Player Discussion The Slaf Thread - Parabolic Growth Edition

[LaP]

If most of the shots are high danger, 15% is often attainable. Both Suzuki and Slaf rarely take long useless shots, they would pass instead (unlike a Gallagher who has a terrible shooting percentage).

Since 1990 a total of 69 fifty goals seasons were recorded with a s% higher than 15%. So yeah it's definitely often attainable even by player who score and shot a lot. It's hard to sustain over a whole career but definitely sustainable over a full season a couple of times in career.

 

[waitin425]

Slaf is showing or has shown....

- he can thread the needle and make great passes
- he can score from difficult angle with pure snipes
- he can score from the slot with power
- he can score in dirty utilizing his size and strength
- he can control the puck along the boards, and is a possession monster
- he can play defense and knows where to be on the ice
- he can skate and close gaps on the back check
- he can hit.
- he is worthy of a #1 OV pick.

We all spoke earlier about working on his shooting. He is doing/has done that.

What is next? What do you see as his next challenge?

Can he reach another gear with skating? I would like to see him work on skating next. Work on edge work and shiftiness. Tough thing for a guy his size, but would be something if he had another gear in a straight line and could be shiftier like a little guy.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Slaf is showing or has shown....

- he can thread the needle and make great passes
- he can score from difficult angle with pure snipes
- he can score from the slot with power
- he can score in dirty utilizing his size and strength
- he can control the puck along the boards, and is a possession monster
- he can play defense and knows where to be on the ice
- he can skate and close gaps on the back check
- he can hit.
- he is worthy of a #1 OV pick.

We all spoke earlier about working on his shooting. He is doing/has done that.

What is next? What do you see as his next challenge?

Can he reach another gear with skating? I would like to see him work on skating next. Work on edge work and shiftiness. Tough thing for a guy his size, but would be something if he had another gear in a straight line and could be shiftier like a little guy.

When he starts getting confident enough to do this to fools

 

[BaseballCoach]

Since 1990 a total of 69 fifty goals seasons were recorded with a s% higher than 15%. So yeah it's definitely often attainable even by player who score and shot a lot. It's hard to sustain over a whole career but definitely sustainable over a full season a couple of times in career.

Last season, 65 players had a shooting percentage of 15.0% or more and scored at least 20 points Out of the 65, 45 scored at least 40 points.

15% is really not unsustainable for guys who do not waste shots from far into the chest protector.

 

[vlady]

When he starts getting confident enough to do this to fools

that's exactly the type of play I expect for his next "level up"

 

[Junohockeyfan]

When he starts getting confident enough to do this to fools

Strangely, he looked so much faster and shiftier in the WC's than he does now. I think the big ice helped as it gave him time/space to make decisions. But the weight gain minus the strength impacted him.

That said, he has some weaknesses as all 19 year olds do. Below are the areas of his game that needs work:

1. Skating - straightline speed is ok. east/west and edge work needs significantwork.
2. Driving play - this is a confidence thing. He needs to take a page from CC's book and carry the puck from the boards to the middle for a shot.
3. Coordination / Balance - improved on this significantly but still work to do. I think he grew during the time period of the draft and put on pounds that impacted his balance. This comes with strength, time and physical maturity.
4. Hitting - still hesitant when throwing hits. He needs to commit to a hit rather than a half-assed attempt. Seems like he can't decide whether to throw a hit or play the puck.
5. Awareness - improved significantly but still prone to getting lit up. Head on a swivel.
6. Endurance - he still gets gassed during shifts and late in the game and over long stretches in the season with back-to-backs. Better nutrition and training in offseason will help.

 

[JustAHabFan]

Slaf is showing or has shown....

- he can thread the needle and make great passes
- he can score from difficult angle with pure snipes
- he can score from the slot with power
- he can score in dirty utilizing his size and strength
- he can control the puck along the boards, and is a possession monster
- he can play defense and knows where to be on the ice
- he can skate and close gaps on the back check
- he can hit.
- he is worthy of a #1 OV pick.

We all spoke earlier about working on his shooting. He is doing/has done that.

What is next? What do you see as his next challenge?

Can he reach another gear with skating? I would like to see him work on skating next. Work on edge work and shiftiness. Tough thing for a guy his size, but would be something if he had another gear in a straight line and could be shiftier like a little guy.

For me, planting himself in front of the net and deflecting shot from defenseman for goals.

 

[LaP]

Last season, 65 players had a shooting percentage of 15.0% or more and scored at least 20 points LUJt of the 65, 45 sdcored at least 40 points.

15% is really not unsustainable for guys who do not waste shots from far into the chest protector.

It's unsustainable for Gallagher

The 23% of Byron was definitely unsustainable though i remember arguing over that a lot back in the days.

Since 1990 (minimum 400 games played)

No player was able to sustain over their whole career a s% of over 19% (highest one is Gary Roberts at 18.7%). 117 players were able to sustain a s% of over 14% though. 59 a s% of over 15%.

~15% is definitely sustainable. The 23% of Byron definitely was not though.

 

[Jaaanosik]

I think his vision is his best asset tbh.

