Post-Game Talk: Baby Habs vs. Baby Sens @ noon (Slaf & Guhle Will Play) (Game link in post #1)

[RealityHurts]

But god damn WHAT exactly lol?
You're making it sound like it's a ROYAL f*** up already ...for some reason?

Yet, Slafkovsky goes #2 if not #1, and Wright @ 4 was the 2nd Center taken, soooo..?

God damn because they're taking us on a roller coaster ride. Slafkovsky could be the next Jagr just as he could be the next Armia. That disparity in possibilities is SCARY. Wright, at worst, imho, would have been maybe a Nico Hischier?

I would have been more comfortable building a team with Wright knowing that I'm getting a top 3-5 draft pick in the 2023 draft which will be star studded. I don't think the risk for Slafkovskiy was necessary.

I would have picked Wright. Because I did think he was BPA. Yet...he didn't prove his BPA status in the playoffs. Not his point. But the way he handled himself. In the meantime, Slaf looked insanely well against men against tougher opposition. Which CLEARLY could have transformed who finally ended up BPA.

And when I talk BPA, I talk about my own position on players but ALSO on every other agencies we know about that are serious. And CLEARLY, Wright wasn't the clear BPA based on those guys.

If they end up picking Wright and he fails, we shout they picked position and they went the easy way.

My take at that time and right now is the same. I would have pick Wright. But I would have been DAMN sad to not pick Slaf. So I don't have to be sad no more....

I feel like, of all the 'categories' players are prospected on, Compete can be a crap shoot in certain cases. You have players that don't look like they're competing at all at times but it only seems so because they are at the right positions and don't need to spend energy to reposition themselves. Another practice that could lead to this belief is the passing to a teammate rather than moving the puck yourself. Wright definitely lost many points for that category which, imho, explains his drop. I think there was also a tweet he made where he shit talked Montreal which probably didn't help.

This management hasn't given us a reason to doubt them yet, so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. My two favorite players were Wright and Nemec. I'm just scared Slaf won't pan out whereas we had a sure thing in Wright.

I love your take on it.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

God damn because they're taking us on a roller coaster ride. Slafkovsky could be the next Jagr just as he could be the next Armia. That disparity in possibilities is SCARY. Wright, at worst, imho, would have been maybe a Nico Hischier?

I would have been more comfortable building a team with Wright knowing that I'm getting a top 3-5 draft pick in the 2023 draft which will be star studded. I don't think the risk for Slafkovskiy was necessary.



I feel like, of all the 'categories' players are prospected on, Compete can be a crap shoot in certain cases. You have players that don't look like they're competing at all at times but it only seems so because they are at the right positions and don't need to spend energy to reposition themselves. Another practice that could lead to this belief is the passing to a teammate rather than moving the puck yourself. Wright definitely lost many points for that category which, imho, explains his drop. I think there was also a tweet he made where he shit talked Montreal which probably didn't help.

This management hasn't given us a reason to doubt them yet, so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. My two favorite players were Wright and Nemec. I'm just scared Slaf won't pan out whereas we had a sure thing in Wright.

I love your take on it.

What tweet??

 

[lillypad33]

Zachary Massicote is listed as 6ft 4

Never realized he was that big. He looked small!

 

[le_sean]

Does anyone concur with this:

The Lions, sure.

The guy hasn’t done enough at any level to warrant AHL time.

 

[aresknights]

No Slaf has to go to the OHL, he needs to learn how to dominate. He's future is to be a 1st line winger, he needs to work on his art and skills. CHL is better suited for him at this point

Edit..... the post I responded to is deleted so the below may lose context. I responded to a poster saying Slaf should play in the OHL ( I thought Erie has his rights but too lazy to look )

As a season ticket holder in London since 99, just no. And we have been fortunate here to see so many pro players leave early cause they were above the league development wise. ( The list of pros is long since the Hunters took over)
The CHL won't be the best place for this kid to play n develop based on where he has played, what he has done....and so many other factors.
Last year sure, might have been a good thing, I don't know as the path can be unique for everyone.
This player is mature based on past experiences n passionate about the game. Going to play against 16-19 year olds where only a small minority have a shot at pro would waste a year for a bunch of obvious reasons.

