Player Discussion Juraj Slafkovsky, the high offensive potential edition.

[Naslundforever]

Pld Slaf Anderson would not even look like any hab line I can remember…

Slaf looks like a beast when he’s acting instead of reacting and I believe he is in the proper context to learn. I have no worries the progression will be quite noticeable over the next 2-3 years, and probably even spectacular

 

[MasterD]

I watched Draisaitl last night. He was dominant. But his first year post-draft he had a similar production as Slaf did this year. It took a few more years for Drai to really break out. Doubt Slaf reaches Drais level but perhaps a good lesson to remain patient for now.

Good example, but really we should ALWAYS be patient with 18 year old kids.

Joe Thornton was vilified in Boston his first few years.

 

[morhilane]

I find it amusing that people are complaining Slaf wasn't physical enough since he was 6th in hits per 60 on the team (technically 5th since Condotta is #2 with one game) and 9th in total with only 39 games played. He was 21st in game played... What a team of cream puffs.

Dach was less physical than he was overall, but finally realize his body potential in the 2nd half of the season at 22 years old. Plenty of time for Slaf to do the same...

 

[MasterD]

Slaf needs to play with a veteran power forward to show him how to play the position. Playing on a line with PLD and Anderson would be ideal for him IMO. Show him how to use his frame and skills.

Yes. But that's not Anderson, he doesn't know how to really produce offensively.

I remember when Pacioretty played with Cole, man that line was a beauty.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Yes. But that's not Anderson. I remember when Pacioretty played with Cole, man that line was a beauty.

Anderson and PLD had their best years playing together in 2018-2019. They just clicked in Columbus. Hope to re-kindle that and take Slaf on the ride. Would make for a really good offensive, heavy line that would be really hard to play against.

 

[Beer and Chips]

He shouldn't have been in the NHL, that's on HuGo. They need a better plan than just having him watch videos.

 

[Sorinth]

Reminder Draisaitl spent some time in the AHL and he's as much of a man as Slaf. Kid can perfect things at lower level and I hope we give him a chance to do so.

KK and Galchenuyk had much better rookie seasons and they didn't get caught 10 times with the head down. His balance was suprisingly quite bad even at 235 pounds, even KK looked better.

We have to be patient and get him out of the spotlight next year. There's so many things he can learn in Laval, why not take our time?

KK and Galchenyuk also had better rookie seasons then Lecavalier and Thornton it really doesn't mean much. It's not a question of how good you are at 18 it's whether you can progress year over year. Slafkovsky did develop in the NHL last year, he was a much better player in the weeks prior to his injury then he was at the start of the season. So yeah we have to be patient with him but that doesn't have to mean sending him to the AHL.

 

[Deebs]

I really wish he would've started the year in Laval. Even if you give the kid a few games with the big club just to get a taste, sure, but then send him down and play 17-18 minutes a night on a top line and powerplay.

I guess I'll never understand why teams rush these kids when they are clearly not ready to be everyday NHL'ers but the majority do it.

I think he has a bright future but we knew after drafting him he was going to take 2-3 years to start coming into his own. We must be patient with him.

 

[Jaynki]

Gorton, in the press conference, stated that some players had opportunity in the NHL that they would not have had with other teams, that our rebuilding context permitted that. He said it was the same when he was in NY.

I understood that, from Gorton point of view, even if a player was not "ready", he could benefit from NHL times and experience.

What do we all think about this?

 

[Skip Bayless]

Gorton, in the press conference, stated that some players had opportunity in the NHL that they would not have had with other teams, that our rebuilding context permitted that. He said it was the same when he was in NY.

I understood that, from Gorton point of view, even if a player was not "ready", he could benefit from NHL times and experience.

What do we all think about this?

I think it's counter-productive to keep a player who's not ready to produce offensively no matter the context.

He's going to play less because he's not ready to play against big lines from a defensive standpoint and doesn't have the offense to offset it, and his confidence suffers because he's not producing. In the end, the only thing Slaf learned is what are his flaws in the NHL.

The only time it's a good decision it's when the player can produce and needs to develop his all around game.

 

[WeThreeKings]

He shouldn't have been in the NHL, that's on HuGo. They need a better plan than just having him watch videos.

They did.

They had a mapped out plan for him where they were going to introduce more and more into his game, teaching, lessons, etc.

That got stalled due to the injury.

 

[rik schau]

That got stalled due to the injury.

Because he was not ready for the NHL.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Because he was not ready for the NHL.

I guess Monahan wasn't ready for the NHL either.

His injury was a nothing play, it had nothing to do with not being NHL ready.

 

[rik schau]

I guess Monahan wasn't ready for the NHL either.

His injury was a nothing play, it had nothing to do with not being NHL ready.

