Player Discussion The Slaf Thread - Parabolic Growth Edition

[Mrb1p]

I don't personally care to re-live the things you said in the past...just ironic to see you post that "i'm trying to look smart" when you start off by misunderstanding a post, never mind say that after the discussions we had surrounding Slafkovsky the last 18 months or so (if you DO look back, i'd say I look pretty smart now don't ya think? lol ).

Again, this is a surprise for you...not for me.

I get it, not everyone has the humility to admit when they're wrong, especially not publicly...but please don't bite the hand that metaphorically slapped you.

You didn't slap anyone, all you did was misinterpret my posts for the last 18 months, just like you did again with the one above.

 

[Team_Spirit]

Slaf is a savage lol.

"He's kinda mad because me and Arber like own him every day."

"You mean like in practice?"

"No just in like regular life"

LOL

Revenge is best served cold ~~~

 

[Sorinth]

Slaf is on another point streak, 6 in his last 5. Production consistency is one of the best possible attributes in a player and has to be considered a sign of high-IQ. It might be a tautology but you have to have high-IQ to be able to put points up in a consistent manner in the toughest league of the sport.

Tonight's point wasn't anything special except they made a good read like MSL always preaches and Slaf was found with the puck in a ton of open space and threw the puck into the slot to get the Suzuki deflection goal. Finding that space and making that pass might not have required a ton of difficult thinking but it cannot be considered anything other than the right instinct and right read... high-IQ.

In the absence of a reputation, it seems I don't know how to distinguish constant/consistent high-IQ performances with occasional ("random") good plays. Hockey is a random game with a lot of scrappy play (too much for my liking...) but there is nothing illegitimate about crash-and-bang goals and plays but when evaluating a player you want to identify actual qualities they may possess from the more random outcomes. It is easier to detect the former when there's a significant reputation for such things. I have to apologise for riling so many people up, it wasn't my intention to troll -- like any given Habs supporter, I wanted Slafkovsky to succeed but felt he was out of his depth in the NHL. I argued with the tools I had available to me and measurements I had made in earnest but it seems my tools were imperfect and my understanding of the measurements were therefore wrong. Slafkovsky does not show particularly low hockey IQ, my evaluation was wrong.

We all make mistakes when it comes to player evaluation, best thing to do is to try and learn something from that misjudgment. In this case it's that low production for a teenager in the NHL doesn't really mean much at all.

 

[417]

You didn't slap anyone, all you did was misinterpret my posts for the last 18 months, just like you did again with the one above.

I'm not a fan of kicking people when they're down...enjoy the parabolic growth!

 

[Captain Mountain]

Exactly. I can't be mad at anyone who watched the first 20 games of the season and thought he had low IQ. There were many exceptionally bad plays where his timing was clearly off. There's one stuck in my mind where he was receiving a stretch pass for a breakaway and put himself 10 feet offside. He had to get his timing and conditioning down, but he was not an NHL caliber player at the start of this season.

There's a lesson for all of us not jump to sweeping conclusions from small sample sizes (for good or ill) and that lack of experience can look like low hockey IQ.

Also something about development being something that can happen in the NHL and not just the AHL, Junior, College or in European Leagues.

 

[Mrb1p]

Every post I read from you is always negative. Have you ever found a Habs player you liked?

Are you sure ?

Three of my last six posts:

Savard was literally awesome tonight? One of the best game Ive seen him play.

You're not serious, right? You dont see a differenfe between Slaf 2023 and Slaf 2024? They are night and day. His puck touches are through the roof, his defensive involvement has never been as good, hes physical, hes confident and hes one of the best winger Ive seen on the Habs.

Trading Guhle is f***ing... Gets me f***ing... Guhle is ltierally the best D on this team as a 22 years old. He's insane, he's one of the best building blocks in the league. I don't understand how a player can be so underrated not only league wide, but by its own fan-base. Do people just not watch hockey?

Maybe selective reading isn't good ? I don't know.

There's also a lot ot be negative about, this team has sucked for the past 7 years. I love every single player on this team /Matheson and Gallagher. Even Anderson I got time for.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The problem with the Slaf debate (and it extends to all prospects) is that a lot of fans look only for details that confirm their pre-conceived assessment instead of assessing the overall play and trend/letting the details dictate their assessment.

Folks are too focused on being right instead of enjoying the process.

On the whole, we are too impatient as fans. And people change their opinion far too quickly based on hot and cold streaks.