No Slaf has to go to the OHL, he needs to learn how to dominate. He's future is to be a 1st line winger, he needs to work on his art and skills. CHL is better suited for him at this point

 

[Habano]

And held back by Houle*

That's what scares me the most about Slaf being in the AHL

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Imagine we had 3rd pick instead of 1OA, and we took Wright many people will say it is a steal

It wouldn’t be the first time that many people would have been wrong about something.

 

[LV426]

Ya I'm unfortunately serious.

 

[Runner77]

Most of these were never coached st the pro level. They’re raw. Most of them. So on se calme les tits.

Today was a show of pure talent. Raw talent.

And didn’t see the game. But what 20 showed me the first game was enough. He’s going to be potent. Type of player that will be coveted when UFA season comes around. Type of player you win cups with. Once he understands the pro game, he’ll be potent. He’s got all the attributes.

Habs camp, MAYBE 8-10 games and then Laval. Until he learns to play 2 sides of the ice and understands what is asked of him. Right now, he’s like a basketball player at a showcase that wants to dunk at all costs. Because it flashes. Then he gets drafted and learns to play pro.

Like @Goldenhands mentioned, on se calme. This is not KK. He’s way past that. He needs to understand the pro game on small ice, as well as the pace.

We gotta let go of Chucky and KK comparables, deplorables and whatnot.

Those were the lot of a prior administration.

These failed draftees have zero to do with any player current management values and has added.

Assessments on the new additions, wherever those players came from, need to happen on their own merits.

 

[bsl]

I will continue to call you out on your unsubstantiated garbage.. you said yourself in previous posts that you have never watched Slafkovsky play (again, maybe you've watched these last two rookie games).. but you base your arguments on his Liiga stats.. Liiga stats for a player that you never decided to watch. Liiga stats for a player that was told to play a trap style defensive game.

Your arguments (and the way you build them).. you think your going about it in a smart and useful way.. but you should like a slaty disgruntled fan, calling him a "unicorn" "project" blah blah.. who wishes that the Habs drafted Wright. We'll go watch some Seattle games, they need da fan base.. noone here will miss you! So like I said, continue your, comments, but I will 100/% continue to call you out until you have something useful to say!

Calm down. FFS. You are talking to to posters here who have watched habs intensely for 20 years. I have watched habs live since 1972. Show some respect. And you come barging in like a know it all.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

I would have picked Wright. Because I did think he was BPA. Yet...he didn't prove his BPA status in the playoffs. Not his point. But the way he handled himself. In the meantime, Slaf looked insanely well against men against tougher opposition. Which CLEARLY could have transformed who finally ended up BPA.

And when I talk BPA, I talk about my own position on players but ALSO on every other agencies we know about that are serious. And CLEARLY, Wright wasn't the clear BPA based on those guys.

If they end up picking Wright and he fails, we shout they picked position and they went the easy way.

My take at that time and right now is the same. I would have pick Wright. But I would have been DAMN sad to not pick Slaf. So I don't have to be sad no more....

Nobody would complain if they picked Wright and he was a dud because he was thought of as BPA. Slafkovsky was the risk and therefore HuGo had to believe he was definitely the BPA to pass on Wright.

 

[durojean]

But god damn WHAT exactly lol?
You're making it sound like it's a ROYAL f*** up already ...for some reason?

Yet, Slafkovsky goes #2 if not #1, and Wright @ 4 was the 2nd Center taken, soooo..?

My opinion is that Wright got overscouted and Covid made him look worse than he is and Slafkovsky was on fire at the good time.

Slaf’s got a lot of tools, but his hockey IQ and propably his shot are big question mark. I’m still not sure about his speed at the NHL level.