You can't be seriously comparing a veteran and rookies hockey acumen can you.smh

 

[WeThreeKings]

You can't be seriously comparing a veteran and rookies hockey acumen can you.smh

You can't be seriously be thinking a lack of NHL readiness contributed at all to the play that ended Slaf's season.

 

[rik schau]

You can't be seriously be thinking a lack of NHL readiness contributed at all to the play that ended Slaf's season.

He was getting hit hard left and right,it was a matter of time before he would get seriously hurt,he wasn't ready for the NHL,it's obvious.

 

[Nicko999]

I watched Draisaitl last night. He was dominant. But his first year post-draft he had a similar production as Slaf did this year. It took a few more years for Drai to really break out. Doubt Slaf reaches Drais level but perhaps a good lesson to remain patient for now.

The difference is that Draisaitl had a history of high production including in the WHL in his pre draft year. Slaf? Not so much.

 

[WeThreeKings]

He was getting hit hard left and right,it was a matter of time before he would get seriously hurt,he wasn't ready for the NHL,it's obvious.

He was injured on a freak play that had nothing to do with his readiness.

 

[rik schau]

He was injured on a freak play that had nothing to do with his readiness.

That can be said about all injuries,doesn't change that fact he was not ready. Most injuries have nothing to do with readiness or not,shit happens. But as everyone saw,he was getting nailed because of lack of readiness.

 

[MasterMatt25]

Look at Hughes first year with New Jersey and Kakko first year with New York. They did not look good, but that harsh wake-up call of a first year was instrumental for them. Hughes is breaking out, and Kakko is a defensive powerhouse with his offense slowly coming in.

I did have doubts about him playing here this past season, but he did. Now that this season is a notch on his belt, he knows the parts of his game that need to improve

 

[Sorinth]

Gorton, in the press conference, stated that some players had opportunity in the NHL that they would not have had with other teams, that our rebuilding context permitted that. He said it was the same when he was in NY.

I understood that, from Gorton point of view, even if a player was not "ready", he could benefit from NHL times and experience.

What do we all think about this?

I don't think that was what Gorton was saying that they put guys in the NHL that they felt weren't "ready". Xhekaj for example fits the bill as a player who got an opportunity in the NHL this year that he wouldn't have gotten if it wasn't for the rebuilding context. Even with the injuries if the focus was on making the playoffs we would have kept a guy like Schueneman over him instead because he plays a safer game. But in the context of rebuilding, it makes more sense to keep Xhekaj since his ceiling is so much higher and he'll benefit way more from learning experience.

 

[Destopcorner]

He was injured on a freak play that had nothing to do with his readiness.

True but the multiple head down hits show he's wasn't ready. Most important thing is player safety and Slaf couldn't process the game well enough to avoid that problem. Can you remember any big prospect who was decked that badly in his rookie season? This is concerning for sure... If he can't learn to protect himself at this level, it means he's not ready for it imo. What's the downside of sending him to Laval?

 

[Jaynki]

I think it's counter-productive to keep a player who's not ready to produce offensively no matter the context.

He's going to play less because he's not ready to play against big lines from a defensive standpoint and doesn't have the offense to offset it, and his confidence suffers because he's not producing. In the end, the only thing Slaf learned is what are his flaws in the NHL.

The only time it's a good decision it's when the player can produce and needs to develop his all around game.

I think it would have been counter-productive to have him in the the AHL because he would have learnt nothing about the NHL game. There is no substitute for NHL ice time and practices.

I think he may gain more from playing 10 min on the 4th line in the NHL than he would playing 1st line in the AHL.

I think confidence comes before success. I don't think his production or impact in the NHL has any effect in his confidence level. I don't think he would have gained confidence dominating the WJC or the AHL. Confidence is not, and should not be the by-product of performance. Its the opposite.

I think Slaf learned way much more than only what his flaws were. I think he learned about a new environment, rink size, processing of the game, speed of the game, the routine and training of a professional, combined with all the games, etc.

Things he would not have learned in any other caliber.

 

[Jaynki]

I don't think that was what Gorton was saying that they put guys in the NHL that they felt weren't "ready". Xhekaj for example fits the bill as a player who got an opportunity in the NHL this year that he wouldn't have gotten if it wasn't for the rebuilding context. Even with the injuries if the focus was on making the playoffs we would have kept a guy like Schueneman over him instead because he plays a safer game. But in the context of rebuilding, it makes more sense to keep Xhekaj since his ceiling is so much higher and he'll benefit way more from learning experience.

I agree, it does not apply only to Slafkovsky.

 

[JianYang]

I'm still not sure what slaf's identity is going to be.

I remember early in the year, he was like a bull in a China shop. He toned it down as the season wore on... Perhaps related to injury. But it's also a style, as entertaining as it is, puts a toll on the player, and shortens careers. Perhaps the Habs were trying to change his game with that in mind.

I think you certainly need these bulls in your lineup for cup aspirations.... Just not sure you want to spend a top pick for those guys.