The pass he made to Suzuki on the PP against Anaheim was a pass most player would not have made even vets. Most player would have simply shot the puck and hope for a deflection or the puck finding a small hole. The speed at which he processed the game was above average. He made the pass as soon as he got the puck. If he waits half a second to make it the passing lane would have been covered.

Slaf made a couple steps towards the net.
Everybody was expecting a shot.
Only then he made the pass.

 

[admiralcadillac]

Because the people who insult and attack others for having differing opinions about a sports team are great human beings.

That's the "toxic" component of the toxic positivity for those purposely playing dumb with their reading comprehension.

As for Slaf, good that he seems to have gotten better with his hockey sense. Hope he maintains it.

I’m sorry you’re struggling to find a way to complain

 

[Gravity]

I think they nailed the 2022 draft and made up for it in 2023.

 

[Jaaanosik]

I’m sorry you’re struggling to find a way to complain

Are your really sorry?

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Curious what everyone feels his key weaknesses are at this point in his development. Enough of the lovefest!

 

[Kennerback]

Curious what everyone feels his key weaknesses are at this point in his development. Enough of the lovefest!

Not shooting enough. Improving his release.

 

[LaP]

I think they nailed the 2022 draft and made up for it in 2023.

The problem with the 2023 draft is we had only two top 100 picks because of the Newhook trade. I'd like us to acquire an extra 2nd round pick for this year and keep all our picks unless a stud is available I don't hate Newhook but he is a complement more than anything else. We need more studs (at least two dmen and two forwards) and unless a stud is available we should keep our picks this year.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Not shooting enough. Improving his release.

Agreed. On the PP when he has already made his decision to shoot (if Matheson ever passed to him), he's effective. When its a normal play and a shot-opportunity presents itself, he is not decisive enough or quick enough in the release. That will come.

 

[waitin425]

Curious what everyone feels his key weaknesses are at this point in his development. Enough of the lovefest!

I think skating is the key to take him to the next level. He is a good skater already. But, find one more gear, and somehow get that big body to be more shifty on his edges. Elite status will be engaged if he can unlock that.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

I think skating is the key to take him to the next level. He is a good skater already. But, find one more gear, and somehow get that big body to be more shifty on his edges. Elite status will be engaged if he can unlock that.

100% agree. When watching the WC highlights and Slovak games, skating appeared to be a strength. Then after the draft, he appeared to lose a step and had balance issues. I think that was due to some growth and weight gain. I think his skating will improve in time with balance, strength and power training. Once that is in place, everything else will come into place - including supreme confidence.

Big men take longer to develop.

 

[BaseballCoach]

It's unsustainable for Gallagher

The 23% of Byron was definitely unsustainable though i remember arguing over that a lot back in the days.

Since 1990 (minimum 400 games played)

No player was able to sustain over their whole career a s% of over 19% (highest one is Gary Roberts at 18.7%). 117 players were able to sustain a s% of over 14% though. 59 a s% of over 15%.

~15% is definitely sustainable. The 23% of Byron definitely was not though.

RHP went from first on the team last year to last on the team this year, LOL.

Roughly from 25% to 5%. OMG

 

[cphabs]

I think after 20+ years we may actually have a legit franchise player! A forward no less!

 

[Kennerback]

Agreed. On the PP when he has already made his decision to shoot (if Matheson ever passed to him), he's effective. When its a normal play and a shot-opportunity presents itself, he is not decisive enough or quick enough in the release. That will come.

I could add using his body to power himself into the slot. But I think it’s still secondary. If he doesn’t shoot or has a sloppy release when he’s wedged in the slot, it’s pointless.

 

[Gravity]

The problem with the 2023 draft is we had only two top 100 picks because of the Newhook trade. I'd like us to acquire an extra 2nd round pick for this year and keep all our picks unless a stud is available I don't hate Newhook but he is a complement more than anything else. We need more studs (at least two dmen and two forwards) and unless a stud is available we should keep our picks this year.

Not a fan of the Newhook trade or the Rein selection but it is what it is. They really killed it in 2022 though. Slaf seems to be the correct choice and they added Beck + Hutson to that so really well done.

 

[Tabarouette]

look I can turn around and say he's looking really good but we also don't have to pretend and flail around trying to justify a shooting percentage at 15-20% and say that it is realistic for him to keep this up

he'll slow down, that doesn't mean his progression will stall or regress

 

[Redux91]

Today we're talking about 90pt potential, what his contract extension will look like, locking him up!, etc,.

The Slafkovsky thread used to be a cesspool of negativity, Habs fans all at each other’s throats.

A few months later, who would thought we’d be here?

View attachment 820807

Lmao that's the worst part isn't it

There were a number of us who actually DID 'would've thought' we could get to this place..


........... but we were too positive.. LOL imagine that.

 

[teamfirst]

Today we're talking about 90pt potential, what his contract extension will look like, locking him up!, etc,.

The Slafkovsky thread used to be a cesspool of negativity, Habs fans all at each other’s throats.

A few months later, who would thought we’d be here?

View attachment 820807

This place is the perflect reflection of society

We dont need to have now....we need to have RIGHT now

We dont need to know now.....we need to know RIGHT now