I’d put him in the ahl for 2 or 3 years as we really do not need him this year and we will gain time useful years and at a low salary if he’s in Laval.

 

[SlafySZN]

My opinion is that Wright got overscouted and Covid made him look worse than he is and Slafkovsky was on fire at the good time.

Slaf’s got a lot of tools, but his hockey IQ and propably his shot are big question mark. I’m still not sure about his speed at the NHL level.

I’d put him in the ahl for 2 or 3 years as we really do not need him this year and we will gain time useful years and at a low salary if he’s in Laval.

Why not until he's 25? call him up in 4-5 years, not until he has 100 points in the AHL.

 

[Scriptor]

My opinion is that Wright got overscouted and Covid made him look worse than he is and Slafkovsky was on fire at the good time.

Slaf’s got a lot of tools, but his hockey IQ and propably his shot are big question mark. I’m still not sure about his speed at the NHL level.

I’d put him in the ahl for 2 or 3 years as we really do not need him this year and we will gain time useful years and at a low salary if he’s in Laval.

Not too worried about the shot, but it does need work because the mechanics aren't consistent. However, when they are on, his shot is a howitzer that leaves the blade in a fraction of a second.

We now have an actual skills department as part of team development and Slafkovsky will get the right attention and help in improving/tweaking his skills.

Hockey IQ? I honestly don't think it is nearly as sketchy as some make it out to be. He seems to have great on ice vision and makes passes to where his line mates will be, not where they are. He's clearly thinking the game at a good level out there and, for example, in these two games played, he likely should have had several primary assists added to his personal stats had his line mates been better prepared to imagine the pass getting to them and better equipped to finish plays.

Slafkovsky made at least 10 passes tp a line mate in the slot where that player had a good fraction of a second to more than a second to execute. However, they fanned, missed the net or simply didn't shoot.

Positioning without the puck was a. bit of a problem, but it's less of a problem for a winger, to begin with, and something I'm convinced is not beyond Slafkovsky's ability to grasp hockey concepts.

Some of the bad positioning and the risky choices with the puck that aborted were underlined by Slafkovsky himself during his personal critique of game #1, so it's not something he didn't grasp.

He's also pretty diligent not to repeat the same mistakes from game to game, so he's able to learn and evolve.

Be patient with Slafkovsky and don't let the small sample of actual entire games we have seen with him playing draw hasty conclusions.

Besides, he may well elevate his game when playing with actual NHL line mates at training camp.

Enjoy the ride

 

[SlafySZN]

Not too worried about the shot, but it does need work because the mechanics aren't consistent. However, when they are on, his shot is a howitzer that leaves the blade in a fraction of a second.

We now have an actual skills department as part of team development and Slafkovsky will get the right attention and help in improving/tweaking his skills.

Hockey IQ? I honestly don't think it is nearly as sketchy as some make it out to be. He seems to have great on ice vision and makes passes to where his line mates will be, not where they are. He's clearly thinking the game at a good level out there and, for example, in these two games played, he likely should have had several primary assists added to his personal stats had his line mates been better prepared to imagine the pass getting to them and better equipped to finish plays.

Slafkovsky made at least 10 passes tp a line mate in the slot where that player had a good fraction of a second to more than a second to execute. However, they fanned, missed the net or simply didn't shoot.

Positioning without the puck was a. bit of a problem, but it's less of a problem for a winger, to begin with, and something I'm convinced is not beyond Slafkovsky's ability to grasp hockey concepts.

Some of the bad positioning and the risky choices with the puck that aborted were underlined by Slafkovsky himself during his personal critique of game #1, so it's not something he didn't grasp.

He's also pretty diligent not to repeat the same mistakes from game to game, so he's able to learn and evolve.

Be patient with Slafkovsky and don't let the small sample of actual entire games we have seen with him playing draw hasty conclusions.

Besides, he may well elevate his game when playing with actual NHL line mates at training camp.

Enjoy the ride

Many of those passes would've went in the back of the net playing with a guy like Caufield

 

[le_sean]

You do know that Wright was selected 4th ? Habs weren't alone to consider he wasn't the BPA.