Slaf was a bit of a wildcard coming in. I called him a mystery box. There were flashes of what he could do but putting it together was never a certainty. I have zero issue with anyone who’s skeptical of him or the team in general. But too many times that skepticism turns into fanatical rhetoric and silly comparisons.

My hope is that people see what’s happening with Slaf here and apply some patience going forward.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Cooley was my #1 and I don't think I'd take him over Slafkovsky at this point in time. Even when things were leaning Cooley earlier I said that it is too soon to do victory laps.

And at the end of the day, Cooley may in fact turn out to be the better player. Hell, Wright might turn out to be the best player from that draft.

It’s far too early to know.

 

[Mrb1p]

There's a lesson for all of us not jump to sweeping conclusions from small sample sizes (for good or ill) and that lack of experience can look like low hockey IQ.

Also something about development being something that can happen in the NHL and not just the AHL, Junior, College or in European Leagues.

This is something that needs to be touched.

Yes, everyone knows development can happen in the NHL. I, at least, never claimed otherwise, it would be asinine to say otherwise with the evidence we have.

With that said, can we say that he's in a better spot right now than he would've been if he played AHL last year ? IMO, he plays AHL last year and the Slaf we have right now arrives at game 10-15, not game 40. We slowed down his development for no good reason. In the grand scheme of things, I'm not sure it matters that much, especially for a player that is as special as Slaf. Why did Joshua Roy take 3 games to get confortable in the NHL but Slaf had to take 60? Is it just an IQ thing ? Is it just age ? Inexperience ? Or does playing lower levels actually help you be prepared for the NHL.

Of course people that have bad faith could just point to Barron, who can't cut it, or Ylonen. These guys maybe just aren't good enough.

 

[417]

This is something that needs to be touched.

It's been touched several times before.

Yes, everyone knows development can happen in the NHL. I, at least, never claimed otherwise, it would be asinine to say otherwise with the evidence we have.

Funny, didn't you used to clown me all the time because I said that it did?

With that said, can we say that he's in a better spot right now than he would've been if he played AHL last year ? IMO, he plays AHL last year and the Slaf we have right now arrives at game 10-15, not game 40. We slowed down his development for no good reason. In the grand scheme of things, I'm not sure it matters that much, especially for a player that is as special as Slaf. Why did Joshua Roy take 3 games to get confortable in the NHL but Slaf had to take 60? Is it just an IQ thing ? Is it just age ? Inexperience ? Or does playing lower levels actually help you be prepared for the NHL.

I'd argue they sped it up, if anything.

Why did it take Joshua Roy 3 games to get comfortable in the NHL but Slaf had to take 60?

Not sure what one has to do with the other, every player is different. Are you suggesting that Roy acclimated to the NHL in 3 games because he played 40 in the AHL?

They're not the same player, they don't have the same pressure, they were not deployed the same way.

Of course people that have bad faith could just point to Barron, who can't cut it, or Ylonen. These guys maybe just aren't good enough.

Well doesn't the same bad faith logic apply to others who started in the NHL but didn't hack it? Maybe they just weren't good enough either?

 

[Hannibal]

Isn’t it beautiful to have a 6ft3 skilled player?

 

[EveryDay]

Isn’t it beautiful to have a 6ft3 skilled player?

Wait, 2 more are coming to play RD

 

[Jaynki]

And at the end of the day, Cooley may in fact turn out to be the better player. Hell, Wright might turn out to be the best player from that draft.

It’s far too early to know.

Its indeed far too early but trend can become identifiable in the D+2 and lets just say its trending in the right direction for us nailing our pick

 

[Redux91]

And at the end of the day, Cooley may in fact turn out to be the better player. Hell, Wright might turn out to be the best player from that draft.

It’s far too early to know.

I usually agree with this sentiment that it's too early to tell when it comes to people drafted either last year all the way to even 3-4 years ago

But I think it's pretty clear , even this early, Wright will never overtake Slaf in that department lol
Cooley is the only real possible candidate if we're all being honest, and even then, it would probably only be 'production wise' as I could for sure see him outpointing Slaf some years sure, it can totally happen... but then Slafs combination of other tangible skills and Size could even trump that as well..

I'm definitely thrilled they had the balls to go with Slaf, they definitely had a great idea what he could become and we're seeing it already

 

[jaffy27]

Isn’t it beautiful to have a 6ft3 skilled player?

Want to draft Lindstrom and have our version of the NBA “Twin Towers” (Robinson and Duncan)

Actually with Dach mixed in with Suzuki and Caufield, the potential of a legit top 6 is there!!

