Habs
Jake Evans will steal your wife
- Feb 28, 2002
- 23,548
- 19,087
plus Slaf was a 1OA in a very bad draft year, wish we could have had that pick another year
Player Discussion The Slaf Thread - Parabolic Growth Edition
- Thread starter Lafleurs Guy
- Start date
Sorinth
Registered User
- Jan 18, 2013
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No 1st OA picks are generally not phenoms. Here's the 10 years prior to Slaf
Power - Not a phenom
Lafreniere - Not a phenom
Hughes - A case can be made
Dahlin - Was supposed to be one, but it's quite debatable if he's lived up to that billing
Hischier - Not a phenom
Matthews - Sure
McDavid - Absolutely
Ekblad - Not a phenom
MacKinnon - Yes but took 5 years
Yakupov - lol
So 2 out of 10 were phenoms right out of the gate, 3 more are phenoms or close enough to ones but it took several years to reach that status, 4 are not, and 1 complete bust.
Andrei79
Registered User
- Jan 25, 2013
- 16,944
- 32,037
Demidov would have been the unquestioned 1st OA pick of 2022. This is a strange comment. Not all drafts are equal. Slafkovsky's not playing like he was last year, but for a forum that wanted a rebuild and young players, it's one that has no patience for the normal vicissitudes of young player development. Its not linear and its not always pretty. Look at Beniers last year or McTavish this year, or even Byfield before his recent scoring streak. Great prospects, but who still have their ups and downs. Slaf is part of that group that aren't instant stars. He's a big player with a lot of skill for someone his size and strength, but still raw and building an identity. Sometimes players also feel they "made" it only for the NHL to bring them back to earth.
Habnot
Registered User
I think this is now the way we talk about sports. Everyone has to have a hot take and focussing on the negative gets more eyeballs. It's not only this board, last night it was the second topic on the Antichambre.
This is the best stretch this team has experienced since the Stanley Cup final of 2021*. Instead of enjoying - let's focus on Slaf because Dach is playing better and he have moved on as to the whipping boy du jour.
Slaf actually has 6 points in his last 9 games and arguable playing better aside from last night. As Brunet said last night - he has never seen a road trip travel wise that the Habs experienced since December 28. 5 games in 8 days, 2 back to back, 3 time zones, twice in PST and Salf has a bad game on the last game.
BTW - MSL is no longer a donkey!!
This is the best stretch this team has experienced since the Stanley Cup final of 2021*. Instead of enjoying - let's focus on Slaf because Dach is playing better and he have moved on as to the whipping boy du jour.
Slaf actually has 6 points in his last 9 games and arguable playing better aside from last night. As Brunet said last night - he has never seen a road trip travel wise that the Habs experienced since December 28. 5 games in 8 days, 2 back to back, 3 time zones, twice in PST and Salf has a bad game on the last game.
BTW - MSL is no longer a donkey!!
Mayday1980
Registered User
- Mar 28, 2021
- 38
- 64
The problem with Slaf IMO at the moment is also his biggest strength and that is his vision. The guy makes some absolutely silly passes for a 6'4 power forward type player and he's flashed it pretty consistently through his first couple years.
The problem is see is that you can see him scanning the whole ice, he sees what's going on but his processing/anticipation and movement is a step behind, which makes him look lazy. He's never going to be a burner skating wise but his actual skating ability is league-average. Mr. Nicholas has to work on his first step acceleration and as a young guy you can see a "lack of focus" issue in things like the one hand on the stick and losing pick battles.
The other thing that is limiting his production is the same thing MSL did with Caufield last year and that is forcing Slaf to be more defensively responsible. I'd like to see him be more physical but the key to Slafs game improving IMO is his processing the play faster and better first step acceleration. I think he'll end up being one of those players that the opponents won't want to anger as I think he wakes up if you piss him off ...
The problem is see is that you can see him scanning the whole ice, he sees what's going on but his processing/anticipation and movement is a step behind, which makes him look lazy. He's never going to be a burner skating wise but his actual skating ability is league-average. Mr. Nicholas has to work on his first step acceleration and as a young guy you can see a "lack of focus" issue in things like the one hand on the stick and losing pick battles.
The other thing that is limiting his production is the same thing MSL did with Caufield last year and that is forcing Slaf to be more defensively responsible. I'd like to see him be more physical but the key to Slafs game improving IMO is his processing the play faster and better first step acceleration. I think he'll end up being one of those players that the opponents won't want to anger as I think he wakes up if you piss him off ...
Egresch
Registered User
- Jul 10, 2022
- 1,144
- 1,589
I keep reading that he had a terrible game and then I watch highlights and see that in 29th minute of the game Habs had 5 shots on goal and two of them were high danger scoring chances from Caufield created by Slafkovsky.
Time 2:35 and 3:35.
He must have been awful for the rest of the game.
Time 2:35 and 3:35.
He must have been awful for the rest of the game.