And the Devils thought they’d be taking Slaf at 2. They were clearly caught off guard.

Then the Coyotes chose another centre instead of Wright.

There’s some serious red flags with the kid.

 

[Seb]

Slaflovsky creates space and scoring chances. A lot.

It's great to see.

 

[Twisted Sinister]

Thoughts on the Game:

-WTF Guhle, where did all that come from?

-Heineman's shot is definitely something to watch.

-Better Game for Slaf imo. Better decisions out there even if it didn't convert. Played simpler. Still has a long way to go to be an NHLer.

-Xhekaj is a gem.

-Simoneau is certainly opening eyes. He might have a tough time because we have lots of prospects of his ilk, but he's definitely flying out there.

-Beck is the little engine that could. All over the ice.

-Mesar is a talented guy, but the chief knock on him was always inconsistency. Hope he puts it all together.

 

[le_sean]

My opinion is that Wright got overscouted and Covid made him look worse than he is and Slafkovsky was on fire at the good time.

Slaf’s got a lot of tools, but his hockey IQ and propably his shot are big question mark. I’m still not sure about his speed at the NHL level.

I’d put him in the ahl for 2 or 3 years as we really do not need him this year and we will gain time useful years and at a low salary if he’s in Laval.

It’s not an issue of overscouting. Wright only has himself to blame. Mediocre season, below average playoffs, lame vanilla interviews. He had been trending downwards since the start of the year (go read Bob McKenzie’s rankings. He went from consensus in the fall, to some question marks in the winter, to 2nd place in the spring).

Meanwhile you have Slafkovsky who was Top 5 ranked in the Fall by Bob. He gets MVP of the Olympics. Finishes fairly strong in Liiga, and has a really good World Championships. He’s also a great interview and charismatic.

It’s not overscouting, it’s simple trajectory. One stayed flat and the other shot upwards. One is a boring robot and the other is a comedian. One was pampered and told he was great for years, the other worked hard and made his own way in a different country. One projects to be the type of player every team has, and the other projects as the type of player every team wants.

We have a fanbase that have seen two recent failures at the top of the draft. Most of us wanted safe. But safe doesn’t win championships.

 

[ReHabs]

We have a fanbase that have seen two recent failures at the top of the draft. Most of us wanted safe. But safe doesn’t win championships.

It boils down to how one views the 1OA pick. Is it a “can’t miss” pick or a “upside” pick? If the former, you need to go safe. If the latter, swing for the fences.

I genuinely think it’s better to view it as a ‘can’t miss’ but many disagree and the Habs also disagreed and said they went for the shiniest upside. Slafkovsky the Unicorn is definitely that player, especially after Wright laid a horrifically big egg.

But all that said, it doesn’t make Slaf any more polished or productive at this point in time (ie his flaws haven’t gone anywhere) so the more Habs fans see him the more second-guessing we all will have to read and process until something changes.

For my part, I pledge not to do second-guessing.

Edit: though I disagree on your implication that Wright was pampered and Slaf is a humble yeoman.

 

[Scintillating10]

My humble opinion in no particular order. On some of the players I noticed this game.

Beck: I thought this was Beck's worst game of the 3. Yet I still came away impressed. I have such high hopes for this kid.

Simoneau: I'm so looking forward to seeing him in Laval this year. After his tussle with the Sens player. Seeing him sitting on the ice with the guy in a headlock made me laugh. He's a feisty lil SOB.

Guhle: Such a great skater. I can see where some have compared him to Pietrangelo. He's going to fit in quite nicely with HuGo's team philosophy. Add in his aggressiveness. There's nothing not to like about this kid.

Barron: Seemed to be holding back. You can tell he and I'll add Guhle here have so much more to offer. I miss Lehkonen, but I'm loving that trade more and more.

