Player Discussion The Slaf Thread - Parabolic Growth Edition

[Zilo44]

My man came out firing within the first 15 secs with that hockey sense line.

Nice to see those heads up plays before getting the puck

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Where would Slaf be if Therrien was coach?

On the 4th line.

 

[morhilane]

On the 4th line.

I actually think Therrien would have loved Slaf and would have played him higher, since Slaf focused on his defensive and board play first.

 

[417]

I actually think Therrien would have loved Slaf and would have played him higher, since Slaf focused on his defensive and board play first.

Zero chance of that happening IMO...Therrien would have never gradually brought him along like MSL has, especially not at first when Slafkovsky looked a bit lost.

He would have destroyed his confidence.

 

[Jaynki]

My man came out firing within the first 15 secs with that hockey sense line.

A huge contrast with @Mrb1p position.

Who, in november, was also more comfortable with Wood at 5 in 2023 than Slaf at 1st in 2022.

May i ask again, i would like to hear your thesis as to why Slaf has low or no IQ.

 

[MD thaivuN]

Where would Slaf be if Therrien was coach?

on one hand, in a world where dinosaurs copes on Josh Anderson, I would imagine Therrien would probably cope hard on Slaf and give him plenty of ice.

on the other hand, he'd probably try to turn him to unga bunga Josh Anderson

 

[417]

A huge contrast with @Mrb1p position.

Who, in november, was also more comfortable with Wood at 5 in 2023 than Slaf at 1st in 2022.

May i ask again, i would like to hear your thesis as to why Slaf has low or no IQ.

Let's leave my man @Mrb1p alone man lol...solid veteran poster on here. I had some fun with him the other day but really, i'm not that petty.












or am I.....

 

[Tyson]

A huge contrast with @Mrb1p position.

Who, in november, was also more comfortable with Wood at 5 in 2023 than Slaf at 1st in 2022.

May i ask again, i would like to hear your thesis as to why Slaf has low or no IQ.

The way these kids are scouted especially guys considered near the top of the class I have a hard time believing that a 1OA pick would have low hockey IQ. Slaf has rapidly dispelled this notion with his 200 foot game and elite passing abilities.

 

[Gillings]

I'm trying not to get carried away and I wish people would be more cautious with their predictions, but if this kid's head remains in the right place, he's going to be a player. His physical attributes alone should make him a very useful piece in our top 6. Being able to win battles and hold on to the puck longer opens up the ice for Suzuki and Caulfield. If he can establish himself as an offensive threat in his own right (the current stretch is not enough of a proof for me), then we may have a really dangerous line.

Also, I think Roy's going to be an NHL player. The puck seems glued to his stick.

It’s too bad, because I think Roy is a top line player. I think he feeds off the height of the game, the fans, the spotlight. But with a really high pick coming up and only 1 spot really remaining in the top6…. Unless he wills himself to the top line with Suzuki and Slafkovsky..

 

[Redux91]

Watched this yesterday actually
The guy did a great job to isolate certain moments that highlighted the great work Slaf has been doing especially on the PP

Great watch, he's only gonna get better

 

[morhilane]

Zero chance of that happening IMO...Therrien would have never gradually brought him along like MSL has, especially not at first when Slafkovsky looked a bit lost.

He would have destroyed his confidence.

You really think the coach who had 18 years old Galchy on his top 6 and got his best seasons out of him (Galchy) would have Slaf on the 4th line?

I don't remember any of the kids getting their confidence destroyed under Therrien and he always had them perform. Which makes me think some are confusing Therrien with Julien. Now Julien always started rookies on the 4th line and had issues even keeping his vets confidence up.

 

[417]

You really think the coach who had 18 years old Galchy on his top 6 and got his best seasons out of him (Galchy) would have Slaf on the 4th line?

That never happened.

18yr old Galchenyuk spent his entire 18 year old season playing with Prust and Gallagher on the 3rd line.

I don't remember any of the kids getting their confidence destroyed under Therrien and he always had them perform. Which makes me think some are confusing Therrien with Julien. Now Julien always started rookies on the 4th line and had issues even keeping his vets confidence up.

You don't remember any kids getting their confidence destroyed under Therrien? Really?

Galchenyuk's sophomore season wasn't very good, he got moved back and forth between C and W because Therrien didn't like his defense and that continued for another 2-3 years.

Lars Eller could never get traction playing for Therrien...Therrien also tried to destroy Subban, I seem to recall him likening Subban to a horse that had to be broken before you could ride him.

He was/is an awful coach.

Julien had his own issues, many of them similar to Therrien but he was a much better communicator.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I actually think Therrien would have loved Slaf and would have played him higher, since Slaf focused on his defensive and board play first.

Okay, third line.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

You really think the coach who had 18 years old Galchy on his top 6 and got his best seasons out of him (Galchy) would have Slaf on the 4th line?

I don't remember any of the kids getting their confidence destroyed under Therrien and he always had them perform. Which makes me think some are confusing Therrien with Julien. Now Julien always started rookies on the 4th line and had issues even keeping his vets confidence up.

So much that I’d love to say here but it’s off topic.

Suffice it to say that I love the tools we’re providing for our prospects today. Emphasis on skilled play, shooting coaches, skilled players getting opportunities higher in the lineup. I feel really good about the development side of our club. We’re seeing progression in so many players.

