Player Discussion The Slaf Thread - Parabolic Growth Edition

[HabbyGuy]

Marty having conversation's with Slaf. I have no idea what they're discussing, but if I were Marty, it would be like.. "Step it up big man, you're not doing enough, we need more from you, use that body more."

 

[Doom Bot]

Slaf seems to be affected by confidence or a lack of confidence than most players. We've seen him use his skating, strength and hands to get around defenders and create space for himself but if you aren't confident that you're going to get around a guy and you second guess yourself, you're not going to get around him. Also there's times when he gets a bit of an open path in the offensive zone, he's freezing and looking for someone to defer it to instead for instinctually attacking.

This is all stuff that can be improved on or eliminated with more experience. Coaching staff just has to keep managing the highs and lows until he figures it out. Ideally your first overall isn't still a project in their third season but it is what it is. I believe he will figure it out.

 

[Heffyhoof]

Marty having conversation's with Slaf. I have no idea what they're discussing, but if I were Marty, it would be like.. "Step it up big man, you're not doing enough, we need more from you, use that body more."

"Come on Slaf, I keep putting you with Dach and it's your job to carry him and gift him points. Why aren't you good enough to make my decisions look good? Dach's development supersedes everything! Also, I've seen fans who don't watch the game think you need to use the body more, how dare you only be 2nd in hits while playing 3 less games than Anderson! Just you wait until more nonsense is made up!"

 

[HabbyGuy]

"Come on Slaf, I keep putting you with Dach and it's your job to carry him and gift him points. Why aren't you good enough to make my decisions look good? Dach's development supersedes everything! Also, I've seen fans who don't watch the game think you need to use the body more, how dare you only be 2nd in hits while playing 3 less games than Anderson! Just you wait until more nonsense is made up!"

I haven't missed a game in years, and I don't care how many hits Slaf has, if you think he's using his body to his advantage and playing consistently physical perhaps it's you who needs to watch more games.

I do agree though, that Dach's improvement in play is essential for this team going forward. From what I've seen, for the short few games they've been together, The Laine, Slaf, Dach line are slowly gelling and gradually looking better with every game.

Also find it hilarious you think Marty is using Slaf to carry anyone, Juraj's not one to carry any line. His best stretch in his young career was him being propped up by Suzuki and Caufield. He will get better as he matures, but at the moment he's a complimentary piece.

 

[waitin425]

Slaf will turn it around. His confidence is a little shot. We saw some nice work last game. I really like the chemistry he is developing with Laine.

I think he will score more than last years 50, and may approach 60. Upward progress is all we should expect from a young 20 year old in his 3rd year.

 

[WeThreeKings]

His game takes off when he moves his feet and uses his shot more. When your confidence is low you go back to your old habits until the new habits take over.

This is not uncommon, he's been better lately as that line has gotten better.

 

[chapeau]

Marty having conversation's with Slaf. I have no idea what they're discussing, but if I were Marty, it would be like.. "Step it up big man, you're not doing enough, we need more from you, use that body more."

It's refreshing to have a coach actually coach instead of bullying or trying to impose his will a la Therrien.

 

[Andy]

His game takes off when he moves his feet and uses his shot more. When your confidence is low you go back to your old habits until the new habits take over.

This is not uncommon, he's been better lately as that line has gotten better.

He's also 20, still growing into his frame.

He's going to be fine. He processes the game quickly. I am not worried. It's all part of the learning process.

Also, I love the revisionist history of Nick and Caufield carrying Slaf. Just plain false. He was a main contributor to that line and a main reason why it took off.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

He definitely needs to get his feet moving again. A guy that big gets real hard to contain when he's in constant motion. Have shorter shifts and get moving young man !

 

[Egresch]

Also find it hilarious you think Marty is using Slaf to carry anyone, Juraj's not one to carry any line. His best stretch in his young career was him being propped up by Suzuki and Caufield. He will get better as he matures, but at the moment he's a complimentary piece.

Agree on what you wrote, but it is kind of obvious that MSL used Slaf to carry Dach. We finally had dominating 1st line probably for the first time in this millenium, but it took MSL just 5 games to split it. Slaf got injured for 3 games and they never came back together. Of course, 20y old Slaf is not ready to carry any line and he started to struggle. Playing with Dach only snowballed the effect and he started to overthink everything and stopped moving his feet. Just stupid decisions from MSL now created even more pressure on Slaf.

 

[HabbyGuy]

Agree on what you wrote, but it is kind of obvious that MSL used Slaf to carry Dach. We finally had dominating 1st line probably for the first time in this millenium, but it took MSL just 5 games to split it. Slaf got injured for 3 games and they never came back together. Of course, 20y old Slaf is not ready to carry any line and he started to struggle. Playing with Dach only snowballed the effect and he started to overthink everything and stopped moving his feet. Just stupid decisions from MSL now created even more pressure on Slaf.

I disagree on the term carry. Marty is using Slaf to support both Dach and Laine and vice versa. All three are trying to re-establish their games together. All three are both theoretically and legitimately the 3 best top 6 we have left on our team's depth chart. Marty is trying to create scoring depth throughout the lineup not just the first. All three are capable of working this out together. No ones development is being damaged here. We need somebody to play 2C on this team, if Slaf and Laine can help Dach to do that, then they should. It would benefit us both now and in the future.

Meanwhile... Nick and Cole have been and will be fine regardles.