Xhekaj: In his fight, I was thinking to myself "Wow that kid is holding his own against Xhekaj". Just as that thought hit my mind, the poor Sens player was hitting the ice. If he continues to improve. I can't see him staying in Laval very long.

Mesar: He's impressed me over these past 3 games. I could see him starting the year in Laval. Though the thought of seeing him run wild in the OHL is quite intriguing.

Heineman: I honestly didn't know anything about him. From what I had read, he seemed just like an average, run of the mill prospect. From what I've witnessed these past 3 games. We've got a good one here with solid bottom 6 potential. Maybe higher if he can continue to improve.

Mysak: He's one of my fav prospects. Yet I barely noticed him. I'm far from giving up on him. I just hope he was saving it for the big camp next week.

Parker-Jones: Give the kid an AHL contract.

Kidney: I thought this was his best game so far. Love his talent, just wish he was a little stronger. He may be our most underrated forward prospect.

Fairbrother: Seems like a solid player. I just wasn't as impressed by him as some others here. But what the hell do I know. lol

Like the Habs future appears to be big tough defense. Guhle, Xhejak, Fairbrother. Hard to play against in playoffs. Replaces Weber and company. Heineman could be another Lekhonen. I've heard a lot of praise about him

 

[Heffyhoof]

It boils down to how one views the 1OA pick. Is it a “can’t miss” pick or a “upside” pick? If the former, you need to go safe. If the latter, swing for the fences.

I genuinely think it’s better to view it as a ‘can’t miss’ but many disagree and the Habs also disagreed and said they went for the shiniest upside. Slafkovsky the Unicorn is definitely that player, especially after Wright laid a horrifically big egg.

But all that said, it doesn’t make Slaf any more polished or productive at this point in time (ie his flaws haven’t gone anywhere) so the more Habs fans see him the more second-guessing we all will have to read and process until something changes.

For my part, I pledge not to do second-guessing.

Edit: though I disagree on your implication that Wright was pampered and Slaf is a humble yeoman.

I've disagreed with you before, but Slaf was an upside pick for sure. For me personally, I always saw any #1 pick that draft as an upside pick, with Slaf being my personal preference.

 

[ReHabs]

I've disagreed with you before, but Slaf was an upside pick for sure. For me personally, I always saw any #1 pick that draft as an upside pick, with Slaf being my personal preference.

If Slaf pans out he will really be a special player. I’d like for the Habs to be conservative and cautious in how they develop him (so: no Sink or Swim, trial by fire shit). I’d like to see him dominate his league before jumping a level.

It’s a bit concerning to feel that the Habs have ruled out a return to Liiga because he’s definitely not too good for Liiga right now. Maybe being under MSL’s tutelage is good or maybe figuring it out in the AHL is preferred. It’ll be fascinating to see how he gets on in the pro training camp. Can he keep up with Hoffman and Monahan and the like? His hockey IQ will be immediately quantifiable (so to speak!!) when he’s playing with NHLers.

 

[Belial]

No Slaf has to go to the OHL, he needs to learn how to dominate. He's future is to be a 1st line winger, he needs to work on his art and skills. CHL is better suited for him at this point

Slaf has to go to the OHL but Mesar is ready for the NHL right?

 

[Heffyhoof]

If Slaf pans out he will really be a special player. I’d like for the Habs to be conservative and cautious in how they develop him (so: no Sink or Swim, trial by fire shit). I’d like to see him dominate his league before jumping a level.

It’s a bit concerning to feel that the Habs have ruled out a return to Liiga because he’s definitely not too good for Liiga right now. Maybe being under MSL’s tutelage is good or maybe figuring it out in the AHL is preferred. It’ll be fascinating to see how he gets on in the pro training camp. Can he keep up with Hoffman and Monahan and the like? His hockey IQ will be immediately quantifiable (so to speak!!) when he’s playing with NHLers.

If Slaf pans out, Montreal might not ever have a top 5 player, but the 1st line would be the best in the league imo.

I'd say they ruled out Liiga because having him in North America gives Montreal far greater control over his season, NHL or lesser.