 

[nhlfan9191]

I usually agree with this sentiment that it's too early to tell when it comes to people drafted either last year all the way to even 3-4 years ago

But I think it's pretty clear , even this early, Wright will never overtake Slaf in that department lol
Cooley is the only real possible candidate if were all being honest, and even then, it would probably only be 'production wise' as I could for sure see him outpointing Slaf some years sure, it can totally happen... but then Slafs combination of other tangible skills and Size could even trump that as well..

I'm definitely thrilled they had the balls to go with Slaf, they definitely had a great idea what he could become and were seeing it already

I wouldn’t sleep on a 19 year old Nemec who was very much a realistic option at that top spot.

 

[Redux91]

I wouldn’t sleep on a 19 year old Nemec who was very much a realistic option at that top spot.

Lol..
Please..

I like him, he's good, but please lol.

 

[Ozmodiar]

Expectations for next year? 2024-25 production and areas you'd like to see him improve?

What a turnaround season for him, from 2 points in his first 15 games to now.

Similar production to the last 39 games over a full season - it’s when Slaf started producing consistently.

The line’s production over the 39 games:
Suzuki: 41 points (86 pace)
Caufield: 33 points (69)
Slaf: 30 points (63)

Areas to improve:
- shooting (quick release and more torque on one-timers)
- defensive consistency
- continued improvement on contact and body positioning down low.

 

[PhysicX]

Want to draft Lindstrom and have our version of the NBA “Twin Towers” (Robinson and Duncan)

Actually with Dach mixed in with Suzuki and Caufield, the potential of a legit top 6 is there!!

Ooohh mama. Whichever forward we draft in the top-10 better pan out. The team is showing promise offensively, maybe we'll see one or two players produce at a PPG-pace in the near future.
There are still many questions left to be answered, but we're on the right track.

As for Slafkovsky, he's surpassing MY expectations for this season. I'm worried this is a mirage, but that's the trauma of Habs fandom these past 30 years acting up. I hope he continues progressing and proves the doubters of the process (NHL development - I was one) AND of the player wrong.

Edit: I also traded Dylan Cozens to make room for Slafkovsky in my keeper league. I believe.

 

[Shutdown]

It's also totally false to suggest he played like shit for the first 2 months of this campaign...it's just a convenient segue to promote the narrative that his current play was some unforeseen phenomenon that no could have saw coming.

Even though, again, several people here did forsee that.

he was playing very well with a snakebitten Caufield and a standard-issue Dvorak but they couldn't buy a goal. and i distinctly remember Slaf feeding Anderson 6-7 high quality chances when they were on a line with Newhook and the play would die on his stick immediately.

he had a below average October and he's been stellar since December but he had a good November. he was playing physical hockey and his stick was always active in all three zones. but he deferred to his teammates too much and they were of no help.

 

[vlady]

There is a new thread on him on the main boards. Started by a Sens fan if you can believe that.

@waitin425 don't miss it!

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I usually agree with this sentiment that it's too early to tell when it comes to people drafted either last year all the way to even 3-4 years ago

But I think it's pretty clear , even this early, Wright will never overtake Slaf in that department lol
Cooley is the only real possible candidate if we're all being honest, and even then, it would probably only be 'production wise' as I could for sure see him outpointing Slaf some years sure, it can totally happen... but then Slafs combination of other tangible skills and Size could even trump that as well..

I'm definitely thrilled they had the balls to go with Slaf, they definitely had a great idea what he could become and we're seeing it already

Hutson could wind up being better.

Honestly man, we are so early into this… guys haven’t even established themselves yet. We won’t know the answer for years.

I live the pick. And it sure seems like we took the right guy. But there are only a handful of players in that draft who are even in the league yet.

 

[waitin425]

There is a new thread on him on the main boards. Started by a Sens fan if you can believe that.

@waitin425 don't miss it!

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I wouldn’t sleep on a 19 year old Nemec who was very much a realistic option at that top spot.

There’s another guy who might wind up being the best.

 

[BLONG7]

I don't want to mention names and some I forgotten but I felt there were plenty other posters being legit trolls on this thread with far more bad faith than @ReHabs imo.

I definitely know one who dug in quite hard and was very silly who just vanished like a puff of smoke.

It was embarassing for everyone, the way some dug in hard, on selecting Slaf, and then having an injury to derail his first year.
Glad for the kid, and the team that he proved the haters wrong.......................and as you say, poof, and they are gone...........and toally agree, Rehabs was beyond at times, he was also easy to chat with wbout it too.................he just would not let go.................I started to think he was Bergevin.

No one seems to know where our friend went? Maybe it was MB!! LOL