Sorinth
Registered User
- Jan 18, 2013
- 11,893
- 6,694
Worth noting that processing speed is often something that develops via the one step back two steps forward. If they have been asking him to focus on some aspect of how he reads the play/game then it's fairly normal to take a step back and look worse while making those adjustments because when you are thinking about what to do it's already too late and your behind the play. The decisions have to be almost second nature and it's exactly what we saw in his rookie year, he was reacting slowly to plays and not moving his feet because he was taking that extra half second on every decision, then once he could make those decisions instinctively he exploded and took the 2 steps forward.
Kennerback
Registered User
- Jun 2, 2021
- 4,873
- 7,574
In the last 3 games:
His windup is so long he gets stripped of the puck before he can shoot
He finally gets a clear opportunity to hit the net, and all the time in the world, and flubs the shot
Gets a golden opportunity to shoot from the slot with one man in between and he hits the D’s shin pad.
That’s in the rare occasion he actually attempts a shot.
He looks like he didn’t spend a single hour on his shot last summer. He’s just not putting in the work.
His windup is so long he gets stripped of the puck before he can shoot
He finally gets a clear opportunity to hit the net, and all the time in the world, and flubs the shot
Gets a golden opportunity to shoot from the slot with one man in between and he hits the D’s shin pad.
That’s in the rare occasion he actually attempts a shot.
He looks like he didn’t spend a single hour on his shot last summer. He’s just not putting in the work.
Last edited:
Frankenheimer
Sir, this is an Arber
An interesting exercise is to look at last 25 years of first overalls and you'll see that your operating premise is wrong. And this even if you did a redraft.
Our unreasonable expectations are more often than not the cause of our frustrations, even if we DID end up with a phenomenal prospect in that draft.
At 20 years old, Slaf's development is not really a source of concern. He's a big lad and when he's on, he's great. With time, he'll learn to be more consistent.
austin316
Registered User
- Oct 4, 2016
- 1,516
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LV426
Registered User
The funny thing again is that we might have gotten the best player in that draft anyway, just... way later.plus Slaf was a 1OA in a very bad draft year, wish we could have had that pick another year
2022 is not trending very well at the moment, but it is still early
DAChampion
Registered User
- May 28, 2011
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FerrisRox
"Wanna go, Prettyboy?"
Why would Montreal do that?
Congratulations!
In a sea of dim-witted hot takes that are going to look hilariously embarrassing in the not too distant future, you've said the single dumbest thing here!
I know that couldn't have been easy considering some of the statements here, so bravo!
DAChampion
Registered User
- May 28, 2011
- 30,366
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Habs
Jake Evans will steal your wife
- Feb 28, 2002
- 23,548
- 19,087
FerrisRox
"Wanna go, Prettyboy?"
So you're predicting Slafkovsky gets 9 points the rest of the season?
Are you serious with this shit?
- Jan 18, 2022
- 8,774
- 13,213
He’s the worst producing 1OA in 25 years.
He’s the worst producing 1OA in 25 years.
Sure, why not.
Habs
Jake Evans will steal your wife
- Feb 28, 2002
- 23,548
- 19,087
no my 10 goals was the prediction for the year, 30 pts for half a season, typo. Also don't be so angry, it's only January bro.
- Jan 18, 2022
- 8,774
- 13,213
The problem is that Slaf and Dach —but especially Slaf— are meant to be the pillars of the rebuild.
Barely squeaking to “in the mix” fighting for a wildcard spot on the backs of Evans and Armia over-performing is irrelevant to our interests. I’d rather tank a season than fight for a WC spot because bottom6ers decided to play and the talented youngsters shat their trousers.
Dach, Slaf, Guhle, and Hutson joining Caufield and Suzuki as young reliable performers is what matters. Slaf and Dach have failed, so far anyway, to prove they can be relied upon.
I don’t like tanking to pick a player who needs to be benched to be woken up into his third NHL season. What the fk is wrong with Slaf? That’s the question. It’s not a matter of not producing enough or not being a lettered captain leader at 20, it’s a matter of playing the right way. Slaf is not playing the right way. What the hell is the matter with him?
Jurivan Demidovsky
Registered User
- Nov 26, 2024
- 543
- 929
We still ended up with the real 1st overall Lane Hutsonplus Slaf was a 1OA in a very bad draft year, wish we could have had that pick another year
Bouboumaster
Registered User
- Jul 4, 2014
- 11,216
- 9,961
It's a solid gamble IMO
Slafkovsky has the potential to be a solid player, he already showed it
He's playing much better since he's back with Caufield and Suzuki
Slafkovsky has the potential to be a solid player, he already showed it
He's playing much better since he's back with Caufield and Suzuki
Lafleurs Guy
Guuuuuuuy!
- Jul 20, 2007
- 80,310
- 52,654
The hand wringing is overdone but he’s had a disappointing first half. We knew it was a weaker draft year and he’d never be what a typical first overall would be.
But I have confidence that he’s going to be a really solid player. It’s possible some complacency has creeped in but he’s so young and is still pacing for around 50 points.
Needs more intensity and be more physical. I’m fine with the contract and he’ll be a bargain by the end of it.
But I have confidence that he’s going to be a really solid player. It’s possible some complacency has creeped in but he’s so young and is still pacing for around 50 points.
Needs more intensity and be more physical. I’m fine with the contract and he’ll be a bargain by the end of it.
I’m reserving any judgement towards it until after the contract actually starts