 

[Jaynki]

Let's leave my man @Mrb1p alone man lol...solid veteran poster on here. I had some fun with him the other day but really, i'm not that petty.












or am I.....

I agree. Im sorry @Mrb1p i enjoy reading him too.

 

[nhlfan9191]

You really think the coach who had 18 years old Galchy on his top 6 and got his best seasons out of him (Galchy) would have Slaf on the 4th line?

I don't remember any of the kids getting their confidence destroyed under Therrien and he always had them perform. Which makes me think some are confusing Therrien with Julien. Now Julien always started rookies on the 4th line and had issues even keeping his vets confidence up.

There’s no way Slaf even makes the team with Therrien as the coach last season. Galchenyuk was further along in his D-1 then Slaf was. And if I remember correctly, someone can correct me if I’m wrong, Galchenyuk was playing on the third line with Eller and Gallagher for awhile.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I agree. Im sorry @Mrb1p i enjoy reading him too.

He was a better poster when he had Larry Robinson as his avatar. It’s been all downhill since he changed it.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

There’s no way Slaf even makes the team with Therrien as the coach last season. Galchenyuk was further along in his D-1 then Slaf was. And if I remember correctly, someone can correct me if I’m wrong, Galchenyuk was playing on the third line with Eller and Gallagher for awhile.

We were renowned for rushing prospects and playing them in the bottom six. That’s where he’s be today.

Sidenote: I’m still not sure if Slaf should’ve been up last year but it clearly doesn’t matter now. I’m glad that players like Hutson, Roy, Mailloux and others have been given more time to develop. Now doubt in my mind that we’d have brought up many of them long ago.

 

[Sorinth]

I actually think Therrien would have loved Slaf and would have played him higher, since Slaf focused on his defensive and board play first.

Slaf focused on those things because that's what MSL and Nicholas had him focused on doing. There's plenty of video where the coaches are teaching Slaf the tips and tricks for how to use his frame to win those board play battles. With Therrien he'd wouldn't be able to teach that stuff he'd just yell at him to grind da puck without any guidance on how to actually do it.

As an example, early on Slaf was losing a lot of battles he should have won due to his size. Therrien would've hated that as he would've seen it as a question of work/effort and not fighting hard enough, but we've seen thanks to the work of MSL and Nicholas it was actually more tactical issue like moving your stick off the puck right before contact so that the puck doesn't get jostled loose.

Add to that Slaf has personality and charisma which Therrien hated to see in his players and it's pretty clear it would be a recipe for disaster. The only way it would've worked is is Slaf stayed in Europe for a few years so that when he made his NA debut he would already be much more of a finished product on the ice.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Slaf focused on those things because that's what MSL and Nicholas had him focused on doing. There's plenty of video where the coaches are teaching Slaf the tips and tricks for how to use his frame to win those board play battles. With Therrien he'd wouldn't be able to teach that stuff he'd just yell at him to grind da puck without any guidance on how to actually do it.

As an example, early on Slaf was losing a lot of battles he should have won due to his size. Therrien would've hated that as he would've seen it as a question of work/effort and not fighting hard enough, but we've seen thanks to the work of MSL and Nicholas it was actually more tactical issue like moving your stick off the puck right before contact so that the puck doesn't get jostled loose.

Add to that Slaf has personality and charisma which Therrien hated to see in his players and it's pretty clear it would be a recipe for disaster. The only way it would've worked is is Slaf stayed in Europe for a few years so that when he made his NA debut he would already be much more of a finished product on the ice.

Therrien would’ve hated Slaf’s personality. He would’ve seen it as cocky. He’d have bullied him to tame his ego.

So much more I want to say but it will turn into a Therrien rant and slide off topic. Again, I’m just happy that the culture has done a 180 when it comes to development. We’re only two years in and already seeing huge benefits from it.

And for all the abuse MSL has taken, I love the job he’s doing with our young players. No doubt he’s really helped Slaf.

 

[Mrb1p]

A huge contrast with @Mrb1p position.

Who, in november, was also more comfortable with Wood at 5 in 2023 than Slaf at 1st in 2022.

May i ask again, i would like to hear your thesis as to why Slaf has low or no IQ.

You can go back in these threads and read my takes, theyre all there and very clear.

Also, Wood and Slaf have literally the same top line W upside. Wood is a good example of a "high IQ" player, if you want to contrast between the two.

 

[Hope Of Glory]

Where would Slaf be if Therrien was coach?

I don't know but he'd be a better person...

...whatever that actually means.

 

[Mrb1p]

Where would Slaf be if Therrien was coach?

Why does it matter if Saint Louis is doing the same thing as MT? Before the "hot streak", Slaf was playing less minutes than Anderson and just slightly more than Evans and Dvorak.

 

[Jaynki]

You can go back in these threads and read my takes, theyre all there and very clear.

Also, Wood and Slaf have literally the same top line W upside. Wood is a good example of a "high IQ" player, if you want to contrast between the two.

The only thing i see when going back in these threads is how accurate i was on Slaf

 

[SpeedyPotato]

3yrs×3M to start baby

I’d go the Boldy way with him 7x7 if he’s willing to take it.