There has been a large number of games where he has been the worst player on the ice and kills plays for his linemates, time to demote him in the lineup and play someone else on the first line. I get being patient and I am generally optimistic when it comes to young players and the teams future but I cannot see it with him.

I agree. And I feel the same about Mailloux.

 

[Bobby Holik agent]

I sign him to the exact same contract tomorrow no question ask.

 

[ReHabs]

Didn’t he go to the world championship after last season ended. Talks of back problems while he was there with articles/rumors that Habs management would have the power to stop him from playing?

He didn’t have a regular off-season. Lot of hockey played for him this year, not much time for rest. I’m just saying I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a little banged up.

“He played hockey last May so therefore this January he is injured”

Typical comment from Habs fans every time a player has a bad game. Like clockwork.

 

[Habssince89]

He's basically reading the play from the outside instead of being in the play. I'm not concerned.

 

[Habs7631]

“He played hockey last May so therefore this January he is injured”

Typical comment from Habs fans every time a player has a bad game. Like clockwork.

Oh is that what Habs fans do? We excuse every bad game with an injury? Like clockwork huh?

You and I must be living in alternate realities then. Because in the one I live, the Habs fanbase is one of the least forgiving ones. Just look at Dach coming back from a season ending injury and a major surgery. This fanbase sure has been understanding and forgiving of his bad games.

I’m trying to remember all the time I red injury excuses for Matheson/Anderson/Primeau/Gallagher/Newhook/Armia/Dvorak. Can’t think of too many.

 

[Artaud]

The missing ingredient to Slaf's game is using his big body to shield the puck with his butt à la Jagr. He plays very upright instead of squatting down which gives him terrible leverage. Look at how a guy like Draisaitl protects the puck, he sticks his butt out like he's twerking. Being tough on the puck paired with his vision would unlock his potential.

I think Adam Nicholas needs to bring in a consultant from Chez Paré to show Slaf how to twerk, though if you believe the rumors, he's already doing field research on that...

 

[SlafySZN]

“He played hockey last May so therefore this January he is injured”

Typical comment from Habs fans every time a player has a bad game. Like clockwork.

No, he didn’t play an olympic qualification tournament around september because of a back injury. Not because he played in may.

He also missed games near the start of the season. Looks like your searching for something to argue about.

 

[Gravity]

What's going on with Slaf? Starting to get concerned.

 

[River Meadow]

What's going on with Slaf? Starting to get concerned.

Mid tier or low tier hockey IQ.

He needs to learn to use his body effectively and consistently or he's gonna plateau as a Danius Zubrus v2.0

 

[Nicko999]

What's going on with Slaf? Starting to get concerned.

Slaf was never that good to begin with. He is a decent prospect but some of you got carried away with his good stretch last year.

When you drafted the 18 years old Slaf, you look at his Liga stats and you realize he would have been drafted probably mid 1st in a normal draft year. Probably the player drafted 1st overall with the worse stats in the last 20 years at least*.

*And before anyone says otherwise, stats DO matter especially for a top 5 pick.

 

[26Mats]

Slaf was never that good to begin with. He is a decent prospect but some of you got carried away with his good stretch last year.

When you drafted the 18 years old Slaf, you look at his Liga stats and you realize he would have been drafted probably mid 1st in a normal draft year. Probably the player drafted 1st overall with the worse stats in the last 20 years at least*.

*And before anyone says otherwise, stats DO matter especially for a top 5 pick.

you lost me at "if you look at his Liga stats..."

 

[RationalExpectations]

What's going on with Slaf? Starting to get concerned.

He is a Young player with ups and down, This is a down season Right now even though he would still be on pace for close to 50 point on a 82 game basis.
What worries me is that he has been so slow and that his shot is super weak. I never was impressed with his IQ but it was enough to play a Support role to CC Suzuki last year, don t think he has improved or regressed in this area.


That does not make me like his contract though. For instance Heineman has been much better than him this season, playing on an energy line.

 

[JIMVINNY]

The fact that he's having a rough go of it right now doesn't bother me. He's still so young, and there WILL be ups and downs. He showed me enough at the end of last year, he'll figure it out.

 

[HabsCowboysOwn]

Let's say he'll have to improve drastically in the next few years to live up to that contract. He's young, that's true. Still has plenty of time to grow. But so far it's been one very good half season and a whole lot of nothing.

I won't give up on him yet but I don't see anything special either -- bottom line is it really sucks we had to get 1st overall in 2022 and not a year later. Thank goodness we lucked into Demidov.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Let's say he'll have to improve drastically in the next few years to live up to that contract. He's young, that's true. Still has plenty of time to grow. But so far it's been one very good half season and a whole lot of nothing.

I won't give up on him yet but I don't see anything special either -- bottom line is it really sucks we had to get 1st overall in 2022 and not a year later. Thank goodness we lucked into Demidov.

If he finds a way to consistently play the way he did the second half of last year, he’s already worth the $7.6 million cap hit. And that’s not including if he grows on what he showed last season. We know he has the tools to do it. We literally saw it not even a year ago. I know this technically isn’t his sophomore year, but he’s playing like someone going threw a sophomore slump. He’ll get threw it. Hopefully the contract isn’t acting as a weight.